golfdude98765
New User
I am a general tennis fan and have followed the sport at the professional level for more than forty years, enjoying the successes of Arthur Ashe, Stan Smith, Connors, McEnroe, Borg and many of the other greats that have played the game from the 70s to the present. I admire the tremendous athleticism and skill of players like Federer, Nadal, Djokovic, Murray and all the pros who work so hard to make a living playing this great sport.
I am also aware that there has been considerable discussion on this board of how different pros handle their injuries. Unfortunately, many contributors to this forum can't separate their allegiance to one player, or their intense dislike of certain players from an objective assessment of an issue, whether it is an injury, or performance or skill issue.
Having played college sport in a sport where overuse injuries are very common and having suffered overuse injuries myself, I am aware of how debilitating certain physical injuries can be whether it is a shoulder, elbow or back issue (or knee injury). My particular injury was a lower back (sciatica) problem, and despite a variety of treatments - electro-muscular stimulation, physiotherapy, acupuncture, chiropractic adjustments, stretching, increased core body strengthening, the possibility of a surgical procedure to fuse the sacrum and ilium, and ongoing therapy, the problem made practicing daily and competing at the level I knew I was able to very difficult, and the injury persisted long after my college years.
We all know that Roger's back issues go back many years and have at different points in his career been a significant factor in his ability to play at the highest level consistently. The injury should not be used to excuse Federer's inconsistent play of recent, nor should Nadal's knee injury, however, injuries can often explain performances that are less than what fans might have expected. Injuries are a very important factor in determining an athlete's ability to perform at his highest level. When a baseball pitcher has a sore elbow or shoulder, no manager would put him on the mound for his regular spot in the rotation. The player would probably be put on the 15 day disabled list or miss a spot in the rotation. It certainly wouldn't make sense for that pitcher's fans or antagonists to use the injury as the focal point of a discussion about that player's overall skill.
A thought came to mind yesterday about Federer's ongoing back problems and I thought my own experience as a father might shed some light on what Federer is possibly experiencing. We know that Fed's back problems predate him becoming a father, but if Fed's back injury is a lower back injury, having two young daughters who love being held, tossed up in the air, put on his shoulders while going for walks etc., all of those things put tremendous stress on one's lower back. I know, I know - Federer is a professional, multi, multi-million dollar athlete who has access to the best exercise physiologists, strength trainers, the best medical experts, the best house-keepers and nannies and he also has a very supportive wife. In other words, it is somewhat foolish for me to suggest that there may be any similarities between my experience and his, but from all appearances, Federer really enjoys being a father and enjoys being with his daughters. I know from my own experience that when my kids (who are adults now) were the age of Federer's daughters, they always wanted to be played with, held, tossed in the air and so on, and during that time my back regressed significantly to the point where I often had trouble walking. So even if Federer takes time off from competition, I suspect that being a father and coming home everyday to two daughters who want some attention may actually be a contributing factor to his ongoing back problems. The stress put on the lower lumbar region of the back when lifting children, or any object of similar weight is considerable. Hopefully, Federer will be able to find the treatment or an exercise regimen that will allow him to continue to play and to enjoy the wonderful family he has been blessed with.
My speculation may be way off. I am not trying to make any excuses for Federer's mediocre play of late; however, back injuries, knee injuries, and shoulder injuries (among others) can all be extremely debilitating and as a fan of good tennis, I hope Federer and Nadal can return to play at a good level even though they may never return to the level we have been accustomed to seeing them play at when they were in their prime. Of course, none of us as fans of professional tennis should expect any athlete to be able to play at their prime level over a period of 10+ years. Finally, there are a variety of factors that I as an average fan have no knowledge of, not the least of which is the tremendous wear and tear the body takes being a professional tennis player.
I am also aware that there has been considerable discussion on this board of how different pros handle their injuries. Unfortunately, many contributors to this forum can't separate their allegiance to one player, or their intense dislike of certain players from an objective assessment of an issue, whether it is an injury, or performance or skill issue.
Having played college sport in a sport where overuse injuries are very common and having suffered overuse injuries myself, I am aware of how debilitating certain physical injuries can be whether it is a shoulder, elbow or back issue (or knee injury). My particular injury was a lower back (sciatica) problem, and despite a variety of treatments - electro-muscular stimulation, physiotherapy, acupuncture, chiropractic adjustments, stretching, increased core body strengthening, the possibility of a surgical procedure to fuse the sacrum and ilium, and ongoing therapy, the problem made practicing daily and competing at the level I knew I was able to very difficult, and the injury persisted long after my college years.
We all know that Roger's back issues go back many years and have at different points in his career been a significant factor in his ability to play at the highest level consistently. The injury should not be used to excuse Federer's inconsistent play of recent, nor should Nadal's knee injury, however, injuries can often explain performances that are less than what fans might have expected. Injuries are a very important factor in determining an athlete's ability to perform at his highest level. When a baseball pitcher has a sore elbow or shoulder, no manager would put him on the mound for his regular spot in the rotation. The player would probably be put on the 15 day disabled list or miss a spot in the rotation. It certainly wouldn't make sense for that pitcher's fans or antagonists to use the injury as the focal point of a discussion about that player's overall skill.
A thought came to mind yesterday about Federer's ongoing back problems and I thought my own experience as a father might shed some light on what Federer is possibly experiencing. We know that Fed's back problems predate him becoming a father, but if Fed's back injury is a lower back injury, having two young daughters who love being held, tossed up in the air, put on his shoulders while going for walks etc., all of those things put tremendous stress on one's lower back. I know, I know - Federer is a professional, multi, multi-million dollar athlete who has access to the best exercise physiologists, strength trainers, the best medical experts, the best house-keepers and nannies and he also has a very supportive wife. In other words, it is somewhat foolish for me to suggest that there may be any similarities between my experience and his, but from all appearances, Federer really enjoys being a father and enjoys being with his daughters. I know from my own experience that when my kids (who are adults now) were the age of Federer's daughters, they always wanted to be played with, held, tossed in the air and so on, and during that time my back regressed significantly to the point where I often had trouble walking. So even if Federer takes time off from competition, I suspect that being a father and coming home everyday to two daughters who want some attention may actually be a contributing factor to his ongoing back problems. The stress put on the lower lumbar region of the back when lifting children, or any object of similar weight is considerable. Hopefully, Federer will be able to find the treatment or an exercise regimen that will allow him to continue to play and to enjoy the wonderful family he has been blessed with.
My speculation may be way off. I am not trying to make any excuses for Federer's mediocre play of late; however, back injuries, knee injuries, and shoulder injuries (among others) can all be extremely debilitating and as a fan of good tennis, I hope Federer and Nadal can return to play at a good level even though they may never return to the level we have been accustomed to seeing them play at when they were in their prime. Of course, none of us as fans of professional tennis should expect any athlete to be able to play at their prime level over a period of 10+ years. Finally, there are a variety of factors that I as an average fan have no knowledge of, not the least of which is the tremendous wear and tear the body takes being a professional tennis player.
