Sitting atop the tennis rankings is a great place for a tennis star to be. At the pinnacle, above the rest, playing the best tennis in the world, that’s where Rafael Nadal was just a few weeks ago. Injury, however, does not recognize number one rankings.
The knees don’t care how good a player is, but they do know when to call a time-out. Rafa, as Nadal is known to adoring fans, recently lost in the fourth round of the French Open at Roland Garros, his second home. His knees, both of them, likely contributed to the earlier than expected exit from the tournament.
As bad as the news sounds, Nadal is fortunate. Certainly not because both knees are affected, but because of the nature of the injuries. According to Nadal’s physicians, he is suffering from tendinitis in both knees. A far cry from an ACL injury, which seems to be the most common knee injury among athletes, but to be taken seriously nonetheless.
Patellar Tendinitis is an ailment that has become almost a cliché. It’s seen as a common, minor injury that heals quickly with adequate rest. While that could be the diagnosis if the patient is doing household chores, for a professional athlete, especially a pro tennis player, the diagnosis and recovery can be derail or postpone a career. In this case, it could mean that Nadal misses Wimbledon, which begins in less than two weeks.
What is tendinitis?
Tendinitis occurs when a tendon, the thick fibers that attach muscle to bone, becomes inflamed and irritated. Tendinitis can occur at any such point in a person’s body. In Nadal’s case, it was presumably caused by cumulative overuse.
Severe tendinitis can lead to tendon rupture, which would require surgical repair. Since Nadal has not ruled out the possibility of playing at Wimbledon, in fact, he is reportedly traveling there in preparation, it’s likely his tendinitis is somewhat milder.
Treatment
Most occurrences of tendinitis can be effectively treated with rest and anti-inflammatory medicine. However, when the pain associated with the condition interferes with normal activity, or if persists without improvement, a physician can properly diagnose and treat the problem. The Mayo clinic recommends a doctor visit for people who have a fever in conjunction with the inflamation and pain or if the affected area is inflamed.
Prevention
The knee is particularly susceptible to overuse injury due to muscle imbalances in multiple areas. “The athlete must possess sufficient strength in hip and trunk muscles that provide stability in all planes of motion,” says TennisMD.com rehabilitation expert, Dr. Robert Donatelli. “Strength training is the best form of prevention of muscle imbalances and overuse injuries. Rotational exercises are not commonly seen in the gyms of America, however, strengthening the hip rotators is very important to the athlete.”
Be sure to take a look at the following hip exercise.
Quick Hip Strength, External Rotators.
Sources: “Tendinitis,” Mayo Clinic (MayoClinic.com); “Injured Nadal Hopes to Play at Wimbledon,” San Diego Union-Tribune, June 10, 2009.
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