Paul Kolody, MS, ATC, CSCSI recently spoke with one of the essential tennis disciples to see how things were going after his Functional Movement Screen. He was very frustrated due to the recurrent muscles strains in his legs over the past few months. Unfortunately, this is something I hear quite frequently with the athletes. Just looking through some of the recent posts in the forums to Dr. Jack, I can see the frustration mounting. With many of these issues, timing is the key factor. It is very difficult to make changes in muscle firing patterns, joint positioning, and sport mechanics during a competitive season, especially for some of us amateurs. Having a muscle strain when you are expecting to compete can be one of the most frustrating times for an athlete!
You may say, “But Paul, Tiger Woods makes changes all the time during the season, or professional tennis players work with their coach constantly to tweak their swing.” The difference is efficiency. They are professionals for a reason. Their muscles fire in a sequence that is consistent and efficient. Although all serve motions, forehand strokes or backhands do not look the same, I can bet you the farm that what is happening inside is almost identical, key word being almost. A great person to look up for swing kinematics is Dr. Greg Rose from the Titleist Performance Institute. His work with rotational athletes is very interesting, and explains just how the better players are just more efficient and consistent!!
This leads me back to the topic. The more efficient we are, the less compensation we develop. A decrease in compensatory movements = a decreased risk of injury. During the season, we tend to enhance our bad habits when we play. Corrections do not stick well when poor habits are constantly being reinforced. I am not saying that corrections cannot be made, but the challenge is much greater. Having a great warm-up, movement prep, training (strength training, SAQ) regiment, etc., is essential to good health on the court. So, enjoy the rest of the season. Work through some of the aches and pains that can be worked through. Address the aches and pains that hurt even when you are not playing tennis, and make it a point to work with a qualified Athletic Trainer or Strength Coach, in the off season, to have the best 2009/10 possible.