It’s the age old question relating to sports injuries---“Should I apply heat therapy or cold therapy?” I’m actually surprised at the confusion surrounding this issue. The answer is almost always cold therapy. Heat therapy can actually be detrimental to tissue healing in many cases. To clarify specific issues surrounding this topic, I’ll discuss the appropriate application of both modalities here.
Sports injuries are the result of trauma to your tissue. It could be externally applied by a collision with an opponent or inanimate object. It can also occur independent of an outside source---such as when you role your ankle or twist your knee while changing directions. Trauma to your tissue sets off a physiologic process known as inflammation. As part of the inflammatory process, your body sends specialized cells and proteins to seal off the injured area, destroy damaged tissue and keep out bacteria. This can become problematic as, left unchecked, inflammation can destroy healthy tissue and create a bigger problem than you started with. To prevent this, it is crucial that you minimize inflammation as soon as possible.
Application of ice, more properly known as cryotherapy, decreases the temperature of injured tissue. This helps diminish pain, slow down muscle metabolism, and minimize muscle spasm. As a result---and here’s the key---the inflammatory process is decreased which aides in tissue recovery after trauma. Introduction of heat to the area will have the opposite effect. It increased blood flow to the area and can actually accelerate the inflammatory process in acute injuries. Therefore, any time there is an acute sport injury with swelling or inflammation present, heat is not appropriate.
The application of cold therapy treatment is different depending on the acuity of the sports injury in question. Ice applied right after the injury occurs reduces muscle metabolism and decreases the degree of tissue damage due to inflammation. Later, when the sports injury is in its sub-acute phase, the primary purpose of cold therapy is to relieve pain to help facilitate exercise and activity tolerance.
Hopefully, by now I’ve convinced you to use cold therapy with your acute or sub-acute sports injury. Mode and duration of cold therapy is important. Large, flexible gel ice packs that can surround the joint provide superior skin cooling effects when compared to rigid ice packs. Research articles recommend anywhere from 10-20 minutes 2-4 times a day up to 30-45 min every two hours. I typically suggest that more severe injuries and post-operative patients apply ice more frequently but for the average sports injury 10-20 minutes 2 times a day, especially after activity, is adequate for cold therapy.
Despite its lack of applicability to acute injuries, heat therapy is not without utility in treating certain types of injuries. Heat therapy can be applied for chronic issues such as muscle or joint stiffness or soreness. Heat therapy can also help relax muscles or decrease muscle spasms. In these cases, heat therapy is best applied before exercise to promote blood flow and prepare tissue for use.
Heating pads or hot packs are good heat therapy treaments but I recommend moist heat for maximum efficacy. Try using a hot, wet towel to wrap the area in question. Safely apply moist heat therapy for 15-20 minutes at a time and make sure that you have several layers between your skin and the heating source to avoid burns. Heat therapy should not be applied after exercise. Even with chronic injuries, ice is the better choice after activity.
Cold therapy and heat therapy both have useful applications when dealing with sports injury. Make sure you select the correct modality for your injury and always apply it safely. Cold temperatures can burn your skin just as easily as hot temperatures if not applied properly. If you develop a fever or your sports injury does not improve after a reasonable time, be sure to see your physician to rule out something more serious.
Article Summary:
Discover whether heat or cold therapy is the best treatment for your sports injury. Applying ice is the best approach directly after an injury occurs or after finishing your athletic activity. Heat is effective treatment for chronic pain or helping to promote blood flow before activity begins. Make sure to select the correct treatment for the situation to avoid detrimental effects.
Resource Box:
Trina Rowe is Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT), a Sports Clinical Specialist (SCS) and a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS). Trina is part of the physical therapy staff at the Santa Monica, CA Bauerfeind Performance Center. If you live in the Los Angeles area, you can visit the Bauerfeind Performance Center to receive expert advice on treating your sports injuries. Visit the Bauerfeind Performance Center Website for more information at http://raisingyourpotential.com.
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Choosing a Tennis Racquet that Fits Can Help Prevent Tennis Injuries
With the UCLA Farmer's Classic in full effect this week, we got a healthy dose of tennis fever here at the Bauerfeind Performance Center. I thought it would be a great time to discuss how to choose a tennis racquet. My clients often ask me about how to choose a tennis racquet best suited for their needs, especially if they have been injured during tennis. Retailers carry a variety of different brands, all claiming that their technology is superior to others. In a saturated market, how does one go about choosing a tennis racquet that best suits your needs?
Tennis players place a high emphasis on, "feel" of their racquet during play. While it is important to become comfortable with the way you feel the racquet in your hand, there is more to choosing a tennis racquet than just taking a few practice swings with every racket in the store. There are several important variables to consider when choosing a tennis raquet. The right combination of size and balance of the racquet, string type and tension can ensure sustained play without causing tennis injuries.
Start by realistically evaluating your skill level before choosing a tennis racquet. While we all like to imagine that with a little practice and maybe the right racquet, we can also play like Rafael Nadal or Serena Williams. If we choose their tennis racquet, we will be one step closer to their level of play, right? Wrong. The number one mistake my clients make when choosing a tennis racquet is to base their choice on a tennis player they love. Consider your own strengths and weaknesses and base your choice on how you play now, not what you hope you play like in the future.
The first step in choosing a tennis racquet is to choose the size of your tennis racquet head. Elite players are capable of hitting the ball in the middle of the strings most of the time, so they do not, require a large head size. Less experienced players, or players prone to tennis elbow, will benefit from a racquet with a larger head size. This type of racquet has a larger sweet spot and provides the benefit of reducing the shock transmitted to your body.
Tennis racquet head size is also linked to weight distribution or balance of the racquet. Exceptions exist, but generally speaking, a racquet with a larger head size will be a head-heavy racquet while the smaller racquet will be head-light. Head-heavy racquets are better for the less experienced players because their weight helps generate more power on impact. Head-light racquets are more desirable for experienced players who have good strength and biomechanics so that they can utilize their own power and retain more control over the ball.
Three main types of strings to consider are, in order to increase stiffness, natural gut, nylon and polyester. Stiff strings transmit more vibration to hands and arms, so tennis players prone to upper extremity injuries are better off using natural gut or multifilament strings that help dampen vibrations in the strings. Many players like polyester strings because they are stiffer and players feel they can hit the ball harder with them. However, I have had many patients who simply change their strings to natural gut from polyester and this alone allowed them to break their cycle of recurring bouts of tennis elbow.
Finally, consider the string tension when choosing a tennis racquet. You should check the appropriate tension range corresponding to your particular racquet. However, you can still customize a tennis racket to your unique needs. Lower tension gives the player a bit more power but less control, while higher tension gives a slightly better control but less power. Here again, I make recommendations based on skill level. Less experienced players do not have the skills to control their racquets well and generally will benefit from slightly increased power. The reverse is true for the more experienced players.
Overall, the point I want to make here is that the racquet brand you select is less important than the type of racquet you choose and how you choose to string it. Modern frames are made of graphite and each manufacturer will have slightly different angles that they use to differentiate themselves from competition, but the differences can be debated and really subject to individual preferences. What each manufacturer will have in common is that they have different head size racquets, racquet balance, and stringing options to choose from that will allow you to adjust the points outlined above.
Here at the Bauerfeind Performance Center we carry Wilson tennis racquets and strings. Not only can we help you with choosing a tennis racquet, that's the exact fit, but we can even string it for you on-site and get you the correct grips and shoes to minimize your risk of tennis injuries and raise your potential.
Article Summary:
Choosing a Tennis Racquet that’s the right head size and string for your skill level can boost your performance on the court and help prevent tennis injuries. If you’ve already experienced a condition like Tennis Elbow, you can help alleviate your symptoms by choosing the right tennis racquet.
Resource Box:
Trina Rowe is Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT), a Sports Clinical Specialist (SCS) and a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS). Trina is part of the physical therapy staff at the Santa Monica, CA Bauerfeind Performance Center. If you are in the Los Angeles area, you can visit the Bauerfeind Performance Center to receive expert advice on choosing a tennis racquet that’s right for you. Visit the Bauerfeind Performance Center Website for more information at http://raisingyourpotential.com.
Tennis players place a high emphasis on, "feel" of their racquet during play. While it is important to become comfortable with the way you feel the racquet in your hand, there is more to choosing a tennis racquet than just taking a few practice swings with every racket in the store. There are several important variables to consider when choosing a tennis raquet. The right combination of size and balance of the racquet, string type and tension can ensure sustained play without causing tennis injuries.
Start by realistically evaluating your skill level before choosing a tennis racquet. While we all like to imagine that with a little practice and maybe the right racquet, we can also play like Rafael Nadal or Serena Williams. If we choose their tennis racquet, we will be one step closer to their level of play, right? Wrong. The number one mistake my clients make when choosing a tennis racquet is to base their choice on a tennis player they love. Consider your own strengths and weaknesses and base your choice on how you play now, not what you hope you play like in the future.
The first step in choosing a tennis racquet is to choose the size of your tennis racquet head. Elite players are capable of hitting the ball in the middle of the strings most of the time, so they do not, require a large head size. Less experienced players, or players prone to tennis elbow, will benefit from a racquet with a larger head size. This type of racquet has a larger sweet spot and provides the benefit of reducing the shock transmitted to your body.
Tennis racquet head size is also linked to weight distribution or balance of the racquet. Exceptions exist, but generally speaking, a racquet with a larger head size will be a head-heavy racquet while the smaller racquet will be head-light. Head-heavy racquets are better for the less experienced players because their weight helps generate more power on impact. Head-light racquets are more desirable for experienced players who have good strength and biomechanics so that they can utilize their own power and retain more control over the ball.
Three main types of strings to consider are, in order to increase stiffness, natural gut, nylon and polyester. Stiff strings transmit more vibration to hands and arms, so tennis players prone to upper extremity injuries are better off using natural gut or multifilament strings that help dampen vibrations in the strings. Many players like polyester strings because they are stiffer and players feel they can hit the ball harder with them. However, I have had many patients who simply change their strings to natural gut from polyester and this alone allowed them to break their cycle of recurring bouts of tennis elbow.
Finally, consider the string tension when choosing a tennis racquet. You should check the appropriate tension range corresponding to your particular racquet. However, you can still customize a tennis racket to your unique needs. Lower tension gives the player a bit more power but less control, while higher tension gives a slightly better control but less power. Here again, I make recommendations based on skill level. Less experienced players do not have the skills to control their racquets well and generally will benefit from slightly increased power. The reverse is true for the more experienced players.
Overall, the point I want to make here is that the racquet brand you select is less important than the type of racquet you choose and how you choose to string it. Modern frames are made of graphite and each manufacturer will have slightly different angles that they use to differentiate themselves from competition, but the differences can be debated and really subject to individual preferences. What each manufacturer will have in common is that they have different head size racquets, racquet balance, and stringing options to choose from that will allow you to adjust the points outlined above.
Here at the Bauerfeind Performance Center we carry Wilson tennis racquets and strings. Not only can we help you with choosing a tennis racquet, that's the exact fit, but we can even string it for you on-site and get you the correct grips and shoes to minimize your risk of tennis injuries and raise your potential.
Article Summary:
Choosing a Tennis Racquet that’s the right head size and string for your skill level can boost your performance on the court and help prevent tennis injuries. If you’ve already experienced a condition like Tennis Elbow, you can help alleviate your symptoms by choosing the right tennis racquet.
Resource Box:
Trina Rowe is Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT), a Sports Clinical Specialist (SCS) and a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS). Trina is part of the physical therapy staff at the Santa Monica, CA Bauerfeind Performance Center. If you are in the Los Angeles area, you can visit the Bauerfeind Performance Center to receive expert advice on choosing a tennis racquet that’s right for you. Visit the Bauerfeind Performance Center Website for more information at http://raisingyourpotential.com.
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