Dealing with injuries sucks. I’ve had varying degrees of injuries over the last 4 years (never had injuries as a junior). I’ve dealt with shin splints, tennis elbow, sore muscles, strained/pulled tendons and ligaments, and more. I’ve been lucky I haven’t had any injuries that require surgery but I’m not confident I’ll be able to play for the rest of my life without a surgery… no matter how good my form is.
Lately, I’ve been battling a wrist injury and this week I’ve had a really sore elbow too. The wrist injury isn’t terrible because it only hurts on high volleys, overheads, and serves. I can still hit ground strokes and work on my game pretty well. Earlier this week though my elbow got really sore during practice and I had to cut it short. Unfortunately, the only solution is to rest.
Resting and time off is the worst diagnosis for me :). Tennis is my main source of exercise, its my main way to relieve stress. If you’re a tennis addict, you can certainly relate. So, how do you deal with taking time off for rest/recuperation?
- I try to watch tennis while working so I can get a little bit of my fix in there.
- There are some exercises I can still do to stay in shape and relieve stress. I’m currently doing kettlebell swings, knuckle push ups, squats, and pull ups.
- I’m planning for my next tournament – thinking about how I can come back and compete in top form.
I’m only going to be out for a week but I want to make sure I’m ready when I come back. The older I get, the less I can push my luck with returning early and working too strenuously.
So, what do you guys do when you are forced to take a break?