Back Pain in Tennis Players : Even the Great ones get it. How do you avoid it and treat it?
Samantha Newgy
World Medical News
Roger Federer suffers from it and so does Andy Murray. Federer has sufferred back pain and back spasms several time in his career but this season appears to be the worst for him so far. He has been defeated by a far weaker player and has had to exit the Swiss Open this year because of severe back pain.
We interviewed Dr Prem Pillay, a Neurosurgeon and Spine Specialist, on his views and advice. He has noticed that both professional and amatuer tennis players can suffer from back pain. There are several reasons. In amateur players a frequent reason is lack of a proper warm up prior to actual playing. The back muscles should be properly stretched and warmed up states Dr Prem for about 5-15 mintues as part of a general warm up prior to play. The most important stroke in Tennis is the service action. This puts significant stress on the Back as it is a quick and forceful action requiring back and neck extension followed by back flexion explains Dr Prem . Back muscle strain can occur without a proper warm up. In some cases actual small tears can occur in the large muscle groups called the Para-Spinal muscles in the mid to low back. In professionals, the reasons can be different. They have to train hard and play in numerous tournaments. This exposes them to a higher chance of a back injury from the sheer hours of playing they subject themselves to per week and per season. Some players with a weak spine are often weeded out early in their careers states Dr Prem Pillay. However even experienced players with perfect strokes and services can suffer a back injury. Over time some players can develop weakness in the Spine Discs in the back. A Spine Disc injury can develop either suddenly or more usually over time. The accumulative effect of physical stress on the spine from high level play can casue spine disc protrusions which can be associated with back pain and back spasms. Some players even have arm pain or leg pain from the spine disc protrusions pinching nerve in the neck and low back respective states Dr Prem , the Spine Specialist. He recommends that those that suffer back pain from tennis put effort into a back strengthening program after a careful evaluation by a Spine specialist.Dr Prem Pillay's advice for Roger Federer is to get a proper spine evaluation done and a high quality MRI of the whole spine. A spine rehab program that incooperates an aquatic physio component would be helpful. A slipped disc or Disc protrusion that is significant on MRI could be treated by an advanced spine injection method called Discoplasty using either a laser or a superior to laser technology as a one hour day treatment without surgery, Most athletes including tennis players and others can return to sports activies by the next day. Furthur information is available at www.singaporespine.org or by contacting Dr Prem Pillay at clinicsg@yahoo.com.
Samantha Newgy
World Medical News
Roger Federer suffers from it and so does Andy Murray. Federer has sufferred back pain and back spasms several time in his career but this season appears to be the worst for him so far. He has been defeated by a far weaker player and has had to exit the Swiss Open this year because of severe back pain.
We interviewed Dr Prem Pillay, a Neurosurgeon and Spine Specialist, on his views and advice. He has noticed that both professional and amatuer tennis players can suffer from back pain. There are several reasons. In amateur players a frequent reason is lack of a proper warm up prior to actual playing. The back muscles should be properly stretched and warmed up states Dr Prem for about 5-15 mintues as part of a general warm up prior to play. The most important stroke in Tennis is the service action. This puts significant stress on the Back as it is a quick and forceful action requiring back and neck extension followed by back flexion explains Dr Prem . Back muscle strain can occur without a proper warm up. In some cases actual small tears can occur in the large muscle groups called the Para-Spinal muscles in the mid to low back. In professionals, the reasons can be different. They have to train hard and play in numerous tournaments. This exposes them to a higher chance of a back injury from the sheer hours of playing they subject themselves to per week and per season. Some players with a weak spine are often weeded out early in their careers states Dr Prem Pillay. However even experienced players with perfect strokes and services can suffer a back injury. Over time some players can develop weakness in the Spine Discs in the back. A Spine Disc injury can develop either suddenly or more usually over time. The accumulative effect of physical stress on the spine from high level play can casue spine disc protrusions which can be associated with back pain and back spasms. Some players even have arm pain or leg pain from the spine disc protrusions pinching nerve in the neck and low back respective states Dr Prem , the Spine Specialist. He recommends that those that suffer back pain from tennis put effort into a back strengthening program after a careful evaluation by a Spine specialist.Dr Prem Pillay's advice for Roger Federer is to get a proper spine evaluation done and a high quality MRI of the whole spine. A spine rehab program that incooperates an aquatic physio component would be helpful. A slipped disc or Disc protrusion that is significant on MRI could be treated by an advanced spine injection method called Discoplasty using either a laser or a superior to laser technology as a one hour day treatment without surgery, Most athletes including tennis players and others can return to sports activies by the next day. Furthur information is available at www.singaporespine.org or by contacting Dr Prem Pillay at clinicsg@yahoo.com.
