This weekend Asia’s longest running tour event will being once again in the form of the Japan Open Tennis Championships. First held in 1972, the competition will be played in the Ariake Colosseum housing 48 tennis courts with one of the first retractable roofs featured in tennis.
2012 saw Japan’s first home grown talent take the title, with Kei Nishikori hoping to retain the title for a second successive year. One player who will not be making the journey to the Japan Open is Britain’s Andy Murray, who not only took the singles title in 2011 but the double with his brother Jamie.
Murray is currently out of action, recovering from back surgery and will miss the remainder of the season. After almost two years of suffering from a trapped nerve causing pain in his hip and upper legs it was time to take a rest and have the condition addressed. Injuries can happen to the best of us, professionals and amateurs alike.
Each sport will have a list of common injuries relating to it and tennis is no different. The high intensity nature of the sport means that players can fall foul of muscle injuries across the body and joint issues from overuse or slipping on the court.
Following any sports injury it is important to stop and rest to ensure that no further damage occurs. Carrying on with an injury can take a straight forward self-limiting condition to one requiring additional treatment and a longer stint on the sidelines. As well as rest, physiotherapy, light exercise and even surgery, sport braces are often used to manage both muscle and joint complaints.
Which sports brace should I select?
The simple answer is it depends. There are different braces for each area of the body, from back supports to compression shorts. Within each area of the body there are various versions of a brace or support depending on the type of condition you are looking to manage. Ankle supports are a great example with generic offerings for simple sprains to strapped versions designed to manage ankle ligament damage.
It is important that you select the correct brace for the condition you wish to manage, otherwise it may not be effective. If you are unsure as to which type of brace to select then seek advice from a clinician who will be able to point you in the right direction.
There are numerous injuries associated with tennis players, with an array of sports braces designed to help manage these conditions. Here are just a couple of them.
Back Supports
Back supports work to manage lower back injuries pertaining to the lumbar region. Pain centred on the lower back region can be very debilitating and prevent freedom of movement and even getting out of bed easily. A back injury is typically as a result of overuse, whether pushing yourself too far on the tennis court to attempting to lift something too heavy.
In considering tennis, players perform a lot of stretching throughout a match as they reach for shots, therefore the back can be prone to injury. Back supports offer the patient an additional level of support when active.
Back supports manage the symptoms of an injury by compressing the painful area, which can not only reduce pain to help to manage any inflammation. By compressing an affected area it can also allow the patient to remain active for longer, something crucial during recovery.
Whilst some supports can be worn as a means of preventing injury, back supports are designed to be worn post injury and work in conjunction with others form of rehabilitation such as physiotherapy. Whilst a support can help, it may not address the root cause of the problem and if you are in doubt you should seek advice from a clinician.
Compression Shorts
Compression shorts work to manage injuries relating to the thigh, hamstring and groin region. Their purpose is to maintain muscle alignment through compression, which can enhance performance for athletes. High active sports such as tennis and football can see muscle injuries relating to the upper leg region, with more serious muscle complaints leading to lengthy spells on the sidelines.
Muscle injuries can range in their severity, with slight strains taking a few days to recover compared to ruptures or tears taking a lot longer. Surgery may also be employed for more serious ruptures, where the muscle needs to be stitched back together.
Unlike back supports compression shorts can be worn both as a preventative measure as well as post injury. As a preventative measure the compressive nature of the shorts can help to reduce unnatural movements of the muscle without limiting performance and flexibility. Post injury the compression offered works to manage inflammation and pain, allowing you to remain active for longer.
Whilst compression shorts are generic to some extent, there are tailored options available with cinch straps offering additional levels of compression to the thigh and groin regions. Additional levels of compression offer a degree of flexibility for the patient depending on how much they need it.
Sports injuries in general range greatly in their severity and sports braces are effective in helping you through recovery. Whether you are looking for back supports or compression shorts just make sure you select the right support for the condition you wish to manage.
Grand Prix Of Poland And The Importance Of Knee Bracing
This weekend sees the start of the 2015 speedway season with the Grand Prix of Poland in Warsaw. The Stadion Narodowy will play host to the world's best as Tai Woffinden takes on the best.
Managing Common Knee Injuries Ahead Of The Champions League Last 16
This week will see the second round of the last sixteen of the Champions League, with a number of crunch matches taking place and an exciting spectacle of football for the neutral. The biggest game of the tie from an English perspective has to be Manchester City taking on Barcelona, an opportunity for one of the wealthiest clubs in the world to book their place in history by knocking out one of the most successful.
Common Knee Injuries From Mountain Biking
Mountain bikers can suffer from a variety of injuries whether from overuse or following a crash or fall from your bike, all with varying degrees of severity. The more extreme the route, the bigger the adrenaline rush but also the bigger the injury should you come off your bike at speed. Luckily, the majority of injuries sustained are minor and self-limiting in that you should expect to recover following a few days of rest.
