It has been an exciting few weeks in the US Open, with the women’s final contested yesterday and an epic men’s final awaits us with Nadal coming up against Djokovic.
It has been an exciting few weeks in the US Open, with the women’s final contested yesterday and an epic men’s final awaits us with Nadal coming up against Djokovic. The women’s final saw Serena Williams take her fifth US Open title and the second in succession against Victoria Azarenka, the same person who she beat in the 2012 final. The world number one has now clocked up 17 Grand Slam singles titles, an epic achievement which puts her fifth in the all-time tennis rankings and just seven behind Margaret Court.
The US Open holds a great deal of history, from the very first tournament in 1968 to what we see today and the means final has still to come. Djokovic, the world number one takes on the 2010 champion who is now returning to the top of his game after seven months side lined with a knee injury.
Knee injuries can be common among tennis players, as with many high impact energy sports such as football and badminton. There are different types of knee injuries which can be sustained, each with their own levels of severity, rehabilitation routes and recuperation times. Nadal experienced one of the more severe knee injuries with 7 months out of action.
A knee injury can range from a slight strain or sprain to ligament damage. A slight sprain can be very painful, but is largely self-limiting with recovery within a few days. Ice can also be used to help manage the inflammation, but rest is one of the most important things as part of recovery. A knee support can also be used in order to aid recovery and provide additional support for the patient.
Ligament damage is one of the more serious knee injuries incurred as this can involve surgery to remedy the problem and lead to a considerable amount of time on the sidelines for players, both professionals and amateurs alike. The knee ligaments are responsible for providing structure to the joint, therefore without them there is a lack of stability. Post surgery physiotherapy will be required to help strengthen the joint again and the use of a knee support can again work as part of the overall rehabilitation programme. A knee support for ligament damage can differ depending on the type of sport undertaken, with extreme sports such as snowboarding opting for a brace with a rigid frame to prevent impact damage.
We have seen many professionals wearing sports braces in recent years and tennis is no different to manage sports injuries. Nadal, having recovered from a serious knee injury, may well have opted for wearing a knee support to enhance his recovery. A knee support is designed to offer protection to the knee joint, either post injury or post rehabilitation to help manage movement of the joint and offer increased confidence to the patient. Confidence is a major factor in rehabilitation, with the knee support giving the patient the confidence they need to carry on performing.
Compression is also a major factor of wearing a knee support, as compression can help to manage inflammation as well as reducing pain for the patients. The majority of sports braces now offer compression as standard, with the material used also being breathable and comfortable to wear.
Each knee support is completely different, designed to manage specific conditions. Conditions such as ligament damage and osteoarthritis of the knee will require a completely different knee support compared to one required to manage a slight sprain. A knee support designed to manage ligament damage can have a rigid exoskeleton to help protect against impact damage, whereas a knee support managing the conditions of osteoarthritis of the knee must be flexible and malleable to work with the knee.
There are also different designs of knee support, from entire joint wrap around to something like a patella strap. A patella strap is specifically designed to manage the patella and related conditions such as patella tendonitis. The support itself sits just below the knee joint and is designed to offer compression to the patella which can help manage inflammation and reduce pain.
The patella is the small bone sitting at the front of the knee, often referred to as the ‘knee cap’. Tendonitis can occur as a result of overuse or as a result of injury sustained to the ligaments. The patella strap can be used to manage this specific condition by being applied to the affected area.
On sustaining any type of injury it is important that you rest for a few days so that you are fully recovered. If the injury has not fully healed after this time it would be wise to speak with a clinician who will be able to diagnose the issue and offer a rehabilitation programme in the form of physiotherapy or the use of sports braces such as a knee support or ankle support to offer maximum protection.
Grand Prix Of Poland And The Importance Of Knee Bracing
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Managing Common Knee Injuries Ahead Of The Champions League Last 16
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Common Knee Injuries From Mountain Biking
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