An old adage. Benjamin Franklin said “there are only two certainties in life, Death and Taxes” but these days Taxes appear an option not a certainty for many. That leaves us with the inescapable nature of death, which may not be the best way to start an article on how to restore/maintain/develop your biomechanical function.
My contention is that you can manage your physical status in a simple self administered programme that requires no “lotions or potions” or torturous workouts and does not promise to satisfy the spiritual yearning we all have.
I ran a tennis “club night” session last night attended by the usual mix of recreational players. On display were movement patterns and techniques which will inevitably lead to acute injuries and/or the development of chronic conditions if it hasn’t done already.
The striking thing was that everyone seemed to be focussed on outcomes and not the process. “Good shot” reflected the result not the technique.
The most vivid example was a women’s smash, which she played 3 or 4 times while I was watching, (only 2 were in, just). It’s hard to conjure an accurate picture with words but if you can imagine someone crouching (slightly) leaning heavily to the left hand side and bowling her right arm over, making contact behind the line of her shoulders…it made me wince for her. (However, her friends, who were watching with me, cheered her two successes).
When I mentioned her technique, I was surprised by the admission of one of her cheering friends. She had had a long lay-off from tennis two years ago with a shoulder problem, as she had a similar technique. She said her shoulder was fine now, after surgery, so problem solved and another even older friend chipped in with “it’s about getting the point won however you do it”.
Fortunately I had to deal with something else and didn’t get into a discussion about that statement as I might have got a little frustrated with the underlying attitude. If you are Nadal or Federer or any professional sportsman there might be a valid argument (perhaps) for that attitude as it equals money and fame, which are prizes they value. I certainly don’t see the logic for recreational players where the outcomes are essentially meaningless and the lack of authentic movement and training will lead to acute and chronic injury.
I say this with some humility as I am a recreational player who used to do exactly the same, until I stumbled (quite literally) across Applied Functional Science, a methodology for restoring, maintaining and developing biomechanical function.
By coincidence another woman was trying out her shoulder after a two month injury lay off with supraspinatus tendonitis. Medical science cites ageing and repetitive strain from sports involving overhead arm action as the main causes (a lot of recreational tennis players combine these).
I am not a therapist or medically trained ( consult either if you have symptoms) but as a student of movement science I would suggest that this type of injury could be prevented, in most cases, by restoring, maintaining and developing authentic movement in the thoracic spine and shoulder girdle and looking further down the chain to the Hip and foot/ankle.
A rounding of the shoulders and spine as a result of our sedentary lifestyles and/or ageing causes the shoulder blades to move up and out.
If you can picture this muscle, which connects to the shoulder blade at one end and the top of the arm at the other, compensating for this rounding (dysfunction) and then placed under repetitive strain by the serving motion, you might begin to understand that injury is bound to follow.
It’s difficult to say with certainty, in each individual case, what rounding of the shoulders does to the supraspinatus or the other muscle tendons that form the rotator cuff or in fact how that rounding affects other muscles in front of your shoulders like the pectoralis minor.
But you can say it is a dysfunction which is affected by raising your arm above head height and the more you do it in extreme (serving) without preparation the more susceptible you are to injury.
You could give up serving or raising your arm above your head to avoid painful symptoms!
But there is hope, you can train to counter this rounding using the principles, strategies and techniques of Applied Functional Science Visit the Gray Institute for more info
I was 63 then, now 71 next month, and have never played anything other than recreational tennis, amongst other sports and all without a warm up or training regime. Fortunately for me that’s when a GIFT fellow from the Gray Institute started me on my functional journey.
I have gone on to complete a study for a certificate in Applied Functional Science, for 3DMAPS and their Functional Golf System all of which now inform my coaching and are the basis of own maintenance and performance development.
Let me state categorically that I am and have always been a mediocre club standard player, but my movement over short distances is now more explosive than it has ever been and my serve and groundstrokes continue to improve rather than decline. (they may have started from a low base).
The biggest plus is that I can still play and improve at 63 and my body is capable of meeting the challenge of playing and coaching tennis. I have many more tools in my coaching toolbox and I enjoy both now far more than I ever did.
I hope this site and my free YouTube channel can help you to discover a sustainable regime for restoring, maintaining and developing your biomechanical function for daily life and your chosen function, Tennis.