Running in the pool

[arturohernandez]

Hi Everyone,

I will turn 50 this year.

I have been nursing a bad left leg for a while. I think it is inherently weaker due to a femur (hip) dislocation when I was 11. I can manage it pretty well with a foam roller. But lately the left leg gets sore after pretty much everything. Even the elliptical makes it tight.

In the past, I have tried to run (on land) about once or twice a week to deal with heat and for general conditioning. I run on very thick grass to reduce the pounding.

I usually play about 2 to 3 times a week. Used to play 4 to 5 but have cut back some do to work and also due to wear and tear.

I got back in August from a year abroad where I played on indoor carpet in the winter and outdoors on clay in the spring and summer.

Hardcourts are a bear. They are just so tough on your joints.

With all that said, I have started to run in water (just below my shoulders). I can feel my muscles being strained and am really hungry afterward.

So I know that I am burning calories.

But it doesn't feel like exercise because my joints are not stiff and I am not sore.

My legs feel MUCH better.

Tennis is still tough but slowly I am trying to get my strength back and to see if I can reduce the pounding off the court.

Does anyone use water jogging as a way to increase fitness for tennis and reduce pounding?

Please chime in if you have any other advice.

Thanks,

Arturo

[gzhpcu]

Ever try a compression band for your thigh while playing?

[arturohernandez]

Never tried that. Do you have any experience with particular ones or suggestions?

[arturohernandez]

Thought I would report back to everyone in case you are interested.

Have run in the pool twice so far. I don't feel as tired during the run but definitely feel sore later but no joint pain on either side.

Interestingly, different muscles are sore in each leg during my pool runs and afterward.

I am no longer doing outside runs and will test tennis slowly to see how it goes.

My wife put it clearly this morning, "Maybe your body is telling you something. It doesn't like moving this way and you need to take a break."

So I am going to run in the pool and do some upper body work for a few weeks.

A forced periodization may be the answer.

[gzhpcu]

I bought this for a groin strain. https://www.amazon.com/Yosoo-Groin-S.../dp/B01I19TLBU

[klacr]

Phil, Nice that you volunteered to model it as well.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

[tennis_chiro]

Hi Everyone,

I will turn 50 this year.

I have been nursing a bad left leg for a while. I think it is inherently weaker due to a femur (hip) dislocation when I was 11. I can manage it pretty well with a foam roller. But lately the left leg gets sore after pretty much everything. Even the elliptical makes it tight.

In the past, I have tried to run (on land) about once or twice a week to deal with heat and for general conditioning. I run on very thick grass to reduce the pounding.

I usually play about 2 to 3 times a week. Used to play 4 to 5 but have cut back some do to work and also due to wear and tear.

I got back in August from a year abroad where I played on indoor carpet in the winter and outdoors on clay in the spring and summer.

Hardcourts are a bear. They are just so tough on your joints.

With all that said, I have started to run in water (just below my shoulders). I can feel my muscles being strained and am really hungry afterward.

So I know that I am burning calories.

But it doesn't feel like exercise because my joints are not stiff and I am not sore.

My legs feel MUCH better.

Tennis is still tough but slowly I am trying to get my strength back and to see if I can reduce the pounding off the court.

Does anyone use water jogging as a way to increase fitness for tennis and reduce pounding?

Please chime in if you have any other advice.

Thanks,

Arturo

Here in Los Angeles we have a Saturday morning radio show on ESPN-LA called The Weekend Warrior with Dr. Robert Klapper who is the head of orthopedic surgery at Cedars Sinai and a doctor for the Dodgers and the Lakers among others. He has two books available called "Heal Your Hips" and "Heal Your Knees" cowritten with Lynda Huey. He swears by water exercise to rehab and even prehab knees and hips because you are able to exercise the muscles without subjecting the joints to the stress of gravity. And this kind of work has been adopted by all the major sports teams in rehabbing their athletes as well. I think you can pick up a Kindle copy for less than $10. Dr. Klapper recommends his potential surgical clients follow the exercise regimen in the water for a few months before going through the surgery. Often, he finds, the surgery is unnecessary but even if it is, the patient comes out of the surgery much stronger and recovers much more quickly for having followed this protocol. Arturo, you are definitely on the right track.

don

[stotty]

Hi Everyone,

I will turn 50 this year.

I have been nursing a bad left leg for a while. I think it is inherently weaker due to a femur (hip) dislocation when I was 11. I can manage it pretty well with a foam roller. But lately the left leg gets sore after pretty much everything. Even the elliptical makes it tight.

In the past, I have tried to run (on land) about once or twice a week to deal with heat and for general conditioning. I run on very thick grass to reduce the pounding.

I usually play about 2 to 3 times a week. Used to play 4 to 5 but have cut back some do to work and also due to wear and tear.

I got back in August from a year abroad where I played on indoor carpet in the winter and outdoors on clay in the spring and summer.

Hardcourts are a bear. They are just so tough on your joints.

With all that said, I have started to run in water (just below my shoulders). I can feel my muscles being strained and am really hungry afterward.

So I know that I am burning calories.

But it doesn't feel like exercise because my joints are not stiff and I am not sore.

My legs feel MUCH better.

Tennis is still tough but slowly I am trying to get my strength back and to see if I can reduce the pounding off the court.

Does anyone use water jogging as a way to increase fitness for tennis and reduce pounding?

Please chime in if you have any other advice.

Thanks,

Arturo

I think training in water is an excellent idea. I lady local to me rehabilitates people through water exercises. Her clients range from injured athletes to those involved in serious car accidents. She says you are exercises muscles but is there is virtually no pounding when working in water.

I have a few nagging injuries consistent with overuse. She often tells me to be sure not to put on too much weight, as this exacerbates knee and back problems as one gets older. I try to keep my weight at 70kg, which is about right for my height and physique.

My left knee gives me problems occasionally. I am doing strengthening exercise in the hope of remedying this. Strengthening and stretching has worked miracles with me in the past.

I know very little about water exercises but it makes senses when you think about it, and if it is working for you then stick with it.

Stotty

[klacr]

Training in the water is great. Low impact, good resistance. I've been doing it for years. Always made sense to me, not sure if its new or groundbreaking, just easier on body.

Give yourself a real thrill and take an old racquet in the pool with you. Practice your swings in the water. It's tough. Now get out of the water and practice the swings. The racquet head speed is great! The resistance you fight against in the water is incomparable to what it would be on dry land. A stroke or racquet weight trainer can help achieve a similar idea but not nearly as tough as swinging in the water. Great workout.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

[arturohernandez]

Great tip! I actually woke up this morning thinking about that. I have a hitch in my serve that I have been working on for years and basically my serving arm moves to quickly. I have been unable to move my serving arm nice and slowly while the tossing arm goes up.

I wondered if serving under water would have the effect of slowing down my arm and teaching me to move slowly up.

With such great resistance it is almost impossible to move anything quickly.

If found this article that I thought people might like to read. It is a bit old but is a nice read.

Arturo

[arturohernandez]

Hi Everyone,

Well three weeks later and I feel great. My left leg is much better. I could play full speed today for an hour with no pain. The other added benefit was my speed. I feel like the water resistance makes it much harder to move quickly. Once I was on land, I had no resistance and I could move much faster and keep my balance much better. I also run sideways in the pool and do something like a forehand and backhand simulation where I am turning into the setup. Today for the first time I am just as sore in both legs.

Arturo