Rafael Nadal’s injuries forcing several withdrawals

Aug. 16, 2012 - PRLog -- Rafael Nadal announced on August 2, 2012 that he was pulling out of the Roger’s Cup tournament in Toronto because of an undisclosed injury, believed to be to the knee.  Nadal also missed the Olympic Games, where he was to be Spain’s flag-bearer, for the same reason.

For being the world’s number 3-ranked tennis player, Nadal seems plagued with a history of chronic knee problems, which forced him to retire from a number of events.  

Chronic knee tendonitis forced him to retire from the January 2010 Australian Open.  After winning the Monte Carlo Open in late April 2010, Nadal underwent a new treatment to his left knee to improve the regeneration of the tendon.

International Tennis Federation doctor, Angel Ruiz-Cotorro, described the procedure as a miraculous new blood spinning treatment.  The procedure was actually platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy, in which the blood is spun in a centrifuge, separating the platelet-rich plasma.  The PRP is a rich source of growth factors that help to stimulate tissue healing and regeneration.  The PRP injection was performed by Dr. Mikel Sanchez.

Platelet rich plasma, while an innovative regenerative medicine therapy, is not really news any more – many professional athletes (as well as many regular people) have had the procedure.

What many may not know about Nadal is the focus he has on keeping himself healthy and in peak physical condition.  He remains the benchmark of strength and power in his sport that others seek to emulate – a testament to the work of his fitness and conditioning team.

Along with Dr. Cortorro, Joan Forcades and Rafael Maymo may not be names that are familiar to the legions of Nadal fans, but the trio has been hugely important throughout Nadal’s career.  They have always preferred anonymity and they fiercely guard the secrets of his training facilities and details of his training sessions.

Dr. Cotorro is a Barcelona-based doctor who treats several tennis players and has long enjoyed the confidence of the Nadal family. He has described Nadal as a "very special athlete," with abnormal amounts of energy and explosiveness.

Joan Forcades is rarely seen in the players' entourage during tournaments.  In fact he is a physical education teacher from the player's hometown of Manacor.  Twelve years ago, Toni Nadal, Rafael’s and coach, asked Forcades to devise a training program to bulk up his nephew.  Forcades continues to supervise the serious training his young protégé conducts during the brief off-season that follows the ATP World Tour Finals and the Davis Cup final.  At the Nadal family residence in Manacor, Forcades has overseen the installation of a state-of-the-art gymnasium, complete with several high-tech machines.

Rafael Maymo is part of the regular support crew alongside Uncle Toni. He is a physiotherapist who prepares Nadal for matches and then supervises the hugely important warm-down or recovery period.  Several hours of stretching is a very important part of the daily routine both as a warm up, an exercise in itself and then recovery.

While tennis is perceived to be an individual sport, without his support team, it is unlikely that Nadal would be one of the world’s highest ranking professional tennis players.

Dennis Lox, M.D., a Tampa Bay-area physical, sports and regenerative medicine specialist, points out that the ability to achieve rapid healing/recovery in an athlete is one of the paramount courses of sports medicine treatment.  Platelet rich plasma can supercharge the healing process, reducing recovery time, and returning the player to a peak training level more quickly.  Also, PRP does not violate any of the World Anti-Doping Agency codes.

Regenerative medicine techniques, such as platelet-rich plasma and stem cell technology, have been used for an extended period by many athletes.  Both procedures are growing in popularity among professional athletes, as well as “weekend warriors” and others suffering with chronic musculoskeletal injuries.  

Dr. Lox notes that the increasing frequency of new studies of regenerative medicine stem cell technologies will lead to more discoveries in the future and ultimately to better outcomes for a variety of disease processes.


http://www.DrLox.com