Friday, May 2, 2008
Tennis Shoes - Finding The Perfect Equipment For Tennis
Tennis requires great concentration. Even the slightest distraction can affect your game. Even something as simple as a pinched toe or an aching heel can send your game in a downward spiral. That's why it's so important to find and wear the right tennis shoes for your feet and game. Don't risk playing poorly because of sore feet. Take the time to find just the right tennis shoe to help you hit the court in style and comfort.
It is often said that you get what you pay for. Purchasing tennis shoes is no different. While there are some lower-end manufacturer's who offer decent tennis shoes at a discount price, most serious players prefer the stability of buying and wearing a good quality shoe form one of the top sports shoe manufacturers. These industry leaders have taken the time to build a reputation for sound quality and lasting merchandise. Be sure, even when purchasing shoes online, that you are getting the very best piece of sports apparel that you can afford to avoid the need to replace them earlier than normally necessary.
Think tennis shoes haven't changed in 50 years! Take a look around. Today's court foot apparel is sleek and trendy. Tennis shoes certainly are changing, with more and more styles available all of the time! Many children lines feature a bright colored shoe that kids love: pinks and whites for girls with purple glitter and shoes made in the same plethora of different kinds of fashions for boys. Color combinations for boys include blues, greens blacks and more. What style a player chooses really is up to their style wants and needs, as well as their budget.
Men and women too have more options today then in the history of tennis. New designs and styles are being introduced every season, featuring both comfort and style.
If you want a special shoe designed just for you, there are shoe designers ready to help. Some offer the services of artists and designers to help you create the perfect one-of-a-kind tennis shoe just for you.
Of course, comfort should always be of utmost importance. Be sure that the shoe style you pick is comfortable, and easy to move in. It should fit snugly (but not tightly), and allow your foot to move freely in any direction.
Whether you choose a standard run of the mill white canvas tennis shoe, or one of the more popular stylish brands or styles isn't really going to change your game much, is it? No tennis show can make you a better player, but like all sports equipment, having a show that fits properly can help you better withstand the vigor of hard play on the court.
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Dealing With Tennis Elbow
In addition to effecting tennis players, tennis elbow effects a great number of people who are involved in activities outside of the sport of tennis. Tennis elbow also known as lateral Epicondylitis is caused by damaging the tendon of the extensor muscles in the forearm. The tendon of these extensor muscles connects to the lateral epicondyle of the upper arm bone called the humerus.
When the muscles are overused or exposed to a force they can not withstand the tendon will become damaged. The damaged tendon will then become inflamed and cause soreness and/or pain in the lateral elbow area.
Common causes for Tennis Elbow when playing tennis:
□ lack of forearm strength
□ lack of flexibility
□ poor backhand technique
□ racquet is too heavy for the player
□ racquet grip is too large for the player
□ improper warm up and/or stretching
Other activities that have been linked to Tennis Elbow outside of the sport of tennis:
□ sports that involve throwing
□ repetitive use of scissors, pliers, shears
□ Manuel occupations that involve lifting with the wrist such as metal workers, plumbers, painters, and mason workers.
The effects of tennis elbow can come on abruptly from a sudden blow or slowly from chronic overuse. It is important to treat the area before the symptoms progress to a level of constant pain. The symptoms of tennis elbow include elbow pain sometimes with stiffness and or pulsing in the elbow. The illustration below shows the common extensor tendon and the lateral epicondyle that it attaches to.
Tennis elbow can be treated a number of different ways depending on the severity on damage that has been done to the tendon.
Treatment:
Step 1: Rest the elbow joint and the forearm muscle attached to the damaged tendon whenever possible to allow the healing process to take place. Rest the arm in a straight position.
Step 2: Find the muscle that is attached to the damaged tendon (extensor muscles). It is located on the outside of the forearm just above the bone and is seen in the diagram above. (NEVER PRESS or MASSAGE the INJURED TENDON)
Step 3: Massage the extensor muscles (not the tendon) attached to the damaged tendon. Massaging the muscle will cause it to relax and release pressure off of the tendon.
Step 4: Place an Ice Pack (bag of frozen peas, ziploc bag of ice with a little water added / double bag it) on the injured tendon area. Cut off an old shirt sleeve and slide it onto your elbow between the skin and ice pack to avoid frost damage. Elevating your elbow above the heart will help reduce inflammation. Keep the ice pack on the injured area for 15 to 20 minutes up to 3 times a day if possible. Even one time a day will help. Allow at least 2 hour between each icing.
The goal is to relieve the pressure on the muscle and reduce the inflammation which will allow the healing process to run its course.
Other options:
□ Ibuprofen will also help reduce inflammation and reduce pain but it is not a good idea to take large consistent dosages. Use Ibuprofen only to aid other treatments.
□ Your doctor may recommend ultra-sound therapy. Ultra-sound therapy uses painless high frequency sound waves applied to the skin to improve blood flow in the area and speed up the healing process.
□ If the treatments above do not work you can ask your doctor about Cortisone shots. Cortisone is a more powerful anti-inflammatory. Three shots would be the maximum you would probably need if it came to this. That will give you a few months of relief to allow the healing process to run its course.
□ Last resort is surgery. Surgery for this type of injury is usually not necessary. About 95% of people with Tennis Elbow recover without surgery. If you would like more information about this article and article subjects similar to this one, please e-mail me at contact@fitnessprogramsplus.com or visit us at www.fitnessprogramsplus.com .
By Craig LePage, CSCS, NASM-CPT, President of Fitness Programs Plus
Craig is the President of Fitness Programs Plus and http://www.FitnessProgramsPlus.com a website that offers printable fitness / exercise programs, audio interviews/clips, video clips and a wealth of other information to the fitness enthusiast. Craig is a well respected professional of the fitness industry who has authored his own fitness and nutrition system as well as co-authoring the golf exercise book (Play Better, Longer Golf). Additional work includes writing for a number of newspapers, magazines and websites. Craig has been dedicated to helping people reach their fitness goals for almost 15 years.
