Tennis Information

Treating Chronic Tendonitis – And It’s Not Just Tennis Elbow
By Robert G. Knechtel
We’ve all heard about tennis elbow, and many of us have suffered from it. In reality, it is a form of tendonitis brought on by the frequent, repetitive motions involved in playing tennis. Tendonitis, however, is not limited to the elbow or arm. It can occur throughout the body. Any activity which places stress on the same tendon can cause that tendon to become inflamed and sore.

Chronic Tendonitis

Tendonitis can be either acute (i.e. a temporary flare up) or chronic (i.e. long lasting). When tendonitis keeps recurring, it is called chronic tendonitis.

Tendons are composed of elastic-like tissue which connects our muscles to our bones. As we age, tendons tend to lose their elasticity through normal wear and tear. From time to time, a tendon will break or tear and scar tissue forms in the healing process. Scar tissue is not as flexible as tendon tissue and frequently causes pain and inflammation with continued use and motion. Most often the areas affected are elbows, knees, ankles, shoulders and feet.

Obviously it’s these parts of our anatomy that see repeated use during the course of a normal day. As we continue placing strain on an injured tendon, it doesn’t have an opportunity to heal which, in turn, leads to chronic tendonitis.

Age is only one of the underlying causes of chronic tendonitis. Athletes who are highly trained and in superb condition can also suffer from chronic tendonitis. Again, it is the repetitive motions required by a variety of sports that cause the condition to erupt. For example, repeated motion of the golfer’s swing or a pitcher’s throwing arm in baseball over the course of time can cause weakness in the tissue and lead to inflammation of the muscles and tendons. This is why it’s so important to do stretching exercises and warm ups prior to strenuous activity.

Left untreated, things can only get worse. Both acute and chronic tendonitis sometimes will result in a tear or rupture of the tendon. In this case, the physician will probably prescribe surgery, but only after more conservative measures have failed.

Treating Chronic Tendonitis

Acute or chronic tendonitis can cause mild to severe pain.
In its simplest and most conservative approach, treatment will involve analgesics such as ibuprofen and resting the affected area. Depending on the severity, your physician may conclude that you will benefit from an anti-inflammatory medication and may prescribe cortisone injections. This is an effective, and powerful anti-inflammatory medication that helps to reduce the pain and swelling and promote healing of tendonitis. Treatment may also include mild stretching exercises in order to keep the joints flexible.

Just a word of caution is in order. Corticosteroids can be injected but they do not come without risks. One of their side effects is that they can weaken the immune system or infection can appear at the injection site. Again, It is critical that the tendon be given time to heal or more serious tendon injury can occur. And, as mentioned, surgery may be required in cases of tears or ruptures in order to repair the damage and relieve the pain of chronic tendonitis.

Article Source: http://articlecrazy.com

Robert G. Knechtel operates several websites, including TendonitisFacts.Com – Tendonitis Facts and Tips and PainReliefChronicles.Com – Exploring Pain Relief Options

The Tennis Court, Dimensions And Surfaces
By J. Lloyd
Tennis courts are standard in dimension, but vary widely in surface material. Tennis rules dictate the length, width, and placement of the lines on a tennis court. Tennis courts have a variety of surfaces and can be either outdoors or indoors. In this article, we will introduce the basic dimensions and aspects of the tennis courts and discuss the different types of tennis court surfaces.

The rules of tennis dictate that tennis courts be 78 feet long from baseline to baseline. A net, 3 feet high in the middle, divides the court into two equal halves. Tennis courts are 36 feet wide from doubles sideline to doubles sideline, and 27 feet wide from singles sideline to singles sideline.

Unlike the dimensions of a tennis court, the tennis court surface can vary in character. The different surfaces have different characteristics that affect the style of play. Common surfaces for outdoor tennis courts include grass, red clay, green clay, and hard courts. In addition, indoor tennis courts often have hard surfaces or synthetic, carpet-like surfaces.

The very first tennis courts were made of grass. While the number of grass tennis courts has decreased in recent years, some remain, and the world’s most prestigious tennis tournament, The Championships at Wimbledon, is still played on grass tennis courts.

Grass tennis courts are considered a fast surface because the ball moves quickly through the court when it bounces. Typically, the ball stays low and close to the ground. Because of the speed of the court and the unreliability of the bounce, historically players playing on grass tennis courts prefer to volley the ball out of the air whenever possible.

Red clay and green clay are the two types of clay, or slow, court surfaces. Red clay tennis courts are made of natural clay or crushed red brick. The French Open is played on red clay courts. Green clay, the more common type of clay court in the U.S., is made of Har-Tru, a mixture of crushed stone, rubber, and plastics. Clay courts are considered slow because the ball bounces more slowly off the court. Typically, players playing on clay tennis courts prefer to hit balls off the bounce from behind the baseline.

Hard courts, the most common court surface in the U.S., are another fast court surface. Hard courts are made of asphalt or concrete coated with a thin sealer and special paint. Some types of hard courts have more extensive, rubberized coatings. The ball bounces high off hard tennis court surfaces and moves through the court quickly. Because the ball has a reliable bounce and the ball moves quickly off the court, players can employ a variety of tactics. Generally, aggressive play is preferred.

Finally, tennis players also play indoors, especially during the winter, on indoor tennis courts. Indoor tennis court surfaces are made of concrete or a synthetic or plastic material that mimics grass. Indoor tennis courts are generally the fastest tennis court surface of all. At the professional level, hard serves, volleys, and powerful grounds trokes dominate matches on indoor tennis courts.

Article Source: http://articlecrazy.com

For more information on tennis try visiting www.TennisQuestions.com, a website that specializes in providing tennis related tips, advice and resources to include information on the best tennis court.