Wrist pain is an occupational hazard in a number of athletic activities, but perhaps nowhere more so than in tennis. The wrist in tennis is pretty much the tip of the sword, responsible for the greatest acceleration at the end of every stroke – and for absorbing the blow of those smashing serves.
Rafael Nadal has long been as good at anyone at this kind of athletic power game, but lately it has begun to take a toll. When last we saw Nadal, he was withdrawing from a major due to wrist pain:
Nadal’s last event was the French Open, where wrist pain forced him to pull out the event prior to his third-round match against countryman Marcel Granollers.
Now he training, resting, and engaging in physical therapy in anticipation of a bid to win gold in Rio this summer. As with most cases of repetitive stress, Nadal’s pain is almost certainly being addressed with very careful regimenting of his exertions, and with stretches to help ensure the wrist heals in a pliable way. That same article noted:
Less than a day after the Beijing Olympics singles gold medalist confirmed he would compete in Rio in singles, doubles and mixed doubles, Nadal was back on court Wednesday morning for a practice session with Croatia’s Marin Cilic at the Olympic Tennis Center and was scheduled to train with Uruguay’s Pablo Cuevas in the afternoon.
I wish him luck. If you want the standard of care for wrist pain in San Diego, start here.