How Did Rafael Nadal Recover So Quickly From His Knee Injury?
Spanish athlete Rafael Nadal may be one of the top tennis players in the world, but this claim to fame unfortunately puts him at risk for different types of orthopedic injuries. The repetitive motions, strength, and intensity of tennis place a lot of stress on the elbows and knees of tennis professionals.
Rafael Nadal is no stranger to knee injuries, having experienced them on more than one occasion. He has turned to more than one type of conservative treatment method to help. One of the treatments is platelet-rich plasma therapy, a procedure that involves taking small vials of blood from the patient, spinning the sample to separate cells rich with platelets, and then re-injecting them into the area of the injury. This method of treatment was first used in 2008 and has been utilized by multiple athletes. Nadal has stated that this method helped him recover “100 percent” following his knee injury in 2009.
Another treatment that has successfully helped Nadal is laser treatments. Laser treatments help to heal problems with ligaments, tendons, and muscles, and can even prevent problems from developing in the same areas. Laser treatments have a high success rate and allow Nadal to play at a high level following an injury to his left knee.
Additionally, Rafael Nadal turns to an anti-gravity treadmill that helps him to stay fit without placing heavy impact on his knee. When pain does resurface, Nadal claims that he is able to manage it without playing, and hopes to be able to stay in the game for a very long time.
Conservative treatments have helped big name athletes of all different sports, and for various types of injuries. Because of advances in pain management and reduced recovery times, modern medicine is helping to turn injuries from career enders to temporary setbacks.
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