An athlete's body can be a tough but fragile thing. And nobody knows that better than the professional athlete. They may put in the extra training and effort it takes to strengthen their body and make it capable of performing better than the rest of us mere mortals. Michael Jordan was able to defy gravity. Rafael Nadal has been capable of defying Roger Federer.
But when it comes down to it, no matter their commitment or training intensity, they're still just as vulnerable to injury as the rest of us. It's simple physics. Our muscles, tendons and ligaments can only withstand so much force, no matter how strong we make them. Exceed that threshold and injury is the result.
One of the parts of the body most vulnerable to this is the knee. And Nadal is the latest example of this sad fact. He's had to drop out of Wimbledon due to tendonitis in his knee. I wouldn't be surprised if it's a result of over-training. He's known for his work ethic and running down every shot during a match, and he's working at least that hard in practice. Here's how one sports writer describes him:
He is also known as one of the most intense practice players, well, ever. He frequently spends five hours a day on the practice court, chasing every ball like he was playing in a Grand Slam final.
Nadal says he'll be able to return. Let's hope so. But I'm reminded of Tracy Austin, who's career was ended prematurely due to a series of injuries from over-training. She was finished at 21. Nadal is 23.
The knees will keep you honest.
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