2023-04-21 16:28:55
Nadal wants to get to Roland Garros, but his iliopsoas injury puts him in check. What awaits him in the coming weeks?
Rafael Nadal’s announcement about his absence in the next Masters 1000 de Madrid sows concern due to the injury that he is dragging in the iliac psoas. will it come to Roland Garros, your fetish tournament? Will he be able to recover in time to transition to the end of his career?
When I was competing in the second round of the Open Australia 2023, an apparent hip problem contributed to his loss and knocked him out of the tournament. As the days passed and the medical studies were carried out, the diagnosis was certified as a grade 2 strain of the left iliopsoas muscle.
We analyze the injury and what awaits Nadal for the coming weeks. How serious is his condition?
What is the iliacus psoas and where is it?
Although it is a muscle that athletes recognize, not all people are clear about where it is located and what anatomical function it fulfills. In concrete terms, The iliacus psoas is the combination of two muscles that work together: the psoas and the iliacus..
They are located in the deep part of the abdomen, near the back, but transiting between the abdominal organs. They are born in the spine, cross the pelvis on each side of the body and are inserted into the femur, as described by the European Congress of Radiology.
Its main function is to make the connection between the trunk and the lower limbs. With the iliac psoas we flex the thighs, turn the back, maintain the upright posture and rotate the hip, according to the information from Statpearls. Without this structure we could not climb stairs, for example.
To achieve the movements that this muscle executes, in general, it works in conjunction with another, forming the group of hip flexors. The usual companion is the rectus femoriswhich is located in the quadriceps (in the thighs).
One of its peculiarities is that it shortens and lengthens the reverse of most other muscles. When it is at rest, it measures less in length. On the contrary, when we make it work, it lengthens.
What is Rafael Nadal’s iliopsoas strain?
Like any muscle, if the iliopsoas is overstretched, it is at risk of straining or tearing. Given the specific breakage of fibers, we speak of a tear.
Strains are classified into three degrees of severity:
- First grade: only few fibers are affected. It is usually a minor stretch that bothers you, but heals only with rest.
- Second grade: this would be the confirmed injury of Rafael Nadal. There is loss of some function because a number of fibers have been broken and another group has been stretched. It is not a complete tear, but it limits the activity of the muscle and causes pain.
- Third degree: this is the complete tear. The cross section of the muscle breaks most of the fibers and a hematoma can form in the middle, that is, a collection of blood. The functionality is limited to the maximum and it is even difficult to walk.
What are the symptoms?
Rafael Nadal will not play the Masters 1000 from Madrid due to his iliac psoas injury and it is logical that he cannot do it. Your grade 2 strain prevents you from performing at your best. Also, if you want to get to Roland Garroshe is forced to work on his rehabilitation.
The most frequent symptoms of an injury to this muscle are the following:
- pubalgia.
- Sensation of relief when taking the fetal position.
- Pain when trying to lift the leg on the affected side.
- Tenderness in the thigh or back, with certain sensations of pain on palpation of these areas.
Why is the iliacus psoas injured?
In the case of Rafael Nadal, the iliopsoas injury seems to have a logical explanation: there was an overexertion that led to excessive stretching of the muscle. It is a common cause, according to scientific studies.
As we know from experience and from what is described in sports medicine publications, this clinical picture is common in athletes who have to perform movements of sprint or that they must raise their legs above hip level:
- Tennis players.
- Cyclists.
- Karatecas.
- Football players.
- climbers.
- Hurdle jumpers.
At the other end, very sedentary people can also suffer from this problem. The process is explained by the permanent seated position that weakens the muscle and then, when trying to make a certain effort, the fibers do not respond.
Obesity is also a risk factor. Of course that is not the case of Rafael Nadal. But it is true that being overweight increases the load on the iliopsoas, due to the anatomical position it occupies.
What will be the treatment for Rafael Nadal’s iliopsoas injury?
The approach to grade 2 strain in the iliopsoas is based on physiotherapy. Exercises supervised by kinesiotherapy professionals should be performed to speed up recovery.
In theory, without treatment of this type, the lesion resolves itself in 40 days. Although different is the situation of Nadal and the high-level demands of him in elite tennis. Therefore, in that context, it is difficult to know if he will come to Roland Garros.
In addition to rehabilitation exercises, another alternative is the use of a brace. With this attachment, the aim is to stabilize the muscle to reduce its movement and to heal with rest.
Platelet-rich plasma injection is another therapeutic option with even less foundation, although research is underway to determine its feasibility. This plasma would stimulate the healing of damaged tissue, accelerating healing times.
We all want to see Nadal in Roland Garros
Rafael Nadal has a long injury history, but he always came out on top. He has suffered from Müller-Weiss syndrome since 2005, he suffered wrists on both sides, he was out of the circuit for 7 months due to a ruptured tendon in one of his knees and he cracked his ribs due to stress.
We assume that it will now recover as it did before. We all want to see the magic of Nadal in his favorite tournament every year. For now, time and rehabilitation have the last word.
Main image of EFE.
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