Greg's recovery from a Shoulder Injury

It is now four months since Greg played a competitive match, and he is still struggling to overcome an injury sustained to his right shoulder. After his first round loss in the Challenger tournament at Westlakes, Adelaide in February, in which he was severely impaired in serving by a very sore right shoulder, an MRI revealed that Greg had a small tear, or split, in a tendon in his shoulder. Much rest and physiotherapy at Tennis World, Melbourne Park provided some improvement, but Greg was still troubled with pain on serving second serves. After about a month and a half, during which Greg's shoulder improved only slightly, the Tennis Australia doctor, Dr. Wood, recommend Greg attend a specialist shoulder physio, Simon Balster. Simon diagnosed a problem wth how the shoulder was placed, that is was not properly seated in the socket and was coming forward during serving, thus causing problems with the tendons and muscles controlling the shoulder. He has since been working with Greg with specific exercises and physio to get the shoulder correctly aligned and to strengthen the shoulder muscles, so as to prevent furture injury.

It has been a slow, frustrating period for Greg but he has been diligent with the process, doing what is required and at the

same time keeping his fitness up with none invasive training and exercises. Greg has attempted to serve along the way, in the hope that he could commence playing but each time he has been unable to get through a complete set without "feeling" the shoulder. The last few weeks have shown a great deal of progress and Greg is now back serving, at various degrees, and is progressing well. He had hoped to commence playing in the Challenger tournament in Fergana this week, but more soreness in his shoulder, after playing a few sets of tennis during week have resulted in some more soreness in the shoulder. Greg is now doing more strengthening exercises, whilst still having physiotherapy and is hoping to commence playing in the near future. Time will tell.