lateral | Garrett McLaughlin, MS, ATC, CSCS, ART

One of the first injuries I dealt with when I became certified as an Athletic Trainer was pain at the Iliotibial (IT) Band. What a frustrating process. Yes, the IT Band does take a beating in distance activities with it’s constant shortening and lengthening during the repetitive linear movements. Not to mention the tendinous portion slides over not just one, but two bony prominences at the greater trochanter and lateral femoral epicondyle. These two areas are common sources of pain, as tightness and friction can lead to injury. Make sure you review the anatomy of the IT Band below.

ITB

In order to solve IT band pathology, we often look to foam rolling, stretching, and strengthening to resolve the issue. But, what about alignment? From the top we have the pelvis which can be rotated or shifted in several directions. This causes an altered length/tension relationship in it’s surrounding musculature. At the bottom, the IT Band inserts upon the lateral border of the patella and fibular head. The fibula is an often overlooked bone that can contribute to a myriad of pain and dysfunction. Because of it’s ligamentous attachments to the proximal and distal tibia, and also calcaneus and talus in the foot, it can be pulled out of proper alignment. Once we have malalignment in our skeletal system, muscles and tendons often take the brunt of it. I have found with any IT Band pathology, you are better off seeking the advice of a medical professional first, and then continue with your home treatment options once directed in the right direction.

Lateral-Hip-Anatomy Will foam rolling help? I’ll start by saying that I am a big fan of foam rolling and think it is very under utilized by fitness enthusiasts. Foam rolling is a form of self-myofascial release which helps release tension in soft-tissue to help restore its original length and function. With that being said, are all areas of the body fair game? Take a look above at the anatomy of the IT Band again. Notice that it sits on top of the vastus lateralis… To me this is the exception where I think foam rolling can possibly cause more harm than good. Not only do we need appropriate length in individual tissues, but we need relative motion between adjacent structures. This means the IT Band and Vastus Lateralis should glide past each other during the normal gait and running cycle, and the lack of relative motion may lead to increased friction and irritation. So, will foam rolling and smashing the IT Band on top of the Quadriceps improve your situation, or further increase dysfunction?

In situations where relative motion may be the culprit, treatments like Active Release Techniques (ART) may prove to be more effective. ART helps restore relative motion between adjacent tissues by holding one tissue in place, while allowing the other to glide freely. So, next time you are suffering from some type of IT Band pain, consider if your pelvis and fibula are properly aligned, and will foam rolling improve or exacerbate your symptoms? Finding the correct answer to these questions could save weeks or even months off your recovery time.

By: Garrett McLaughlin, MS, ATC, CSCS, ART

Speed and agility is a mix of several different movement skills. Training just to be fast is a simplistic way to improve, but there are more components, that when broken down, will allow the athlete to reach a greater potential. When looking at speed and agility, it’s essential to break it down into more specific skills, such as: deceleration/stabilization, acceleration/explosiveness, change of direction (COD), and reaction training.

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In the previous post, Speed and Agility Training for the Tennis Athlete: Part 1, the deceleration/stabilization component was discussed in detail, with several drills to improve these skills. Now that we have taught the body to decelerate, properly stabilize, and provide a solid base in which to create movement, we can speed up the movement and develop acceleration, explosiveness, and change of direction. With the multidirectional demands of tennis, it is important to train in all movement planes for the best carryover to on-court situations.

As we shift our focus and increase the speed of movement, many of the same line drills can be beneficial. Instead of slowing down each landing and focusing on control, we speed up as our goal is to minimize ground contact time. In regards to plyometric training, the time it takes to come in contact with the ground, control our bodyweight, and then accelerate off the ground is called the amortization phase. The fastest and most agile tennis players have taught their body’s to minimize this phase to as short as possible, leading to more explosive movement. In the following line hop drills, shift your focus to quick ground contacts with a rapid change of direction.

Next, we build upon the line drills and begin training exaggerated movements. Lateral jumps are a great explosive lateral agility exercise. First, learn the movement by sticking the landing. Then, when you feel comfortable getting more distance and pushing off explosively, speed up the movement with the same goal as the line hops, minimize ground contact time. The faster you can change directions, the quicker you will be able to set up for the next shot, with enough time to get your body in the proper position.

Lastly, in order to cover the entire tennis court we must again increase the distance traveled. With the court being a relatively small area compared to most other sports, we don’t necessarily need to run long distances, but train the body to move quickly for a short period of time in one direction and then rapidly change directions. The following drills focus on the basics of linear/lateral acceleration and change of direction.

As you try these new drills remember it is better to focus on quality of movement over quantity. I recommend taking 4-6 weeks to perfect these skills. Oftentimes in sports training we want to do the hardest exercise or drill thinking it is the best for us. But, proper progression will not only improve the motor pattern more efficiently, but allow for the most carryover to practice and match situations. In the next article we will focus on tennis-specific change of direction and reaction drills since each point in tennis is unpredictable, which requires anticipation and quick reaction.

***Note: If you are unsure how many sets and repetitions to complete of each of these movements, here is a sample breakdown to provide structure for the progression: Part 2 Speed & Agility Progression.

Garrett McLaughlin is an Athletic Trainer and Strength Coach who works with young tennis players to improve movement quality, speed, agility, strength, and power. For more questions on strength & conditioning for the junior tennis player, contact Garrett.

Garrett McLaughlin, MS, ATC, CSCS, ART

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Resolving The Ever So Difficult IT Band Pain

Speed and Agility Training for Tennis: Part 2