OOAK Table Tennis Forum

I've been trying to develop a forehand loop as a necessary tool for improvement. I'm still working on consistency and on introducing it into matches, but have been able to get some strong arc and kick in a repetitive practice situation.

However, I think I have been doing it the wrong way. My coaches have advised me to use my legs more for lift; I've been sort of more doing a monster movement of the upper body to make the loop happen. Prior to last weekend I'd incurred a little soreness, some around the upper shoulder and some under (as in lower on the torso than) the right shoulder blade. I overdid it during ~4 hours of practice on Saturday and had what felt like a big bruise on the right latissimus dorsi that was painful to the touch. It settled down a little by Monday night's pennant match, but even during warmups, even a small amount of looping was uncomfortable.

I played as normal in the first of my three singles matches (still with a touch of discomfort), then it became painful to raise and aggressively move the bat for any kind of attacking stroke on forehand or backhand when I played doubles. I played my last two singles matches only pushing and blocking with the bat close to the body and unable to attack at all. After a day, the lat still hurts (although less intensely than last night) and today I found a big discoloured bruise about 10cm under the right armpit. It hurts to raise my playing arm (again, not as much as last night).

I'll be taking one or two weeks off playing (and seeing a physio) and will have to reevaluate my technique, general strength conditioning and physical limitations. I'm hoping this is more a muscle strain than a ligament or tendon injury.

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"Once you get past a certain threshold, everyone's problems are the same: fortifying your island and hiding the heat signature from your fusion reactor." –Doctor Impossible

Hopefully it's just muscles!

You might have to get a few coaching lessons to get the right technique. The wrong technique can require MUCH more effort to get the same results, which of course leads to a much higher chance of injure (as well as a slower recovery after each shot).

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Get some rest and a physio. Once you get better it migth be worthwhile to try a one on one coaching session to improve technique. Once you know the rigth technique, you can practice on your own. Sometimes is better a quality training than quantity

Sent from my HUAWEI MT7-TL10 using Tapatalk

Get some Elmore oil from the chemist and rub it in where it hurts. It can work wonders. Has for many a friend of mine.

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I'm always in the dark, but the Dark sheds lights upon everything!! Beauty is only pimple deep! Beauty is in the eye of the pipholder!
S/U 1: Blade: Bty Gergely . FH Black Andro Rasant 2.1 . BH Red Tibhar Grass Dtecs
S/U 2: Blade: Bty Gergely . FH Black Hexer+ 2.1 . BH Red GD Talon
S/U 3: Blade: Bty Gergely . No rubbers...thinking of adding Red Dtecs and Black Rasant
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I went to see a physiotherapist today, and he reckons it is a latissimus dorsi muscle tear between Grade 1 and 2. If I move my arms in such a way as to activate the lats, the non-playing-side lats work, but the playing-side lats don't – instead, other muscles do the work, with some accompanying twinges. Range of motion is mostly OK, and the bruising is slightly below the most painful part of the injury, probably from blood pooling.

He's assigned me some stretches, and recommended ice packs, ibuprofen and at least 2 weeks of no table tennis, pending my follow-up visit next week. At this stage I'm planning for probably 3 weeks of no play. We've already organised our backup teammate…

_________________
"Once you get past a certain threshold, everyone's problems are the same: fortifying your island and hiding the heat signature from your fusion reactor." –Doctor Impossible

I still highly recommend the Elmore Oil on top of his therapy! I've seen friends use all types of other therapies, and then come good on the oil.

_________________
I'm always in the dark, but the Dark sheds lights upon everything!! Beauty is only pimple deep! Beauty is in the eye of the pipholder!
S/U 1: Blade: Bty Gergely . FH Black Andro Rasant 2.1 . BH Red Tibhar Grass Dtecs
S/U 2: Blade: Bty Gergely . FH Black Hexer+ 2.1 . BH Red GD Talon
S/U 3: Blade: Bty Gergely . No rubbers...thinking of adding Red Dtecs and Black Rasant
Aussie Table Tennis Shop / Aussie Table Tennis Facebook Page / Equipment Review Index / Read my Reb Report Blog: click here.

I must admit, I've had sore shoulders and arms from looping in the past, but a bruise? Wow. Must've been swinging very hard indeed!

Iskandar

Sigh…if only I'd rested properly after Saturday, and skipped Monday's match! I probably would have been foolish enough to do myself in on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, though. I'm still determined to learn how to FH loop in matches, but now I know I have to adopt a more gradual and technically more correct approach.

For a couple of weeks after the immediate aches subside, it'll be the ttedge app and left-hand robot practice for me!

_________________
"Once you get past a certain threshold, everyone's problems are the same: fortifying your island and hiding the heat signature from your fusion reactor." –Doctor Impossible

Thanks for the recommendation! – I'll see how long it takes me to get through my supply of Vicks VapoRub and Finalgon cream (a hot capsaicin-type ointment) first, though.

_________________
"Once you get past a certain threshold, everyone's problems are the same: fortifying your island and hiding the heat signature from your fusion reactor." –Doctor Impossible

Now I'm remembering why I haven't used Finalgon cream for so long – that stuff burns like a #@&%!! The first time I saw Finalgon cream in use was at a bike race on a cold, windy and wet day over 2 decades ago. Some riders I knew had applied this newfangled chilli-based ointment to their legs so they wouldn't go numb with cold. And it worked. After the race, however, some of them were desperately trying to remove it and were almost crying from the pain…

_________________
"Once you get past a certain threshold, everyone's problems are the same: fortifying your island and hiding the heat signature from your fusion reactor." –Doctor Impossible

Ouch!

_________________
OOAK Table Tennis Shop | Re-Impact Blades | Butterfly Table Tennis bats
Setup1: Re-Impact Smart, Viper OX, Victas VS 401 Setup2: Re-Impact Barath, Dtecs OX, TSP Triple Spin Chop 1.0mm Setup3: Re-Impact Dark Knight, Hellfire OX, 999 Turbo
Recent Articles: Butterfly Tenergy Alternatives | Tenergy Rubbers Compared | Re-Impact User Guide

Mate, believe me. Those things DO NOT do the same thing as Elmore Oil. And Elmore Oil has a nice vanilla smell and feels nice rubbing in.

PS. A mate of mine also hurt himself as he lifted his looping prowess. He had a shoulder and upper-arm that had him missing weeks of TT. He had his Mum in Slovenia sending him some cream that sounds similar to the hot one you're using. It wasn't doing much. Then I gave him the tip on Elmore Oil. Within 2 weeks he was pain free and looping better and better. Now he is a 1450 player, so I'm not going to guarantee the oil ups your looping prowess, but there's a fair chance it'll help your arm

_________________
I'm always in the dark, but the Dark sheds lights upon everything!! Beauty is only pimple deep! Beauty is in the eye of the pipholder!
S/U 1: Blade: Bty Gergely . FH Black Andro Rasant 2.1 . BH Red Tibhar Grass Dtecs
S/U 2: Blade: Bty Gergely . FH Black Hexer+ 2.1 . BH Red GD Talon
S/U 3: Blade: Bty Gergely . No rubbers...thinking of adding Red Dtecs and Black Rasant
Aussie Table Tennis Shop / Aussie Table Tennis Facebook Page / Equipment Review Index / Read my Reb Report Blog: click here.

Hangdog, I agree with RebornTTEvnglist Elmore Oil is great I use it all the time for maintenance in those areas where we overdo it & don’t listen to our body. As stated it smells nice, doesn’t burn but it does help.

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Setup 1: Blade: TSP Trinity Carbon | Joola Golden Tango black 1.8mm FH & Tibhar Grass D.TecS acid green OX BH
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Setup 3: Blade: TSP Trinity Carbon | Joola Golden Tango black 1.8mm FH & Spinlord Gigant anti-spin red BH
See the ball, be the ball...

Hmmm... I'd never heard of this before, so I looked it up. Yup, it's an Australian thing..

http://elmoreoil.com.au/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elmore,_Victoria



Can't say I've seen it for sale around here, but it doesn't sound like it'd be hard to make if you can't buy it (eucalyptus oil, tea tree oil, vanilla and olive oil).

(I suppose no one's tried to boost rubber with it yet.... ? )

Iskandar

One week in, it's feeling better. Still not going to play this week. The stretching exercises are less uncomfortable, it doesn't hurt all the time, and I can sorta sleep on the bruised side now, whereas earlier I just had to sleep on my back. There's still a big bruise under my playing arm: visualise a massive sweat stain under an armpit (yes, ewww…), and about the bottom half of that would be what the bruise covers. Next visit to the physio is tomorrow.

_________________
"Once you get past a certain threshold, everyone's problems are the same: fortifying your island and hiding the heat signature from your fusion reactor." –Doctor Impossible