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Sports medicine doctor discusses injuries by Mary Helen Yarborough Public Relations At the recent Family Circle Cup on Daniel Island, several matches were shortened, and four of the world’s top women competitors withdrew from the event due to injury.   David Geier, M.D., director of the MUSC Sports Medicine Center, served as the official physician for the event on Daniel Island. He said that what professional tennis players experience could provide a lesson for recreational players. Because MUSC has a rather significant number of tennis enthusiasts who play at the courts at Harper Student Center, as well as in leagues in the region, Geier offered advice and his thoughts regarding tennis injuries in a question and answer interview with The Catalyst: Do different court surfaces relate to different injuries? Little data exist on the incidence of specific injuries on different surfaces in professional tennis. Many lower extremity injuries, such as shin splints, are thought to be more common on hard courts. Players often complain of injuries after an abrupt transition from one surface to another, such as a long stretch of hard court tournaments before an immediate switch to clay courts. Are women more prone to sustain injuries? Women are not more likely to suffer injuries, but they are probably more likely to suffer a different set of injuries. [Women] are more likely to suffer injuries to their feet, legs, and calves, while males generally have more difficulties with abdominal, back, and groin problems. In all sports, especially at the recreational level, females have more overuse injuries due to lower levels of physical conditioning and higher rates of shoulder and elbow injuries due to less upper extremity strength. At the elite level of tennis, these strength and conditioning differences are negligible. What was the most common injury seen in the Family Circle Cup? No single injury was predominant; in fact, the spectrum of injuries included many upper extremity problems, such as wrist injuries. Many issues involved exacerbations of chronic injuries, which is common at professional levels of most sports when athletes continue to compete despite ongoing aches and pains. What injuries are more likely to occur with age? Younger players are more likely to suffer overuse injuries, especially to their lower extremities, possibly due to less flexibility and weakness in certain muscle groups. Older athletes, especially at the recreational level, can suffer overuse injuries of the shoulder and elbow, such as rotator cuff injuries and tennis elbow, and injuries to the back and trunk. These players may be placing excessive demands on these areas without adequate rest and placing themselves at risk for these overuse injuries. Maintenance stretching and strengthening exercises and ample periods of rest are important at all levels and ages.   For more information, visit http://www.muschealth.com/sports.   Appointments can also be made by calling 792-1414 or visit one of the following locations: MUSC Orthopaedics, 890 Johnnie Dodds Blvd., Mount Pleasant; MUSC Orthopaedics James Island , MUSC Medical Plaza 650 Ellis Oaks Drive Charleston; or MUSC Bone & Joint Center, MUSC Medical Plaza, 2125 Charlie Hall Blvd., Charleston.     Friday, May 11, 2007 Catalyst Online is published weekly, updated as needed and improved from time to time by the MUSC Office of Public Relations for the faculty, employees and students of the Medical University of South Carolina. Catalyst Online editor, Kim Draughn, can be reached at 792-4107 or by email, catalyst@musc.edu. Editorial copy can be submitted to Catalyst Online and to The Catalyst in print by fax, 792-6723, or by email to catalyst@musc.edu. To place an ad in The Catalyst hardcopy, call Island Publications at 849-1778, ext. 201.