As Federer pulls out of the French Open to recover, experts on the importance of listening to your body

Roger Federer. Pic/AFP

Its important to look at the long run, especially when your body is concerned. That's what Roger Federer did when he pulled out of the ongoing French Open recently, after reaching the fourth round. The Swiss maestro cited two knee surgeries over the past year as the reason. Here's what he said: "It's important that I listen to my body and make sure I don't push myself too quickly on my road to recovery." Even a doctor couldn't have put it better. We often take our bodies for granted, forgetting that at the end of the day, they are finite objects. They need care and protection, in a sustained manner. And they also demand that we heed warning signs without throwing caution to the wind.

Age isn't a factor

These warning signs can appear at any age, says Priyanka Talreja, a physiotherapist and founder of Nucleus, a clinic in Walkeshwar. "Even kids get into different kinds of activities such as squash or cricket, so parents should address whether they have any weaknesses," she tells us, adding, "Every person needs to understand their bodily symptoms. For example, it's not a good idea to hit the gym if you've had a rough day and your body is still sore. One wrong move and you might suffer because you have put your system through something it's not ready for."

Priyanka Talreja

What to watch out for

The suffering can manifest in different ways. Dr Abhirup Maulik, a Kolkata-based orthopaedic doctor, tells us that the most common symptoms are vertigo; stiffness in the neck while getting up in the morning; pain radiating down your hand or the back of your neck or legs, sometimes with a tingling sensation; frequent swelling around the knees; and a loss of sensation. "Instability or locking [of joints] is a late manifestation, and one should be extremely careful when this happens. The skeletal system is supported by muscles and once degeneration sets in, there isn't much you can do about it," he warns.

Speaking of the skeletal system, Dr Maulik adds that the most mobile parts of the spine are the areas around the neck (cervical) and lower back (lumbar). Those are the regions that are most susceptible to wear and tear. The causes can emanate from everyday issues. "As Indians, we often sit cross-legged on the floor and some homes don't have western commodes in their toilets. Many of our activities, in fact, are carried out at the floor level and implementing the wrong ergonomics while carrying out domestic chores can have a harmful effect," he says, while Talreja adds that in the current work-from-home scenario, people often sit on their sofas in an awkward position, which exacerbates the situation.

Dr Abhirup Maulik

Sleep on this

What, thus, should one do to prevent, or at least delay, these complications? Warm up before exercising, upgrade your routine week by week instead of taxing your system right from the beginning, and keep rest days in between. Follow a balanced diet with the right amount of protein, reduce your stress and cortisol levels, and keep a tab on your vitamin B3 and B12 levels, since the former helps with bone growth and the latter helps your nerves. Also, sleep well. "That's when the maximum internal recovery happens," Talreja explains.

It's not the end

But she also adds that even if you have a particular ailment, it's not that you can't work out at all. The expert says, "This is important for the masses to understand. I will not tell you to avoid upper-body work-outs if you have a knee injury. Avoiding that area and modifying your exercise regimen will instead help you recover faster. You just need to know what part of the body is affected and what movement will damage it further."

Federer, coming back to his example, was cognisant of his knees being in bad shape. So, he "listened to his body". It's the wisest decision he could have taken, feels Talreja, adding that it makes more sense for him to take some time off rather than never playing again. One fan, though, said that it was "disrespectful" for the tennis player to pull out. But what he doesn't realise is that the champion was right in thinking, "Let's live to fight another day."