Nadal - new pre-season treatment & lack of practice

Looks like Rafa didnt get the usual pre-season preparations in...maybe why he looked out of sorts yesterday?


Doha - World number one Rafael Nadal has had new treatment on his troublesome knees which could help him complete a full season on the ATP Tour for the first time since 2011.

The 27-year-old Spaniard also believes that it may prolong his career, but admits that the delay in restarting work during the off season has reduced his chances of regaining the Australian Open title in two weeks time.

Although Nadal would not say precisely what had been done to the semi-permanent injuries, he volunteered only that it was "different" and that he is hopeful about a healthier 2014.

Nadal missed all of the second half of 2012 as well as the first Grand Slam of 2013, in Australia, prompting many predictions that he would never be a world-beater again.

Though he proved these wrong, previous treatments have brought only temporary improvements, and Nadal is mindful that he has reached a crucial phase of his career if he is to fulfil his talent completely.

"I feel that this one really makes me feel more comfortable," he said, when asked what the treatment was. "Because I don't have pain like I had, no?

"It is true that (in 2013) I played a lot of days with anti?inflammatories. But I was able to compete very well once I started. That was my goal and so I was very happy about everything."

However, in 2014 Nadal is hoping anti-inflammatories won't be needed so much. In previous off-seasons he had plasma-rich platelets injected into his knees, but it seems likely that now he has had different kind of injections.

"With this last treatment I feel more comfortable on my knee during the rest of the day," he said. "I feel that I can have a more normal life than I had during the last year and a half, because then I was playing tennis, and the rest of the time just relaxed.

"Although I played good I was not able to enjoy myself practising other sports outside of tennis. For me, that's a very important part of my life. It is true that I am a professional tennis player, but I feel more happy when I am able to do different things."

Even now, though, limitations remain. Though Nadal claims he can comfortably kick a football, he admits he will not play a football match, one of his great loves.

"I haven't played football for the last two years and a half," he said. "I am not confident of that yet. I love to play football more than anything else but today I feel it will not be the right decision to take risks with that, especially since the better feeling in the knees is (only) from a few weeks ago."

All this has left Nadal short of court time. Not till two and a half weeks ago did he start hitting tennis balls again, something which may influence what happens in the first Grand Slam of the season.

"And in the first week I didn't move myself, I was just practising from the middle," he said. "So realistically I have been playing for one week or something, that's all."

That places in perspective his straight sets loss to his friend David Ferrer, the world number three from Spain, in an exhibition event in Abu Dhabi three days ago.

It also raised questions about Nadal's ability to win the Qatar Open title for the first time here this week and his capacity to be ready for the Australian Open in Melbourne in less than two weeks time.

"I am going to try to be competitive from the beginning," he said. "The first two events are very early for me."

http://www.sport24.co.za/Tennis/ATPTour/Nadal-tries-new-treatment-20131230#.UsG13eYmwpI.facebook


Looks like it could be good news for Rafa if this treatment takes the pain away. Anyone know what he actually had done?

He's had stem cell treatment done, Lydian. Only in November so I suppose it's still early days.

Arhhh, cheers Cav
Sounds like a type of PRP?
I'll try to read more about that.

I hope he's more competetive than he predicts in Melbourne. He might be Novak's only genuine rival for the title, given Murray's 4 month break for surgery.

Cav wrote:He's had stem cell treatment done, Lydian.  Only in November so I suppose it's still early days.

Can you provide a link?

Cartistem is manufactured from mesenchymal stem cells derived from allogeneic (donor) umbilical cord blood. Umbilical cord blood is a readily accessible source of high-quality stem cells, is associated with minimal health risks and carries relatively few ethical concerns.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/01/130124163246.htm

It is nothing like PRP. You are using cells from another donor human being.

What are WADA/ITF rules for this?

PS: http://www.nadalnews.com/2013/12/30/its-a-good-knee-new/#.UsRFf_0YZSY (Not sure how accurate this is).

This is the link, and a translator on my laptop was easy enough to read.

http://www.noticias24.com/internacionales/noticia/73729/un-tratamiento-con-celulas-madre-devuelve-el-optimismo-a-nadal/

I do, however, think you are being selective and mis-leading with your link and post.

A basic Google search on the subject brings up many reports and discusses the procedure where the patient's OWN stem cells are used, and as with PRP, I see no reason why this wouldn't be the case Nadal.

Cav wrote:This is the link, and a translator on my laptop was easy enough to read.

http://www.noticias24.com/internacionales/noticia/73729/un-tratamiento-con-celulas-madre-devuelve-el-optimismo-a-nadal/

I do, however, think you are being selective and mis-leading with your link and post.

A basic Google search on the subject brings up many reports and discusses the procedure where the patient's OWN stem cells are
used, and as with PRP, I see no reason why this wouldn't be the case Nadal.

From Sep 2013 (3+ months ago…)

Researchers have successfully reprogrammed adult cells in a living animal for the first time, creating stem cells that have the ability to grow into any tissue found in the body. Until now these stem cells, known as induced pluripotent stem cells, have only ever been created in Petri dishes in the laboratory after being removed from the animal.

However, researchers at the Spanish National Cancer Research Centre in Madrid, Spain, were able to create these cells in the bodies of living mice.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/10302341/Stem-cell-study-raises-hopes-that-organs-could-be-regenerated-inside-patients-own-bodies.html


Types of Transplants

The two main types of stem cell transplants are autologous (aw-TOL-o-gus) and allogenic (a-LO-jen-ik).

For an autologous transplant, your own stem cells are collected and stored for use later on. This works best when you still have enough healthy stem cells, even though you’re sick. If you have cancer, the cancer cells are removed or destroyed from the collected cells.

For an allogenic transplant, you get stem cells from a donor. The donor can be a relative (like a brother or sister) or an unrelated person. You also may get stem cells from umbilical cord blood donated by an unrelated person.

To prevent problems, the donor's stem cells should match yours as closely as possible. Donors and recipients are matched through a blood test called HLA tissue typing.

http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health//dci/Diseases/bmsct/bmsct_all.html

From the translated version, available at NadalNews link I provided earlier (it points to the same Noticias link as yours), …

The use of stem cells now facilitating the recovery of his cartilages is a novelty that his team decided to incorporate at the end of the last season, in November, and so far the result is excellent, although Nadal was unable to give precise details of the nature of the procedure.

What do you make of this statement?

I don't really know how I'm supposed to answer that question. Maybe Nadal cannot articulate in pure medical terms or language what it's all about other than they take some of my stem cells and inject them back into me. Was he even specifically asked?

Look, the OP asked a question about whether anyone knew what he'd had done, there's been debate on this on another tennis forum, a Spanish link was provided and that's where I read it. So I answered. This was Rafa's first press conference of the year and I now expect that this story will grow some legs and run and run. I don't really want to get into any exchanges of links or extracts from medical journals about mice in petri dishes because even though there is some sort of acknowledgement that there are, in fact, two forms of this treatment which either use your own stem cells or those of a donor, I can see which has your preferred interest.

Good old Rafa. As much as I like the guy, I just wish sometimes he'd make it easier on himself and simply go out and hire himself a celebrity coach.

Cav wrote:...this story will grow some legs and run and run...

A sort of stem-cell based media experiment?

I have no preferred interest. My specific interest is summed very succinctly in the following link…

“The boundaries between therapy and enhancement from both technical and ethical perspectives must be better defined,” added Prof. Ljungqvist. “With the growing potential of genetic cures for muscle diseases and blood disorders comes the growing threat of misuse by the world of sport.”

http://playtrue.wada-ama.org/news/wada-symposium-covers-broad-spectrum-of-gene-doping-and-potential-for-misuse-of-cell-therapy-in-world-of-sport/

A Celebrity coach is equivalent to a car in your driveway, more a status symbol than anything else. The coach cannot execute any shots on the court anyway, but only use hand signals, perhaps.

Cav
Good old Rafa. As much as I like the guy, I just wish sometimes he'd make it easier on himself and simply go out and hire himself a celebrity coach.

----------------------------------

Sorry Cav you will pardon my   

What celebrity coach would you suggest that could come anywhere near coaching Nadal´s kind of tennis.. Johnny Mac admits to not being able to "live" with him on the court... I would agree he could put Uncle Toni out to pasture now but Francisco Roig ultimately is his coach now .. Toni is a showpiece.
I think it has been interesting to see that Roig is Rafa´s partner in the doubles... how is that for on court coaching ????

John McEnroe would probably be the happiest man on earth if Rafael asked him to join the team.

kingraf wrote:John McEnroe would probably be the happiest man on earth if Rafael asked him to join the tea

Maybe kr but he had a knock up session with Rafa and said he couldn´t live with him.. he calls him The Beast
The only thing they have in common is that they are lefties..

Haddie-nuff wrote:
I think it has been interesting to see that Roig is Rafa´s partner in the doubles... how is that for on court coaching ????

Roig has been secretly fired so he is trying to earn a living, and Nadal is willing to support him the best he can.

Perhaps Javier Piles (recently replaced/displaced by Jose Francisco Altur - highest rank #88) is available as Nadal's coach.

laverfan wrote:

Haddie-nuff wrote:
I think it has been interesting to see that Roig is Rafa´s partner in the doubles... how is that for on court coaching ????

Roig has been secretly fired so he is trying to earn a living, and Nadal is willing to support him the best he can.

Perhaps Javier Piles (recently replaced/displaced by Jose Francisco Altur - highest rank #88) is available as Nadal's coach.

I didn´t realise you wrote fairy stories as well LF  

When was the last time Nadal went into the Australian Open without much doubt surrounding him? He will be fine, the guy is a freak and even at 75 percent will make at least the semi-finals.

50% physically fit Nadal can win a Grandslam a 50% physically fit Nadal can realistically win a French Open in any era, but I see Nadal is getting mentally and emotionally tired, I don't think so he enjoys the competition from the new crop of players either [Just my personal humble opinion].

He wanted to prove what he is and made one of the most stunning comebacks in 2013, I really don't think it gonna continue in 2014-2015 [Not because of the challenge but coz of a boring stale tour and to have achieved almost everything], I want the next big [Who ever the F it is ]sensation to beat Nadal in FO and take the torch from Nadal.

I am just tired of Djoko , I don't see him hold 10% flair of Fedal, and Murray is already satisfied and won't be surprised of he retired before Federer and Nadal.   , Lendl's next challenge is to make Murray understand that he hasn't achieved even 10% of his real potential and force him to work hard to reach that potential, I do believe in lendl and thankfully Murray's team did a great homework in hiring him for him. 

invisiblecoolers wrote:50% physically fit Nadal can win a Grandslam a 50% physically fit Nadal can realistically win a French Open in any era, but I see Nadal is getting mentally and emotionally tired, I don't think so he enjoys the competition from the new crop of players either [Just my personal humble opinion].

He wanted to prove what he is and made one of the most stunning comebacks in 2013, I really don't think it gonna continue in 2014-2015 [Not because of the challenge but coz of a boring stale tour and to have achieved almost everything], I want the next big [Who ever the F it is ]sensation to beat Nadal in FO and take the torch from Nadal.

I am just tired of Djoko , I don't see him hold 10% flair of Fedal, and Murray is already satisfied and won't be surprised of he retired before Federer and Nadal.   , Lendl's next challenge is to make Murray understand that he hasn't achieved even 10% of his real potential and force him to work hard to reach that potential, I do believe in lendl and thankfully Murray's team did a great homework in hiring him for him. 

I think a little of your wishful thinking is showing there ic.  I think Rafa still has a lot more fight in him before he calls it a day and quite contrary to what you say I think Rafa does welcome a challenge from any newcomber it stops him getting complacent. and if  it was all about achieving everything he wanted .. take a look at Fed it hasn´t topped him playing past his sell by date has it. I agree about Djoko and Murray. But when you get to the thin end of any tourny the same ones are there..Lets face it hard work and dedication have been their benchmark apart from talent. At the moment Im seeing up and coming talent without a doubt but those players seem to rely purely on that to get them to the top and its not been enough

invisiblecoolers wrote: but I see Nadal is getting mentally and emotionally tired, I don't think so he enjoys the competition from the new crop of players either [Just my personal humble opinion].

Really? That's not at all how I see it. This is the player who said he enjoyed playing the AO final. You know the one he lost from being a break up in the fifth, the one that took 6 hours to play, the one that came after all those final losses to the player that beat him. Also watching Nadal play this last week against Rosol, Gulbis, Monfis and that qualifier playing the match of his life (who all made it difficult for him for a variety of reasons) he's looked as happy as happy can be with that competitive glint in his eye. Strangely one of the times he's looked the saddest on a tennis court was after beating Federer at the AO in 2009 (after beating him at Wimbledon and the FO previously). He should have been at the top of the world but maybe what he really wanted was a bit of a scrap.

Maybe as tennis fans we should all be grateful for Djokovic's run in 2011 because without that perhaps Nadal would no longer have that glint in his eye that produces his very best tennis.

hawkeye wrote:Strangely one of the times he's looked the saddest on a tennis court was after beating Federer at the AO in 2009 (after beating him at Wimbledon and the FO previously). He should have been at the top of the world but maybe what he really wanted was a bit of a scrap.

Are you suggesting that he was met with little resistance in that match?

Words fail me. They really do.

Silver. Good grief of course I'm not. That was a great high quality close match (One of my personal favorites) but Nadal won. From that point instead of Federer being the favorite to win their matches and Nadal being the challenger the rivalry changed. Nadal was from then on the favorite. He should have been pleased but he certainly didn't look it.

I didn't interpret HEs comments that way...I think everyone could see Nadal's celebration was muted by the crying 'God this is killing me' Federer who at the time was chasing the slam record. Nadal has a lot of respect for Roger and I don't think gets huge satisfaction from beating him as you might imagine...remember FO'08 when he didn't know what to say when they shock hands at the end? None of the shirt ripping, screaming and chest punching you see from other players...Federer and Nadal have a unique dynamic not only because of their contrast of styles but also I think because they respect each other the most on tour and also at a basic level have chemistry between them. Nadal has always admired Federer's sublime talent, likewise Federer with Nadal since the 17 yr old rookie beat the #1 on HC way back. The seeds of mutual respect were planted early on and remained/reinforced ever since, win or lose.

Fed was OK about the loss - then the crown started cheering him very loudly which caused him to get all emotional. It's was the crowd's reaction toward him that led to the tears, more than the defeat. What was 'killing him' was trying to 'give back' to the crowd with a good speech, whilst emotional.
That's according to Fed, anyway.

How he came to cry isn't really my point, more that Nadal showed Federer the respect of muted celebration in what was one of his finest hours...a first HC slam. Anyway...this is well off-piste.

Looking back at the stem cell bit here, there's no way stem cells "convinced" to become cartilage cells could possibly be directly abused, Wada have nothing to worry about there because excess cartilage or altered cartilage would inherently be worse than the body's undamaged cartilage, and the cells wouldn't become anything else (like blood or hormone secreting cells) without a totally different set of chemical commands that should be easy to trace. However, like PRP, the stem cells will contain GFs (they have to as specific factors are the instructions that lead the stem cells to all become chondrocytes and end up in the right place. Administering these in the right way is the biggest, potentially unsurmountable, barrier to stem cell treatment in the brain and spinal cord for various reasons) and almost certainly will see a subtle change in some GF levels in the blood because of inducing effects. This would be incredibly unlikely to allow any anabolic growth or fitness gains but could hypothetically be used to mask other drugs.


But then this has been an issue in sport for a long time. Steve Redgrave, for example, will have found it easier to put on muscle for rowing because he is a type 1 diabetic and on long-term insulin, which is anabolic