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Fistballers strike back - 3 World Champions in action again

Diakonissen Hospital, Linz. Dietmar Weiss, Klemens Kronsteiner and Martin Weiss, three reigning Fistball World Champions, leave Dr Gernot Aitzetmüller's surgery in a good mood after a routine post-operative check-up. The three fistball players share not only a love of the same sport and the World Championship title they clinched together, they also share the same consultant physician due to the similar injuries they have suffered. 

"For the team sport fistball you need a large amount of speed strength, skill, fast reactions and good coordination," explains team captain Dietmar Weiss. Fistball, a sport in which a natural leather ball is hit at high speed over a net to the opposing team, is known for its spectacular action and moves, but does bear a considerable risk of injury at the same time. Blocking actions can lead to hand, arm and shoulder injuries, especially in top-level competition - as the three fistball World Champions know only too well. While Dietmar Weiss suffered a so-called SLAP lesion (tearing of the biceps tendon with detachment of the biceps tendon anchor) and Klemens Kronsteiner was the victim of a torn rotator cuff, Martin Weiss was hit by both injuries. Pain and shoulder instability were the consequences. All three sportsmen agree that "In the past these injuries would have definitely meant the end of a fistball career."

To see why such injuries belong in the hands of specialists, you need only look at how complex shoulders are. Unlike other joints, the ball of the upper arm is kept in position in the socket only by surrounding and interconnecting tendons, muscles and ligaments, making the shoulder the most flexible but also the most complex of joints. Dr Aitzetmüller, who has been working intensively in the field of shoulder surgery for over 16 years and has a wealth of experience with top athletes, treated the shoulder injuries suffered by the three fistballers with minimally invasive, tissue protecting surgery. "You need to be very sensitive, have experience and a professional therapy concept. This is the only way to treat shoulder injuries properly," says Dr Aitzetmüller.

Two of the three fistballers are already back in full action again, only one of them is still sidelined. Passive mobilisation starts immediately, active stress is possible after 6 weeks and peak stress after around 6 months. This time out from training, however, is nothing compared to the risk of permanently losing some arm movement if shoulder pain is left untreated. It is not only professional sportspeople who do overhead sports such as tennis, handball or fistball who should take shoulder pain seriously and not ignore it. "At any rate, there is nothing to stop them from defending the title at the Fistball WCH 2011," says Dr Aitzetmüller with a wink.
 


Fistballers strike back - 3 World Champions in action again

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