Well it has been nearly 3 months now since I was sidelined by a back injury at this years U.S. Open and I still haven't fully recovered. It certainly isn't easy dealing with an injury especially in our sport because we have a year-long ranking system and lose the points we don't defend from the previous year. The first thing you think when you feel some sort of pain is nervousness and fear about what it could be. Basically, I tried to stay positive and hope it wasn't anything serious and just a slight muscle strain that would heal in a few weeks. I ended up getting an xray and MRI when I got home, after taking it easy for a few weeks, and it showed a bulging disc in my lower back. When you hear news like that it is never fun because you know your recovery time will be longer than you originally thought and all the tournaments that were lined up on the schedule become only a figment of your imagination. I tried to stay positive and seek the best council about what I should do to get back on the court competing again as soon as possibly, but it is not always easy because there are many opinions about what should be done or what exactly is even wrong. I basically began rehabing and resting it, avoiding all impact exercise and activity and that definitely made some of the inflammation subside, but it still wasn't getting better like everyone expected it to. Now I am seeing a physical therapist and massage therapist a few times a week and doing exercises on my own trying to really be aggressive with the treatment. I am also going to start going to a chiropractor and see if that can offer any relief for my back pain. In the meantime, I have been teaching a lot of tennis and trying to stay busy and productive with my time. It's never easy to be injured as a professional athlete especially in a sport where you don't make any money unless you are competing and winning, but I feel like I have done a good job dealing with it. In some ways I have enjoyed the time off in one place and being with friends and family, but of course I am anxious to get back on the court again and give it another go!