Tennis injuries are unfortunately common, and it’s impossible to prevent them all. They will mostly occur when straining and can come from various causes. These injuries can range from minor to severe and even career-threatening, but it is possible to prevent them if you take preventative measures. In addition, knowing how to avoid common tennis injuries can increase your ability to succeed and play at a peak performance level.
Common Tennis Injuries And How To Prevent Them
The game of tennis can be a fun, rewarding, and challenging sport, but it can also be a risky one. Whether you're just starting or have been playing for years, you've undoubtedly been at risk of developing some injury. Injuries in tennis can take many forms and are sometimes difficult to detect without a proper medical assessment. Most commonly, injuries in tennis involve strained muscles and tendons, sprains, fractures, skin tears or bruising, and much more. Here's a list of some common tennis injuries and how you can prevent them.
- Tennis Elbow
Tennis elbow has to be one of the most common tennis injuries, and it's also one of the most painful. The pain is generally felt in the inner elbow, either when warming up or playing. It's commonly caused by repetitive movements, such as serving too many times or hitting a forehand shot. A tennis elbow brace can help support the arm muscles and reduce stress on the affected joint. To avoid tennis elbow, avoid repetitive motions. Also, warm up your arm before hitting a forehand or serve.
- Wrist Injuries
Wrist injuries are also common in tennis. Because the wrist is such a pivotal point of contact with the racquet, it is more susceptible to sprains and fractures than other joints. A fractured wrist will be painful and difficult to move. It may even be visibly deformed or swollen. Likewise, a sprain can cause pain and swelling in the wrist, resulting in a loss of mobility similar to a fracture. To prevent this, keep your wrist slightly bent when hitting a forehand or backhand. Also, try to hit hard balls into your opponents' bodies rather than their heads.
- Foot Injuries
Foot injuries are among the most common tennis injuries and can be quite painful. These include splints, strains, and stress fractures which are caused by overuse of the foot and ankle. A good pair of shoes with proper arch support is vital to avoid foot injuries in tennis. If you have any foot pain while playing tennis, consult a medical professional immediately and get the right Phoenix joint pain treatment to ensure optimal mobility of your joints.
- Shoulder Injuries
Shoulder injuries are also common, especially among new players. Tennis is a very demanding sport requiring strong shoulder and arm muscles to withstand the stress of repeated hits. When playing tennis, avoid swinging your shoulders. Instead, try to hit the ball with your arm muscles. Strengthening and maintaining good shoulder mobility is important to avoid tennis shoulder injuries. Also, try not to shrug or overextend your shoulders when hitting groundstrokes or volleys.
- Runners' Knee
Runners' knee is among the most common injuries in tennis. It's characterized by a pain that begins in the front of your knee and goes up the outside of your thigh. The pain is commonly worse when running downhill or landing from a jump. It can be caused by overuse and is most commonly a result of the knee valgus. Try to stretch and warm up your knees to prevent runners' knees before playing. Also, try not to run or jump for long periods without regularly stretching your muscles to prevent injury from occurring.
Tennis is a high exerting sport that requires great physical fitness and strength. Unfortunately, these are some of the most common injuries in tennis and how to prevent them. To prevent injuries, warm up, stretch before playing and hit with your arm muscles while not swinging your shoulders. There are many great products on the market to help prevent injuries, but you should visit a medical professional for the best results and ultimate healing of your injuries.
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