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For more information
about tennis in the region, visit Tennis
in Pittsburgh.
General
injury prevention
A healthy routine
Steffi Graf, one of
the fittest, strongest athletes in the world, had to retire from tennis
after years of being plagued by injury. One of the hottest players in
men's tennis, Patrick Rafter, has continuous shoulder problems. Venus
Williams is talking about cutting her career short because of tendinitis.
Tennis can be a demanding, injury-inducing sport. You throw your elbows
and shoulders into serves and strokes. You stop and go constantly, and
most recreational players pound their legs on hard surfaces instead of
clay or grass.
If you incur a tennis injury, you risk more than losing a few games. You
could be sidelined from tennis and other sports for months. Luckily, recreational
players who don't hit the ball as hard or as often as advanced and elite
players have a lower risk of injury. But some tennis players, no matter
what their skill level, are prone to injury. So whether you head out to
the local courts occasionally or you're heading for the pro tour, here's
what you need to know about the most common tennis injuries.
- Tennis
elbow
This is the common term for the degeneration (not inflammation) of the
wrist extensor tendons where they attach at the elbow, according to
Robert Leach, MD, editor of the American Journal of Sports Medicine.
Using correct mechanics when you hit the ball, especially on your backhand,
is important for the prevention of tennis elbow.
"Make sure you hit the ball in front of you," Leach says.
To nail down proper technique, take a lesson. It might even improve
your game.
Read more about tennis elbow.
- Shoulder
pain
This can be caused by a number of ailments, but the most common is rotator
cuff dysfunction. Serving is largely responsible for shoulder pain;
an easier service motion is less likely to cause shoulder problems.
But if you're determined to rip the ball at your opponent, make sure
you warm up well and keep your rotator cuff muscles strong. Tennis experts
recommend moving your rotator cuff muscles through their full range
of motion using dumbbells or pull cords.
- Back pain
Tennis players most often experience low back pain but it's not usually
serious. Though disc injuries are possible, muscle-related back injury
is more common in tennis. Experts advise working on your back flexibility
and building strong abdominal muscles. One way to strengthen lower back
muscles is the use of a seated cable row machine found at most fitness
gyms.
- Ankle sprain
These occur when you turn your ankle in; they're fairly unpredictable
and tough to prevent. If you do sprain your ankle, ice and elevate the
ankle immediately. Wrap it with an elastic bandage for support.
Read more about ankle sprain.
- Hamstring
strain
Many athletes experience hamstring problems, and tennis players are
no exception. Hamstring muscles need to be flexible. After a short warm
up, stretch hamstrings thoroughly. You can strengthen your hamstring
muscles by doing hamstring curls or using a pronated leg curl machine.
When doing hamstring strength work, warm up first and stretch second;
and always stretch between sets.
- Knee cartilage
tear
The most common knee injury in tennis is a meniscal tear, Dr. Leach
says. You can work on general strengthening of your hamstrings and quads,
but there isn't much you can do specifically to prevent a torn meniscus.
Just be aware that it could occur, and if you injure your knee while
playing tennis, see an orthopaedic surgeon for an appropriate course
of treatment.
- Achilles'
tendon injury
Playing tennis could lead to either a strain or tear of the Achilles
tendon. Good flexibility is the best preventive measure you can take.
Always warm up first, and always stretch the Achilles area before you
start playing hard. Work on increasing flexibility in that area on off-court
days, too.
Read more about Achilles tendinitis.
General injury
prevention
Perhaps the most important action you can take to prevent injury in tennis
– as in many sports – is engaging in a good warm-up before
playing. "Start gently and get your heart rate up," Dr. Leach
advises. "The biggest problem is that many recreational players go
out and hit two balls, and then feel like they're ready to go."
Dr. Leach advises at least a five-minute warm-up – either on the
court or off. An on-court warm-up should involve gentle hitting in a controlled
manner. You shouldn't be scrambling all over the court to get balls back
during your warm-up. If your level of play doesn't allow for such a controlled
warm-up, get your heart rate up before you hit the court. Try biking,
brisk walking, or jogging. Then
when you hit the court, warm up your strokes as gently as possible.
Don't forget to warm-up your serve, too. Dr. Leach, an accomplished tennis
player, says, "Don't hit four serves and say 'okay, first serve in.'
" Under normal circumstances, Dr. Leach figures he hits about 15
serves as part of his 10-12 minute warm-up routine.
A healthy
routine
The following tennis warm-up was designed by Andy Shupe, a USPTA tennis
professional and head coach of men's and women's tennis at the University
of Massachusetts, Lowell. This is appropriate for advanced, aggressive
players preparing for match play. Recreational players may not need such
an extensive warm-up, but can follow the steps outlined below.
- Begin with about
10 minutes of light hitting (or another light aerobic activity).
- Do 5 minutes of
slow on-court running, including forward and backward running and side
stepping.
- Move into another
5 minutes of what Shupe calls "dynamic flexibility movements"
(e.g. slow running with knees to the chest or feet to the butt).
- Stretch for 5-10
minutes, working on shoulders, triceps, forearms, wrists, chest, back,
hamstrings, quadriceps, hip flexors, and ankles.
- Move back onto
the court for about 15 minutes of hitting. Start at the net with easy
volleys, move back to the service line for a short rally and make the
natural progression back to the baseline, picking up pace on your shots
as you back up.
- Warm up your shoulder
with light overhead shots, first to the service line and then a few
light overhead shots to the baseline.
- Take about 5 minutes
to warm up your serve. Start slowly: "Warm up your second serve
first," Shupe says. Work up to a harder serve. You may not be serving
at full pace until a few games into the match.
- Don't forget to
cool down after an intense tennis match, and stretch again when you're
done.
The most important
thing to remember is that you need to warm up all your shots and you need
to do it gradually. "If I see my guys hitting hard right away, I
get on them. They won't play well if they don't get their blood flowing
and their footwork going. And not warming up is a good way to get hurt,"
Shupe says.
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