Most Common Tennis Injuries

Wimbledon has started and it's one of the most exciting times of the year for tennis lovers. Playing tennis puts stress and strain on the whole body, from the shoulder, when striking the ball, to the back when serving. Let’s talk about some of the most common injuries in tennis.

 

Tennis Elbow (Lateral Elbow Tendinopathy) – Irritation of the tendons of the forearm that attached to the lateral side of the humerus (upper arm) bone. It can be also over use injury caused by an increase in training, bad technique or incorrect racket size or tension.

 

Ankle sprains – Classified into grades 1-3. Grade 1 is a minor injury to Grade 3 is a complete rupture. The sprain can involve a single or multiple ligaments, of those the most commonly injured are the outside ligaments. The way sprain occurs is the ankle sometimes twisted inwards, either from ankle instability or incorrect shoes, player would experience pain at the front of the ankle due to damage in tissues.

 

Rotator cuff tears – Muscles in the shoulder are used heavily throughout training and matches. It can be a chronic condition or it can be an acute injury. Symptoms include pain, tenderness, weakness in the affected area and sometimes a grinding noise when moving the shoulder.

 

Back sprain – Serving in tennis requires a combination of spinal hyperextension (bending back) together with rotation and side bending of the trunk. This puts a lot of stress on the vertebra. If a player does not have good control and good flexibility, the rotating while loading can cause micro-tears in the muscle which lead to muscle tightening and discomfort.

 

If you experience any sport-related injuries, you should make an appointment to seek advice from a professional physiotherapist or medical expert to obtain a proper diagnosis and appropriate treatment.

 

Further reading:

• 5 Exercises to address Tennis Elbow

• 5 Prevention Tips to Avoid Tennis Injuries