Tennis; universally recognised as the sport of the summer is back! The Australian Open started last week, officially heralding the start of the tennis season. Inspired by the action on our screens, athletes young and old will be hitting the courts to play some long-awaited games. To make sure you do this safely, Bathurst Chiropractor, Ben Purcell, discusses the most common injuries and some simple ways to safeguard yourself.
Tennis Elbow
Tennis elbow is a condition that causes pain around the outside of the elbow. The clinical name for tennis elbow is 'lateral epicondylitis'. Tennis isn't always the culprit for this kind of injury. Any action that overuses the muscles and tendons in the forearm can result in tennis elbow. Poor technique is occasionally to blame for this sort of injury.
Sprained Ankle
Our ankle ligaments are pretty tough, but if stretched too much, in the wrong direction, it can result in a tear. Tennis is a prime culprit for this sort of injury; it's fast-paced and players often have to twist and swivel their feet to get into the right position to return the ball. If you have ever suffered a sprained ankle, the pain and annoyance of hobbling around everywhere is something you want to avoid ever happening again!
Shoulder Pain
The continuous swing of racquet strokes can put a big strain on your shoulder's rotator cuff. Overhead serves are the biggest culprits as players put as much power as they can into the shot. When the shoulder stability is compromised, it can cause pain and swelling in the shoulder articulation.
Back Injury
There are several injuries that can affect the back. Commonly, the lower back can become sore and painful from the rotation when hitting groundstrokes. Another common injury, especially in younger players is a stress fracture in the lumbar spine. Teenagers who have just gone through a growth spurt are more likely to have this issue.
Knee Injury
Tennis requires a lot of jumping and leaping from one leg that can have a big impact on muscles and supporting ligaments. The patellar tendon secures the kneecap to the shin and is prone to injury in tennis. The knee can swell, become tender and feel hot to touch.If at any point your knee starts giving you issues, STOP playing and seek advice from your chiropractor.
Top tips!
Use these top tips to give yourself the best chance of avoiding these injuries:
Tennis Elbow
Tennis elbow is a condition that causes pain around the outside of the elbow. The clinical name for tennis elbow is 'lateral epicondylitis'. Tennis isn't always the culprit for this kind of injury. Any action that overuses the muscles and tendons in the forearm can result in tennis elbow. Poor technique is occasionally to blame for this sort of injury.
Sprained Ankle
Our ankle ligaments are pretty tough, but if stretched too much, in the wrong direction, it can result in a tear. Tennis is a prime culprit for this sort of injury; it's fast-paced and players often have to twist and swivel their feet to get into the right position to return the ball. If you have ever suffered a sprained ankle, the pain and annoyance of hobbling around everywhere is something you want to avoid ever happening again!
Shoulder Pain
The continuous swing of racquet strokes can put a big strain on your shoulder's rotator cuff. Overhead serves are the biggest culprits as players put as much power as they can into the shot. When the shoulder stability is compromised, it can cause pain and swelling in the shoulder articulation.
Back Injury
There are several injuries that can affect the back. Commonly, the lower back can become sore and painful from the rotation when hitting groundstrokes. Another common injury, especially in younger players is a stress fracture in the lumbar spine. Teenagers who have just gone through a growth spurt are more likely to have this issue.
Knee Injury
Tennis requires a lot of jumping and leaping from one leg that can have a big impact on muscles and supporting ligaments. The patellar tendon secures the kneecap to the shin and is prone to injury in tennis. The knee can swell, become tender and feel hot to touch.If at any point your knee starts giving you issues, STOP playing and seek advice from your chiropractor.
Top tips!
Use these top tips to give yourself the best chance of avoiding these injuries:
- Stretch! Always, always, always stretch before starting any physical exercise and stretch after exercise as a cool down.
- If it hurts, stop whatever it is you are doing! Don't try to carry on playing, or 'push through the pain!' This can cause more damage.
- If you have weak ankles, there are specific exercises that can be used to help strengthen them and the supporting ligaments. Your Bathurst chiropractor can recommend exercises that will help.
- Work on your balance. Ankle sprains are commonly caused by losing balance. If you are prone to an injury on the same joint each time, consider using strapping or having the joint taped up to give it more support.
- Wear properly fitted tennis shoes.
- Consider taking lessons to learn the proper technique.
- Know your limits! If you haven't played tennis since school, it will be foolish to think that you'll be able to jump straight back into it. Start off with some easy ball control exercises and consider playing a few gentle, friendly matches before you launch back into the game full throttle!