Even though it is not considered a high-intensity sport, tennis comes with quite a few risks of injury. It is a fast-paced game on hard surfaces, so the injury risks are real. Here, we discuss five common injuries in tennis and how sports physiotherapy can help.
1. Tennis Elbow
Tennis elbow, also known as lateral epicondylitis, is a common cause of elbow pain in tennis players. It is an overuse injury that causes inflammation of the tendons and muscles around your outer elbow. The pain of this cumulative trauma injury is due to inflammation and small tears and damage to the tendons that join the muscles of the forearm muscles to those of the elbow.
In addition to pain, other symptoms of tennis elbow are weak grip strength and a burning sensation outside of the elbow.
2. Rotator Cuff Tears
Rotator cuff tear is an acute or traumatic injury that occurs due to a sudden impact or force. Your rotator cuff is made up of muscles and tendons that provide shoulder stability and mobility. When a rotator cuff tears, one or more tendons that connect the four muscles etches from the humerus or upper part of the shoulder. The tear may be partial or complete depending on how many muscles are frayed or damaged.
Symptoms of a torn rotator cuff include weakness, pain, and tenderness in the shoulder, crackling, clicking or popping sound when moving your shoulder in certain positions.
3. Ankle Sprains
A sprained ankle is a very common injury in tennis. Because this racquet sport can be a fast-paced game, changing direction too quickly can result in the ankle twisting, damaging or stretching out a ligament in the ankle. Running or walking on uneven ground and landing or falling awkwardly on your ankle can also cause an ankle sprain.
You may have a sprained ankle if you experience swelling, pain, stiffness, tenderness, bruising and instability in the ankle.
4. Stress Fractures in the Back
Stress fractures are common in tennis due to the high degree of extension, rotation, bending and lateral flexion required to generate power in the serve and to hit forehand and backhand groundstrokes. This motion puts a lot of stress on the vertebra and can fracture part of the vertebra known as pars interarticularis.
These types of fractures are not always painful but you may experience an ache in the lower back which can be exacerbated by activity and eased with rest.
5. Knee Injuries
This type of ligament injury is common in tennis as the sport requires starting, stopping and quickly changing direction. The stress on the knee causes the ligament that holds the knee muscles together to stretch or tear. The medial collateral ligament (MCL) and the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) are the most often injured.
Get Back in the Game with Sports Physiotherapy
Tennis injuries can happen to any type of player – any age and skill level. If you suffer any of the above-mentioned injuries, physiotherapy can help you recover quickly. A sports physiotherapist will design a treatment regime that includes exercises and body mechanic strategies to help you reduce pain, regain movement and strengthen your body.
Give us a call to get back to the top of your game now on 9144 1510.
You can also book an appointment here.
