Tennis injuries: symptoms and prevention

Wimbledon is one of the most exciting times of the year for tennis lovers. The atmosphere, the environment.. you can’t beat it. 

This encourages most players to get out there and play more once they see their idols playing on one of the most iconic events. 

But playing in grass can be very tricky, as it’s the most slippery surface! 

Tennis injuries can be short or long term – these last ones being associated to the upper body (overuse). 

In between 2003-2012, a total of 700 injuries were seen during the main draw at The Wimbledon Championships.  

Let’s talk about some of the most common injuries in tennis and ways to prevent those. 

Tennis Elbow: 

Lateral epicondylitis (pain on the outside of the elbow) – this occurs on recreational players more than professionals due to the technique. 

Symptoms include pain and/or burning on the outside of the elbow and can be aggravated when doing forearm activities. 

Rotator Cuff Tears: 

Rotator Cuff is formed by a group of four muscles, that give stability and mobility to the shoulder. 

An overuse of these muscles and tendons can lead to wear and tear, specially if there isn’t a good serving technique. 

Symptoms include pain, tenderness, weakness in the affected area and a grinding noise when moving the shoulder. 

Ankle Sprains: 

One of the most common injuries in tennis, as there are a lot of sudden movements and changes of direction. Also not wearing the correct equipment/shoes can lead to sprains, as the foot doesn’t have the right stability. 

 Symptoms are instability, pain and sometimes even swelling and bruising. 

Prevention 

• Using the correct footwear and clothing; 
• Warming up and cooling down before and after a game; 
• Have a good strengthening and conditioning exercise program to help prevent muscle injuries; 
• Correcting the technique – this will make you use the correct muscle groups to generate more power and not overloading the same ones; 
• Having regular breaks, as fatigue leads to incorrect techniques and you’re more prone to injure yourself.