The vast majority of tennis injuries are on the shoulder and wrist. Many of these injuries can be prevented by training properly and practising proper technique. These prevention tips will get you back on the court in next to no time.
"Tennis Elbow" does not actually refer to a person's elbow, but is really an injury of the wrist and hand. Because tennis players exert tremendous force from their wrists when the ball hits the racket, they are much more likely to strain the tiny muscles near their hands and wrist. The key to avoiding this type of injury is to strengthen the muscle that is used to extend the wrist forward and back while also strengthening the muscles surrounding it. Additionally, making sure that the racket has the correct grip size and practising proper form and swing will help lessen the likelihood of developing tennis elbow.
Young players are nearly three times more likely than adults to develop a stress fracture. Too much training too fast causes the muscles to have to work extra hard. When this occurs, more stress is placed on the bones of the body and this can lead to small breaks in the bone. When the body does not have enough time to recover from this type of injury, the additional stress on the bones can lead to them developing small cracks that cause pain. Prevent this by wearing proper footwear that protects the ankle and sole as well as following proper training practises.
Shoulder injuries are usually a result of improper training and lack of strength in the rotator cuff. Because the shoulder generates much of the power in a serve, tennis players must have strong muscles and tendons in the joint to ensure that injury does not occur. When the rotator cuff is tired or weak, it is not able to keep the shoulder properly aligned in the shoulder joint. If this occurs, the player is more likely to develop an inflamed or torn rotator cuff that can cause debilitating pain and require surgery to fix.
