Whether playing singles or doubles, tennis is a great way to maintain health, fitness, strength and agility. It can be played as a sport or as a recreational activity with friends and family, and it helps to burn calories. It has been calculated that an hour-long game of singles tennis burns around 600 calories for men and 420 calories for women.
While it is not as high impact as sports like football, basketball or soccer, tennis brings its own set of injury risks. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission more than 21,000 people are treated in hospitals, doctors’ offices, clinics, ambulatory surgery centers, and hospital emergency rooms for tennis-related injuries each year.
Tennis Elbow Injuries
According to the ITF, tennis elbow is the most common and also the most painful elbow injury in tennis players. An estimated 50 percent of all tennis players will suffer from tennis elbow in the course of their career. Players older than 35 are particularly at risk.
“Tennis elbow, which is also known in orthopedic medicine as lateral epicondylitis, is an overuse injury of the extensor muscles of the wrist,” Dr. Walter said. “It is caused by inflammation of the tendons joining the forearm muscles to the outside of the elbow.
“This condition is similar to ‘golfer’s elbow,’ but it occurs on the outside lateral aspect of the elbow rather than the inside medial. Symptoms of tennis elbow include pain or burning on the outside of the elbow and weak grip strength. You may find that the symptoms are worse with forearm activity. The pain may also radiate into the arm, wrist and fingers.
Treating Tennis Elbow
“Tennis elbow can be can be controlled by training modification and relative rest,” Dr. Walter said. “Physiotherapy such as friction massage, ultrasound and a standardized exercise program aimed at the mobility of the elbow and wrist along with stretching exercises and strengthening of the muscles of the forearm, upper arm and hand and manual therapy often have good effects.
“A corticosteroid injection may have a positive effect in the short term, but the long-term results are less positive than those of physiotherapy or rest. A more conservative approach is advised, especially with competitive tennis players. Some players may consider PRP or stem cell injections. Surgery is always the last option, but this can be considered if the pain persists for more than a year.”
4 Tips on Avoiding These Injuries
- Get the right gear – Tennis professionals advise that players choose a tennis shoe with good support to help prevent ankle injuries. It is also important to ensure the racquet has the correct grip size and string tension to reduce stress on elbows and shoulders. A professional can help you to choose the right racquet.
- Warm up thoroughly before playing and build core strength – It is critical for a player to have a good warmup before a game. This can help to lessen the chance of injury and improve one’s game. Core and shoulder-strengthening exercises can also help to prevent injuries while serving.
- Proper technique will help prevent injuries – Getting advice from a tennis pro is well worth the time and money it costs. This will help the player avoid extreme arches of the back while serving and balance his or her upper body weight by bending knees and raising heels instead. It is also important to be careful and try not to land on the balls of the feet while jumping, as this could result in an ankle injury.
- Don’t overdo it – Practice on the court is important, especially as it relates to the development of good technique. However, too much play can do more damage than good. The body needs time to recover between practices and matches, and overexertion can affect quality of play and worse, susceptibility to injuries. Don’t overdo it and have fun!