The first tennis game after a long break may seem like a revelation. The birds sing, the air is fresh and their withdrawal is not bad after three months stopped. However, the next day tells another story.
If you stayed still for a while, you can expect some pain and discomfort when you return to the court. But compared to contact sports such as football and basketball, recreational tennis has a relatively low risk of acute injuries, says Tiana Woolridge, a sports doctor at For Special Surgery hospital in New York, who has worked with college players.
Even so, games like sneakers and pickleball involve repetitive and high -impact movements, such as racing to reach the ball and swing racket, which can cause a lot of stress to the body.
Continues after advertising
A five -year survey with 449 Austrian recreational players showed that acute injuries increase in the summer months. The most common involve falls or twists, especially ankle sprains, usually caused by false steps.
The column and upper limbs are also particularly susceptible to chronic wear injuries, explains David Dines, medical director of the Association of Professional Tennis players.
Here is an overview of the most common tennis lesions and tips for treating and preventing them.
Continues after advertising
Lesions in the lower back
During withdrawal, the back becomes hyperestended, and each scam requires rotation. The damage can be subtle.
Back pains and distances become more frequent after age 40, when damping tissues between the vertebrae begin to deteriorate, Dines explains. If you feel pain in the lower back, the first step should be rest. If the pain persists, look for a physiotherapist or a tennis professional to evaluate your technique.
How to prevent injuries
Continues after advertising
When hitting the ball, most of the force comes from the legs up. If the main muscles of the body – core, buttocks, hamstrings and quadriceps – are weak, the lower back suffers the consequences. Dines recommends a core exercise routine, such as boards, and to the lower body, such as Romanian Earth Survey and squats.
Upper body injuries
The shoulder articulation is stabilized by the four rotator cuff muscles and tendons, which may be irritated, torn or too stretched, especially in sports that require movements above the head, such as tennis.
With aging, body tissues begin to wear out naturally, causing often painless microlesions, explains Elizabeth Matzkin, Orthopedic surgeon in Boston. But if the rotator cuff muscles are weak, these injuries may worsen by extending the arm to a play.
Continues after advertising
Rotator cuff injuries cause pain by turning the arm or extending it above the head, as well as a deaf pain on the shoulder that gets worse at night. Light irritations usually disappear after a rest, says Woolridge. If they persist, look for a physical therapist; An magnetic resonance imaging may be necessary to rule out a complete rupture that may require surgery.
The tennis elbow is a repetitive effort injury that affects up to 50% of players annually and manifests itself as a persistent pain on the outside of the elbow. It occurs when the forearm muscles and tendons that help extend the wrist are overloaded by actions such as holding the racket very strongly or performing the backhand with inadequate technique, Matzkin explains.
How to prevent injuries
Woolridge recommends shoulder strengthening exercises such as scapular paddles and elastic strip shoulder extensions, which should be part of every tennis player routine. These exercises also help prevent tennis elbow, as well as exercises to strengthen the wrist, such as flexion and extension with lightweight. For both, start with up to 30 repetitions and then add a dumbbell up to 2.3 kg.
Injuries to the bottom of the body
Ankle sprains are common in sports with intense movements on side to side and stops or sudden turns, explains Wolridge. Most do not require surgery. Traditional treatment includes rest, ice and compression, but many experts today prefer movement and heat. Research indicates that a sprain suffers has a higher risk of suffering another.
Injury in the calf muscle are so common that many doctors call them “tennis play.” “When players change rapidly from direction, they can feel a snap on the back of the calf,” says Matzkin. The lesion rarely requires surgery, but the calf will be sore and swollen, requiring rest.
Tense calves can also contribute to Achilles tendonitis, inflammation of the tendon that connects the calf to the heel.
“If the calf is very rigid and unable to contract, the Achilles tendon absorbs the strength and can break,” warns Matzkin. “It’s a serious injury, with long recovery.”
Rapid cutting and turning movements in sneakers also put their knees, especially the most aged, at risk of injuries such as anterior cruciate ligament (LCA) and meniscus ruptures.
How to prevent injuries
The muscles of the feet and legs are fundamental to the stability of the ankle. You can strengthen them with exercise such as elastic feet movements and forward, back and sides. Balance exercises, such as touching the toes with one leg with one leg or advances on an unstable surface, such as a pillow, improve proprioception, or body awareness.
Protect the knees with a routine of squats and advances that strengthen the muscles that keep the knee stable and strengthen tendons and ligaments around the joint, Matzkin recommends.
To lengthen and strengthen the calves and the tendon of Achilles, she suggests calf elevations with suspended heels in a step.
c.2025 The New York Times Company
