Tennis is a global sport, with over 1% of the world’s population participating in some form. However, despite its popularity, injury rates in tennis remain low, with fewer than three injuries per 1,000 hours played. The most common injury is tennis elbow or lateral epicondylitis, an overuse injury of the musculature and tendon at the outside portion of the elbow.
While injuries in sports are almost inevitable, there are controllable variables that can help reduce the risk, with many focusing on recovery and extra work away from the tennis court.
Common areas of pain for tennis players include the shoulder, elbow, knee, and foot/ankle, with injuries ranging from stress fractures and tendon issues to muscle strains and ligament sprains. Injuries in tennis can be classified as acute, with a clear method of injury, or overuse, appearing over some time such as tennis elbow or stress fractures. Recovery, strengthening work, and an adequate warm-up before playing are the biggest factors that can decrease the risk of both acute and overuse injuries in tennis, while also providing performance benefits.
Recovery is crucial after any form of physical activity. Poor recovery is the leading factor for many different overuse injuries. To improve recovery, players should consider frequency, intensity, and volume of play, ensuring they get 7-9 hours of sleep and adequate hydration and nutrition to fuel and recover. Taking a day off between matches to give the body time to rest and recover, using foam rollers or massage balls to self-massage tight muscles, and using ice or heat therapy to reduce inflammation and soreness are also helpful.
Extra strengthening and aerobic work in the gym can improve tennis performance and decrease the risk of injury. Strengthening work in the gym should include compound and isolation movements and single leg and arm work since tennis is a multidirectional sport requiring training the whole body through different movement planes. Agility work, such as cone drills and change of direction work on the tennis court, can prepare the body for unusual footwork in match environments. Exercises like lunges and squats with resistance bands can help build leg strength for better lateral movement on the court, while plyometric exercises like jumping drills can improve explosiveness and agility. Core exercises like planks and Russian twists can also improve stability and rotation in shots.
An adequate warm-up is crucial and needs to be specific to the task the player is going to perform. A warm-up should begin with 5-10 minutes of gentle shots of a partner in different positions and different pictures while slowly increasing intensity. Low-level bodyweight exercises such as push-ups or bodyweight squats, dynamic stretches like leg swings and arm circles, practising footwork drills, and hitting some balls with a partner at a low intensity can all help warm up the muscles and get the player in the right mindset for the match.
It’s important to remember that these are just examples, and every player’s needs will vary depending on their strengths and weaknesses. Working with a coach or physical therapist can help determine the best plan to reduce injury rates and improve performance in tennis.