With Queens Club Championship and Wimbledon nearly upon us, Tennis Fever will soon be striking the nation! Are you a seasoned tennis player or new to the sport and wanting a few tips for better tennis health as you start your journey into the sport? For both novice and avid players, injuries can be a common problem for all. See below for some top tips for injury prevention
It’s important to remember that it’s completely normal for tennis players of all ages and levels to experience back, neck, wrist or hand pain. For those starting out, this tends to stem from not having a strong enough muscles or a poor technique. Starting gently and building up strength and stamina is key to enjoying any sport for the long term. Remember: Most injuries come from doing too much too soon, after doing too little for too long. It may be worth looking at a little bit of coaching to get you going if you are new to the sport or in need of a refresher.
Try these top tips for better tennis health:
- Get strong – Make sure your body is strong enough to cope with the impact of tennis. Good core strength as well as shoulder and arm strength can help to protect you from injury.
- Warm up – The best way of warming up to tennis, is to get your heart rate up with a few gentle drills and to go through gentle rallies with your opponent playing at about 50% intensity, varying your shots and your court position.
- Ease yourself into tennis life – If you are new to the world of tennis make sure you ease your body into each game, overexertion and fatigue is one of the most common causes of injury. So instead, play shorter matches to help build up your stamina and gradually increase the length as you can comfortably.
- Keep it loose – Make sure your clothing is loose and comfortable and provides support where required- especially for your feet! Finding the fight pair of shoes is paramount when playing tennis, as you are on your feet a lot! If you wear orthotics for your normal daily shoes, it may be worth looking into some for sports specific activities. The Blackberry Clinic is proud to offer Phits orthotics which have great shock absorption qualities that can be helpful for high impact sports.
- Hydration is key – it’s essential to keep hydrated and have a bottle of water by your side at all times. A sports drink for those longer matches will ensure that you have enough carbohydrates to endure that final tiebreak.
- All about the court – Many people forget to think about the tennis court surface that they’re playing on and how it can affect them. There are a variety of court surfaces including the famous grass courts that we see at Queens Club Championship and Wimbledon! Courts with hard surfaces such as cement, asphalt and synthetic courts are much harder on our knees so try and play on a ‘softer’ court if you experience problems with your knees.
- Respect injuries – If you’re experiencing significant pain during or after playing, it’s time to get professional advice. This may not necessarily mean stopping playing, but just reducing your load and exposure as your body heals. Should you require any advice, we at Blackberry Clinic have a great team of chiropractors, osteopaths, physiotherapists and sports doctors that can help get you back on track for achieving your goals.
