Serving Up Tips To Ace Your Tennis Game
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In September some of the greatest tennis players in the world descended on TD Garden in Boston for the first major pro tennis tournament in more than 20 years.
“It was an honor to be asked by Laver Cup 2021 to be the Official Medical Center of the event,” said Charles Cassidy, MD, Chief of Orthopedics at Tufts Medical Center. “To be on the sidelines with the athletic trainers making sure the players were healthy and assisting with minor strains and pains was interesting and exciting work.”
While the pros receive ongoing expert training and physical therapy, those who pick up a racquet and take to the court for fun and exercise can be more prone to minor injuries.
“The most common injuries in tennis are related to overuse,” said Matt Salzler, MD, Chief of the Division of Sports Medicine at Tufts MC. “These are things like “tennis elbow” or lateral epicondylitis – which can be caused by an abrupt or subtle injury of the muscle or tendon around the outside of the elbow. Basically, once the injury happens, the more you use it, the worse the pain gets.”
Dr. Salzler says it’s important to look for signs of tennis elbow. Those include:
- Pain slowly (or rarely, suddenly) increasing around the outside of the elbow
- Pain is worse when shaking hands or squeezing objects
- Moving the wrist with force (like opening a jar) also makes pain worse
If you notice these symptoms, Dr. Salzler says to rest the area for a couple of weeks, avoiding tennis. This can reduce inflammation which will lessen the pain. You can also use an anti-inflammatory gel or cream and an icepack for 20 minutes, repeated every 4 hours for 24 hours.
Another common injury is rotating cuff tendinitis – soreness of the shoulder blade near where it attaches to the upper arm bone. This area allows the shoulder to move in multiple directions.
“Rotator cuff tendinitis usually results from excessive overhead serving,” said Dr. Salzler, noting that ice, over the counter pain medications such as ibuprofen can help. “Sometimes changes in technique can help. If symptoms continue for more than 10 days, see your doctor for further evaluation.”
Traumatic injuries are less common on the court – but can include ankle sprains or even a tear of the ACL, the anterior cruciate ligament in the knee. Players can prevent injuries by warming up and stretching prior to play as well as incorporating whole body strengthening and conditioning.
“In addition, novice players should build up the amount of time they play and the intensity with which they play gradually,” said Dr. Salzler. “Like any new activity, start slow. If you have heart problems, check with your physician before beginning.”
Tennis is also a great sport to lower cholesterol, reduce stress and lose weight. According to the American Dietetic Association, recreational tennis players can burn between 600 to 1,320 calories for a two-hour singles match. To lose one pound of fat, you must bur 3,500 calories.
“Unlike many sports, tennis can be played at any age,” noted Dr. Cassidy. “People in their 60s, 70s and 80s can still enjoy volleying and even competing. It’s a sport you can play throughout a lifetime.”
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