A true tennis marathon: over eleven hours of play and without any injury – happened in the record match of Wimbledon 2010 between the US American John Isner and the Frenchman Nicolas Mahut. Not only for the sport of tennis applies: only the right and varied training can prevent injuries and minimize the risk of getting injured in tennis.
Tennis training without pain
As with any other sport, the most important thing to remember about tennis is not to overestimate or overwork your body. Otherwise, playing tennis is detrimental to your health and can quickly lead to unwanted and unpleasant injuries. Injuries in tennis can occur acutely, as well as lead to chronic conditions.
Warm up properly
Therefore, the following applies: warm up, train properly, pay attention to the signals of the body and practice other sports such as swimming, jogging or volleyball for optimal balance. Before every tennis training and tennis match, muscles and joints should be intensively stretched and warmed up for a few minutes. To do this, run a few laps around the court and start with a loose warm-up. This makes tendons and muscles supple and at the same time prevents injuries while playing tennis.
Endurance sports such as running, cycling or swimming keep you fit and at the same time strengthen your condition and stamina during training and the exciting match. There even the match ball should still be played correctly with full power. Regular strength training of the arms and legs you will notice with every stroke, because the decisive factor in tennis is not only the precision, but also the intensity with which each forehand and backhand is played and perfectly placed in the opponent’s field.
Tennis elbow without a chance
The most well-known injury in tennis is the so-called tennis elbow (epicondylitis radialis humeri). Tennis elbow represents an overuse and chronic disease at the elbow, which is why it is sometimes called tennis elbow. Using the right stroke technique from the beginning is the best way to prevent tennis elbow and thus elbow pain.
Make sure that every time you hit with your forehand and especially with your backhand, your wrist is always extended – not bent. Power and momentum in tennis come exclusively from the arm and shoulder.
Preventive is also a targeted and regular strength and intensive technique training of the arm. Once tennis elbow is present, absolute rest is helpful at the beginning of treatment, so that playing tennis is out of the question for the time being. The tendonitis, also known as tendopathy, of the forearm extensor muscles causes pain and severely restricts the arm and its movement.
During treatment, the arm should be immobilized and treated with heat and cold. Massage, ointment dressing, homeopathy, bandages or the injection of medications should additionally stimulate healing. If there is no improvement in sight, there are other options for therapy, up to and including surgery. The best method, however, is not to let it get that far in tennis at all and to prevent tennis elbow along with the following therapy in good time.
Game, set and victory
The main thing is to still reach the ball, that is the goal of every player in tennis. This can sometimes lead to a dislocation, strain, sprain or torn ligament. In addition, acute injuries to the knee joint or ankle often occur when playing tennis. Caused by slips or quick starts and stops, muscles and joints are especially challenged during fast jerky movements when playing tennis. Again, the best method of prevention is comprehensive training and proper intensive warming up and stretching before and after playing tennis.
It is important to drink enough while playing tennis and to protect yourself from the sun in summer. Stop tennis training or take a break as soon as pain, exhaustion and fatigue become noticeable, because this is how even professionals have not won a set and have usually lost their chance to win.
