Alabama Orthopaedic Specialists, P.A.: Sport: Tennis

Sports and Fitness: Tennis

Overview
Among the world's most popular sports, with players and fans in over 100 countries, tennis has been a smash hit in America since its 1874 introduction. Tennis increases stamina, speed, strength, hand-eye coordination and flexibility. Many enjoy tennis' social interactions as much as its quick movements, exercising all the major muscle groups as well as the mind.

In a classic study of 17,321 male Harvard alumni, Ralph Paffenbarger, M.D., discovered those playing tennis for three hours a week (at moderately vigorous intensity) halved their risk of death from any cause. His 20-year findings appeared in the Journal of the American Medical Association (5/19/95).

The minimum requirements are a racquet, proper shoes, tennis balls and a court (now available year-round with the proliferation of indoor courts). By 1999, nearly a fourth of America's 20.8 million tennis players over 12 were playing tennis at least 21 times a year.

Despite ample competition - from skateboarding to websurfing - the game is growing more popular, thanks to what you might call "Advantage Tennis" - it's a lifetime sport, fun to play, and great exercise.

Parents' Corner

From appropriate shoes to the right age for taking up tennis, click here for advice to aid the youngest players.
Click here for our Frequently Asked Questions section.

Training

Find out more about athletic training, fitness and injury prevention for tennis players.

Click here for more information on training for this activity.

Injuries

Along with its rewards, tennis carries some risks: swinging, slamming and sprinting can be tough on joints, tendons, muscles and ligaments. A 1999 study of 1,200 recreational players at Hospital For Special Surgery in New York tracked injuries that had compromised a player's game for at least two weeks. For people that had been injured severly enough to affect their game, over 50 percent had sprained an ankle, 44 percent had injured a rotator cuff, 40 percent had strained a lumbar disk and 36 percent reported a meniscus (knee) injury.

Here are the basic facts on five very common tennis injuries:

Ankle Sprain - Three ligament groups support the ankle. Stronger on the outer side, it usually turns inward if you jump or fall. Severe sprains cause instant searing pain, as a ligament tears from bone. Moderate sprains (partial tears) bring swelling or joint instability. Mild sprains stretch a ligament without loosening the joint.

Rotator Cuff - As the shoulder capsule contracts on repeated serves, your shoulder has less room to move. If the tendon gets caught between two shoulder bones leading to your rotator cuff, you'll notice pain, particularly when making contact with the ball. As the match continues, you'll feel weakness, and a "toothache" in the back of your shoulder.

Lumbar Strain - Twist, pull or tear a spinal muscle and you'll have back sprain, often caused by leaping. Typical symptoms include pain, muscle spasm or weakness, swelling and cramping. Lumbar strain is most likely during a serve, especially if you don't bend your legs enough or arch your back too much.

Meniscal Injury - The body's biggest joint has large ligaments to help control knee motion. They're attached to the meniscus, a tough "shock absorber" cartilage. Mensicus tears usually occur while twisting, pivoting, accelerating, cutting or lunging forward for a drop shot. During Wimbledon's 1999 semi-final match, Mark Philipoussis was carried off the field after a meniscus tear.

Tennis Elbow - Common among amateur players, this overuse injury to the outer elbow muscles and tendons causes pain, tenderness or swelling of the affected area. You can get tennis elbow by serving forcefully with your palm downward, using poor technique on a one-handed backhand or having a late forehand swing that allows a wrist snap.

Lumbar Disc Herniation

Lateral Epicondylitis (Tennis Elbow)

Product Considerations

Elbow: Support
A forearm support bandage, worn just below the elbow, can provide relief from pain. It reduces stress on inflamed or damaged tissues lying above the brace. The elbow support (brace) is not meant to be place directly on the inflamed area. It is designed to be just below to the area so as to relieve the injured portion so that it may heal. In addition, an elbow brace may help relieve swelling. But it is not a panacea and should not take the place of a good exercise therapy program to promote healing.

Most doctors can fit you with an elbow brace. It's wise to consult your doctor before you buy a brace from a pharmacy or other store. Wearing the wrong kind of brace or wrapping a brace in the wrong way can lead to further injury.

Knee: Support
A knee support is a sleeve-like support that fits firmly around the knee. The support is used to reinforce the joint during motion and provide compression to aid healing and reduce pain and swelling. Patients suffering from knee strains or inflammation will usually be directed to use a support during daily activities.

The thin and flexible construction of the support allows for normal movement of the knee and also allows the support to be worn under loose fitting clothing. To prevent harmful pressure to certain structures, the support applies differing compression around the knee. The sides of the joint receive intermittent pressure to help stimulate blood flow while the rear of the support fits relatively loose to prevent constriction of circulation. The kneecap is aided in positioning, but remains free of compression to allow its natural movement.

Knee supports can be used to treat:

Strains

Sprains

Inflammation

Chondromalacia patella