Sport: Tennis

General commentary:
No longer just for the rich country club set, tennis has hit an all time high as a popular sport. And injury, as well, is equal opportunity. Because of the stop-start nature of the game, the sudden force and impact, and at times, the speed, tennis players endure all kinds of physical trouble.
Tennis Injuries are generally defined in 2 categories: cumulative (overuse) or acute (traumatic).Overuse injuries can be difficult to spot, as they occur over time. Beginning as a small, nagging aches or pains, they can grow into debilitating injury if not treated early and well. Many players ignore those first warning signs.

Common Injuries:

• Torn ligaments in the shoulder, knee, ankle
• Shoulder Separation
• Tendonitis of the shoulder, elbow, wrist, knee
• Muscle strains or sprains in the arms, neck, back, wrist, ankles
• Simple muscle fatigue resulting from overuse

How To Avoid Injury:

• Wear the right tennis shoes with skid-resistant soles
• Use good technique and play by the rules
• Get coaching and play others with similar skill level
• Get adequate rest between matches
• And as always... warm up before hitting the court

Self treatment:

• Apply ice (in a tea towel) for ten minutes if ever you feel a hot pain in the shoulder joint, elbow, knee, or ankle. This is likely to indicate inflammation – the 1st sign of tendonitis. Ice, followed by rest, and stretching the muscles across the joint can be a great chronic injury preventative.
• Of course the more stretching the better, as tennis is a game of such impact, which causes a shortening of muscle groups.

When to see a specialist:

• A trained Massage Therapist will use hydrotherapy applications(hot/cold) myofacial release, trigger point therapy and/or transverse friction techniques across the affected tendons, getting your ready to play sooner, and pain free.
• They can rule out the worst injuries, treat the simple ones, and advise on rehabilitation or make further referrals as required, to Physiotherapy, Acupuncture or surgical consultation. Your Massage Therapist is a good first stop for injury assessment.

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