Inspired to hit the court? Here are our top tennis injury prevention tips
Eastbourne’s tennis week not only brings out the international sports stars, but also seems to be the trigger for us all to get off our couches and into the park.
The tennis courts, gyms, parks and back gardens in and around Eastbourne become our ‘gladiatorial arenas’. We forget the last few months of slouching on the sofa and convince ourselves that we are actually an undiscovered tennis, stool ball or footy star.
So, before we get too carried away, here are a few tennis injury prevention tips to bear in mind:
Injury Prevention Tip #1
Get the right kit for the game. A good pair of trainers is the most important thing. Don’t just pick up the same old pair you’ve had for years. You’ll regret it when your foot slides and you tear a muscle or ligament. There are some great local independent sports shops in and around Eastbourne where you can find the right footwear and sports clothing to minimise the risk of injury
Injury Prevention Tip #2
It might be one of the most obvious injury prevention techniques but one that is often neglected. Warming up helps you to avoid injury and improves your performance. Warm up slowly with a light jog then do some stretches. Never bounce into your stretches – that’s old fashioned and might cause an injury.
Injury Prevention Tip #3
Listen to your body and stop when it’s had enough, or when something starts to hurt. This is very important when you are just starting, or returning to tennis or any racquet sport. Your tendons can easily be overloaded causing a repetitive strain injury, like tennis elbow.
If you think that warming up and stretching is a waste of time, then just consider how long it’ll take you to recover from an injury which might have been avoidable in the first place.
Good blood supply is important in the healing process. A broken bone usually takes about four weeks to heal, whereas muscle strains take longer and can result in permanent damage.
If you do sprain or strain something then the best basic advice is to RICE it: Rest: Ice it for 10mins at a time; Compress and Elevate the injured area – to reduce swelling and scar tissue. This will speed your recovery and help reduce long-term damage.
Once the swelling has gone down, start gently moving the injured joint again.
Want to find out more about elbow pain?
If you’ve enjoyed this blog and want to find out more about elbow pain and dysfunction, then please check out one of our other blogs on the elbow below.
Elbow pain – It’s no laughing matter
Eastbourne Chiropractor Discusses Elbow Pain
These tennis injury prevention tips have been provided by your local award winning chiropractics team at Lushington Chiropractic. Our clinic in Eastbourne has already helped thousands of local people by diagnosing, treating and helping to prevent musculoskeletal (muscle & joint) problems throughout the body. To find out more call 01323 722499 or visit www.chirocare.co.uk.
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