Strains and Pulls

Due to the physicality of tennis, the occasional injury is to be expected.

It is one of the major downsides to playing a sport, but considering the benefits you can gain from playing tennis – such as physical fitness and excellent hand-eye coordination – the good surely outweighs the bad. However, no one likes to be injured, particularly if it prevents you playing the game you love.

Strains and pulls are the most common tennis injuries, as unlike physical-contact games such as football or rugby there is no body contact. Tennis injuries tend to be sustained during particularly quick, jerky movements for the ball or through losing balance, while slipping on court can be a danger even with the best tennis shoes.

If you do get injured playing tennis, the simple solution is to rest. By attempting to continue with game play, you will make any existing injury all the worse. While it may seem like a waste of a couple of weeks that could have been spent practicing, proper rest and recovery is even more important when you've hurt yourself. At best, playing with an injury will affect your performance, at worst you will exacerbate the problem and be forced into an even longer period out of the game.

Visiting a doctor is not essential for every little niggle, but if you have sustained a strain or pull that is painful and stopping you from playing tennis like you normally would, a visit is probably advisable. No one is better than a medical professional to tell you how to handle the injury, and you'll also be able to double check there isn't something more serious going on. Don't immediately assume a doctor will tend you to rest for longer than you want to; doctors are realists, and they will tailor their advice and recovery plan to suit you.

If you sustain the injury noticeably during practice or a match – remember, some can only become apparent when you aren't full of adrenaline – stop immediately and ice it. An ice compress will help reduce swelling and, hopefully, pain. Strap the area as soon as you can with a bandage or support, and seek medical advice if necessary.

Remember, the best way to avoid injury is to properly warm up and to properly cool down before playing tennis. Also, stretch thoroughly both before and after exercise and hold each stretch for at least 10 seconds. Even with this you may still get injured, but you'll have greatly reduced the chances.