Tennis Injuries ( 6 Pages of Injuries)
Most Common Injuries
Tennis players are subject to many injuries, falling into the categories of acute and overuse. Due to requirements of the sport such a of hand-eye coordination, cardiovascular and flexibility, a range of conditioning exercises is recommended.
Among the more common injuries plaguing tennis players are rotator cuff tendonitis, tennis elbow, strains or sprains of the wrist, back pain, front knee pain frequently involving the knee cap, calf and Achilles tendon injuries, ankle sprains, and tennis toe.
Rotator cuff tendonitis:
This overuse injury affects the muscles and tendons originating from the shoulder blade, attaching to the upper arm bone. A wide range of movement in the shoulder is provided by these muscles and tendons, which are prone to becoming inflamed from overuse. In recreational tennis players, rotator cuff tendonitis commonly results from excessive overhead serving. The condition may be effectively treated with ice, rest and ibuprofen. Should the condition persist beyond a week or so, a physician should be consulted.
In taking a closer look at the Shoulder Joint it is a truly remarkable creation. It’s quite a complex formation of bones, muscles and tendons and provides a great range of motion for your arm. The only downside to this extensive range of motion is a lack of stability, which can make the shoulder joint vulnerable to injury.
Lets have a quick look at the shoulder joint in a little more detail. The shoulder is made up of three bones, and the tendons of four muscles. (Remember, tendons attach muscle to bone.) The bones are called the “Scapula,” the “Humerus” and the “Clavicle.” Or, in layman’s terms, the shoulder blade, the upper arm bone and the collarbone, respectively.
The four muscles which make up the shoulder joint are called, the “Supraspinatus,” the “Infraspinatus,” the “Teres Minor” and the “Subscapularis.” It is the tendons of these muscles, which connect to the bones, that help to move your arm.
In the picture to the right, three of the four muscles are visible, the supraspinatus, the infraspinatus and the teres minor. These are the muscles which are viewed from the rear, or posterior. The subscapularis is not visible because it can only be viewed from the front and this particular view only shows the muscles from the rear, as if looking at someone’s back. Anyway, enough of the technical stuff.
There are two major causes of most shoulder injuries. The first being degeneration, or general wear and tear. The second being due to excessive force, or simply putting too much strain on the tendons of the shoulder muscles. This usually occurs when a force is applied to the arm while it’s in an unusual or awkward position.
Treatment
The earlier a shoulder injury is treated, the better. The first 48 to 72 hours are crucial to a complete and speedy recovery. The first and most important course of action is the R.I.C.E. regime. Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation. For the time-being,
As mentioned before, the shoulder joint receives very little blood supply. So, what can you do to increase blood flow, and oxygen and nutrients to the injured area? Firstly, heat! Heat is extremely good for increasing blood flow to a particular area. Heat lamps are the most effective way to increase blood flow, while heat based creams are probably a distant second choice.
Secondly, massage! Massage is one of the best ways to increase blood flow to an injured area, and of course the oxygen and nutrients that go with it. The other benefit of massage is that it helps to reduce the amount of scar tissue which is associated with all muscle and tendon, strains and tears.
Lastly, don’t stop moving. . Gentle movement will help to keep the blood flowing to the injured area. Of course, if pain is present, limit the amount of moving you do, but don’t stop moving all together.
