Hello, fellow tennis and pickleball enthusiasts!
If you’re anything like me, you probably love the thrill of the game. There’s nothing quite like chasing down tennis balls and pickleballs on the court, breaking a good sweat, and feeling the rush of competition. But let’s be real—as we get older, injuries seem to become more frequent. And let’s face it, getting hurt is no fun. It can sideline you for long periods and lead to other injuries as your body tries to compensate. That’s why injury prevention is so crucial.
Today, I want to share some insights on a common injury that affects many of us: tennis elbow. I’ll break down what it is, why it happens, and how you can prevent it to keep your game strong and pain-free.
Tennis Elbow (Lateral Epicondylitis)
What is Tennis Elbow?
Imagine you love playing video games or drawing pictures a lot, right? Now, think about doing those activities so much that your arm starts to hurt, especially around your elbow. That’s kind of what tennis elbow is like.
Tennis elbow occurs when you use your arm and hand a lot, engaging in activities like playing sports, drawing, or using toys that require repetitive hand movements. It’s called tennis elbow because people who play tennis often get it from swinging their racket too much. But it can affect anyone who performs repetitive arm motions.
Symptoms
When you have tennis elbow, your arm might feel sore, and it can be hard to grip things or use your hand without pain. The pain and tenderness are usually felt on the outer elbow, and you might notice a weakened grip strength. It’s like your elbow is screaming, “Give me a break!”
How to Prevent Tennis Elbow
Now, let’s talk about prevention. Here are some tips to keep tennis elbow at bay and ensure you stay on the court, not the sidelines:
- Proper Racket Grip and Technique: Ensure you’re holding your racket correctly and using the right technique to minimize strain on your elbow. Sometimes a small tweak in how you grip your racket can make a big difference.
- Strengthening and Stretching Exercises: Regularly perform exercises to strengthen and stretch your forearm. This builds resilience against overuse injuries. Trust me, adding these to your routine can save you a lot of pain down the road. Check out this article for specific exercises that work wonders. Here is a great short video of some of these exercises which will help. Tennis Elbow Stretches & Exercises – Ask Doctor Jo
- Adequate Rest and Avoiding Overuse: If you start feeling pain, take a break. Rest is crucial to allow your body to heal and prevent further injury. Listen to your body—it’s smarter than you think!
- Gear Up: Consider changing your racket strings and using dampening devices to reduce vibrations that travel through your arm and elbow. These small changes can have a big impact on reducing stress on your joints.
- Warm-Up: Before each game, spend an extra 10 minutes doing particular stretches and exercises to prevent injury. A proper warm-up can get your muscles ready and reduce the risk of injury. Some of the inexpensive equipment is a resistance band in your bag. Just doing a couple of pulls follow this video for visual, the first 4 exercise are relevant from this video. RESISTANCE BAND WARM UP FOR TENNIS PLAYERS
My Personal Experience
I’ve been there—sore elbows, hip problems, shoulder issues, knee pain, and foot pain. Watching from the sidelines while your friends continue to play is tough. I went through a severe case of tennis elbow, and because I didn’t stop at the early onset, I was out of all activity for over a year.
It’s crucial to stop and evaluate any kind of pain before continuing. This is the best advice I can give. Now, I always keep specific items in my bag and make sure to do these exercises before each match and at least three times a week. This is the key to staying on the court and avoiding long-term injuries.
Conclusion
Injury prevention is essential to enjoying the sports we love for as long as possible. By taking care of your body and being proactive about preventing injuries like tennis elbow, you can stay in the game and continue to enjoy the thrill of tennis and pickleball. Stay safe, stay strong, and keep enjoying the game we all love!
Let’s stay healthy and active on the court!