If you regularly play tennis, you may have already experienced some pain involved with play. Whether you fall on the court, trip over a ball or get hit by a ball, tennis can be fraught with potential injury. In addition, since the sport requires repetitive motion and explosive movement, some of the danger is to your tendons, the tissue that connects the muscles to the skeletal frame.
Types
Tendinitis is relatively common in tennis players. While almost any tendon can be impacted, the two you'll most commonly hear complaints about from regular tennis players are tennis elbow and tennis leg.
Identification
Tennis elbow is pain in the forearm, near the elbow, and may include weakness in the affected arm. It affects only the arm involved in play. Tennis leg--the tearing of the gastrocnemius muscle and related tendons in the calf--is typically a sudden, sharp pain in the calf after explosive movement on the court. Stretching the calf is painful, and you can sometimes feel a knot at the site of the pain.
Significance
Both injuries require that you stop playing and rest the tendon involved. Taking a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug such as ibuprofen can help. You may need to visit your doctor to specifically diagnose the issue. For tennis leg, immediate icing of the injured area, rest, elevation of the injured calf and compression can help. Remove weight from the leg completely for a few days by using crutches and see a doctor if bearing weight is still painful after a day or two. A complete medical diagnosis can help speed resolution and get you back on the court quickly.
Prevention/Solution
To avoid tennis elbow, stretch your forearm fully by facing a wall, hand pointing down. Press against the wall and feel the stretch along the top of your forearm. Hold for 30 seconds and repeat. You can also strengthen the forearm, which is particularly useful if you're new to tennis and your forearm muscles are weak, by sitting in a chair with your hand hanging off the hand, facing up. Lift and lower the hand 15 times. Add weight, such as a 1- or 2-lb. dumbbell once you can lift your hand unassisted.
To avoid tennis leg, stretch your calves fully before getting on the court. Use a bench to help you. Standing in front of the bench, place both hands at the top and step back with one foot. Press your rear heel down and hold for 30 seconds to a minute. Make sure to switch legs to stretch both calves.
Warning
Tendinitis is a sign from your body that you need to take a break from tennis. Tennis elbow, in particular, means that you are overusing that particular area of the body. Check your form and make sure to stretch carefully once you no longer feel pain in your forearm. Tennis leg can be quite severe and may require up to six weeks to fully heal.
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