Tennis is a strenuous sport that can eventually take a toll on your upper body, especially your shoulder. Playing tennis involves using strong, forceful strokes to hit the tennis ball, but using too much force to hit the ball or using awkward, uncontrolled arm movements might injure the bones, muscles or other soft tissues in one or both of your shoulders. Long-term tennis playing also can cause wear and tear on your shoulder over time.
Types of Injuries
Shoulder injuries can be very painful and your shoulder also might feel stiff or uncomfortable to move. Common tennis-related shoulder injuries include shoulder sprain, shoulder strain, bursitis, tendinitis and shoulder dislocation. A shoulder sprain occurs when you stretch or tear a ligament in your shoulder and a strain is when you stretch or tear a muscle or tendon. Bursitis occurs when the small sacs cushioning your shoulder joint become inflamed from excessive use, while tendinitis is an injury that involves the inflammation of tendons in your shoulder. A shoulder dislocation occurs when your shoulder joint pops out of position.
Treatments
Most mild tennis-related shoulder injuries can be treated effectively with a combination of rest, cold compresses, pain medications and physical therapy. According to Medline Plus, this typically is true for sprains, strains, bursitis and tendinitis. Severe shoulder injuries might require more aggressive treatments, such as steroid injections, ultrasound treatments or surgery. If your shoulder has been dislocated, your doctor will have to reposition the bone and place your arm in sling to keep it stable. Physical therapy sessions will help rehabilitate your shoulder by restoring strength and flexibility to the surrounding muscles and soft tissues.
Preventing Shoulder Injuries
While it is not always possible to prevent tennis-related shoulder injuries, there are ways to help reduce your risk of getting hurt. According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, warming up your muscles for three to five minutes before playing tennis will reduce your risk of suffering a shoulder injury. Warming up loosens your muscles and prepares them for physical activity. Stretching and light jumping jacks are good ways to warm up your shoulder muscles without wearing them out. Also avoid arching your back when serving the ball or when performing an overhead hit. This movement unevenly distributes your upper body weight and makes your shoulder muscles more vulnerable to injury.
Considerations
If you injure your shoulder while playing tennis, let your shoulder heal completely before playing tennis again. Playing tennis with an injured shoulder can slow your recovery and even exacerbate your injury. Be sure to consult your doctor first to make sure it safe before performing any strenuous activities.
