Shoulder pain is a common complaint among tennis players. The shoulder joint and surrounding muscles are vulnerable to inflammation, strains and tears due to the repetitive motion of a tennis swing. Overhead swings can be particularly damaging to the rotator cuff, the network of muscles that support the shoulder. Consult a doctor if your shoulder pain does not abate through self-care measures.
Types of Injuries
Rotator cuff strains and tears, and impingement syndromes, are the most common shoulder injuries among tennis players. The rotator cuff muscles hold together your shoulder joint and can become overworked with repetitive motions, leading to tears in the muscle fibers. When the tendons that support the rotator cuff become irritated, the space near the top of your shoulder, called the acromonium, narrows. This narrowing, called impingement, causes the tendons and the bursae, fluid-filled sacs that cushion your joints, to rub together. The friction causes pain and inflammation, sometimes known as shoulder bursitis or tendinitis.
Treatment
The initial treatment for most tennis-related shoulder injuries is rest, icing and the administering of pain relievers. Corticosteroid injections may be warranted for tendonitis, sports-related arthritis and bursitis that affect the shoulder joint. Surgical repair of torn rotator cuff muscles may be required. Physical therapy is often a part of treatment after the fresh injury has healed.
Stretching
Stretching and strengthening exercises can protect your shoulder from injury and help you bounce back after suffering from pain on and off the tennis court. A crossed-arm adduction stretch is one of the easiest exercises to perform to keep your rotator cuff muscles limber and your joints flexible. Extend your arm at shoulder height and bend your elbow so that your fingers point in toward your body. For example, with your left arm extended, your hand should point to the right. Place your right palm on your left upper arm and push, moving your elbow across your body.
Use your tennis racket for rotator stretches. Put one hand behind your back and grab the bottom of you racket. Hold the top of your racket with your other hand, above your head. Pull up on your racket with your top hand, so that your bottom hand travels up your back.
Resistance bands can help develop strength in your shoulders as both a rehabilitative and preventive exercise. Tie a band to a piece of furniture or a table at waist level. Wrap the other end of the band around your hand and extend your arm out in front of you in a quick, punching motion. Try to keep the rest of your body still as you punch.
Complications
Repeated injury to your shoulder during or after you play tennis can cause an ongoing condition called chronic shoulder instability. The shoulder is the largest moveable joint in your body and is quite versatile in the way it moves. You can reach up, down, back, forward and from side to side my moving your shoulder joint. The overworked tendons, ligaments and muscles in the shoulder area are susceptible to chronic displacement, tears and strains with each swing of the racket. For this reason, it's important to listen to your body and treat your pain seriously to avoid complications.
References
- Nicholas Institute of Sports Medicine and Athletic Trauma; Physical Therapy Corner: Keeping Your Tennis Shoulder Tuned; March 2007
- Your Orthopaedic Connection; Chronic Shoulder Instability; June 2009
- Sports Injury Clinic; Tennis Injuries
- Your Orthopaedic Connection; Shoulder Impingement/ Rotator Cuff Tendonitis; February 2011
Member Comments