Tennis is a fast-paced exercise that involves rapid stops and starts, planting your feet then moving back and forth. Tennis players tend to experience knee soreness and injury in the front portion of the knee. A strengthening program to enhance the muscles in the front of the leg can help to reduce knee soreness and prevent further injury, such as a pulled ligament or tendinitis. Consult your doctor before beginning any new exercise regimen, and if your knee pain persists or worsens.
Causes
Knee soreness following exercise is typically due to one of two factors. The first is a condition called chondromalacia, the Hughston Sports Medicine Foundation website explains --- a softening of the protective cartilage in the kneecap that occurs from frequent overuse from playing tennis. As the cartilage softens, it is unable to support your weight as effectively. The other common cause of tennis-related knee soreness is tendinitis, a condition where the tendons, particularly those that connect to the kneecap, become inflamed. Jumping in the air to hit an overhead shot is a common culprit in tennis.
Immediate Treatment
If you do experience knee soreness after playing tennis, it is important to utilize the RICE treatment method: rest, ice, compression and elevation. Resting the knee and taking a break from tennis for at least one to two days can help reduce pain. Icing the affected knee in 10- to 15-minute intervals can ease inflammation, soreness and swelling. Wearing a knee brace can stabilize the knee tendons to reduce instability. Elevating your leg on a pillow also can help reduce the swelling. Use these treatments immediately after you experience muscle soreness, then follow up with strengthening treatments to reduce muscle soreness.
Strength Training
Strength-training exercises can help to reduce soreness after playing tennis. You should specifically target the innermost quadriceps muscles, which fall on the front of the kneecap. Examples include squats, lunges and hamstring curls. When you train your muscles, you can strengthen your tendons. Perform strength-training exercises at least three times per week. In addition to strength training, thorough stretching of the muscles can maintain tendon flexibility and elasticity, which reduces tendinitis pain and soreness.
Considerations
When you experience knee soreness after playing tennis, immediate treatment is important to prevent further and permanent damage to your tendons and cartilage, which can sideline you from playing tennis. If your knee soreness becomes more pronounced over time or you experience trouble putting weight on your knee, see your doctor, as this can indicate an advancing medical condition.
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