How to Stay Safe on the Court
Tennis is an amazing sport for many reasons. It’s a great aerobic workout that also strengthens your muscles, betters your balance and increases your physical stamina. Another bonus is that tennis is played in a social setting, has a degree of friendly competition and can be played almost anywhere throughout the year.
While tennis-related injuries happen less frequently than other high-impact sports, there are a number of ways that you can minimize the chance for injury on the court and ultimately up your tennis game. Here’s how.
Warm Up Properly
Tennis is so fun that it’s common to want to jump right into the game, but warming up is an imperative part of any sports-related activity or workout routine. Failure to do proper warm-ups before heading onto the court can be harmful to your muscles and joints. Gentle stretches and basic aerobic warm-ups like jumping jacks, running in place and lunges for several minutes will not only prevent injuries but will also increase your performance.
Stay Hydrated
Drinking enough water not only makes you feel and play better, but it also helps your muscles. Dehydration can cause sodium and potassium levels to be abnormal, which is directly related to muscle strains. Make sure to drink water before, during and after your tennis matches to prevent dehydration, especially during the summer.
Prevent Overexertion
Playing tennis frequently can be fun and exciting, but it can also increase the risk of injury, especially in your dominant arm. Tennis elbow is a common condition that occurs when the tendons in the lateral epicondylitis are being overused from the twisting motions in your arms. 70 percent of active tennis players develop tennis elbow at some point in time.
The condition can cause severe pain on your elbow, forearms, and wrists that make everyday activities difficult. A common misconception about tennis elbow is that it occurs only from playing tennis. Many other sports, hobbies, and professions that require an intense or repetitive grip, like using a computer mouse all day, can also be a cause.
If you’ve treated the pain from tennis elbow with at-home remedies such as over-the-counter pain relievers, icing, heating and rest and are still experiencing symptoms, it may be time to see a physician. While chiropractors are generally associated with providing treatments for the back, their techniques are also applied with great success to eliminate tennis elbow.
Dr. Kim can treat tennis elbow by using adjusting techniques and rehabilitative exercises that focus on the fascia, or the soft connective tissues between your muscles. To schedule an appointment at Live Well Chiropractic Center, email us at info@livewellcc.com or call at 513-285-7682. If you have general questions, feel free to send us a message.
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