Muscles Strains and Acute Tennis Injuries

Acute injuries occur after a sudden trauma, such as a fall or collision. These injuries are often quite serious and can involve torn ligaments that may require surgery to repair. Additionally, more minor injuries such as sprained wrists and ankles are also common.  Because amateur tennis players are often less conditioned than professional players and are not as likely to have the constant strain and stress on their bodies as do their professional counterparts, acute injuries are more common among casual players.
 
Muscles strains are a very common injury among tennis players. Muscle strains occur when players make quick, sudden moves before their muscles are properly warmed up. A good warm-up will encourage the muscles to stretch out and will decrease the likelihood of pulled or strained muscles. Proper stretching should be slow and deliberate - today "dynamic stretching" is becoming an important and highly popular stretching method because it mimics many of the movements associated with sports. For example, a player may want to swing his or her leg forward and backward to stretch or swing his or her arms around their body to stretch.
 
The most common muscle strains are Wrist Strains and Ankle Strains. Most everyone has had an experience of rolling an ankle or falling on a wrist in an uncomfortable position. If there is enough force behind this impact, it can cause the muscle, tendon or ligament in the wrist or ankle to strain. Most sprains and strains are fairly moderate and can be treated using the RICE method (Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation) but if you believe you might have torn a muscle, it is important to see a doctor and begin rehabilitation immediately.
 
Tennis players may find themselves with a myriad of shoulder injuries due to the repeated impact on the shoulder from serving and returning balls. One of the more serious conditions is a Torn Rotator Cuff. Contrary to a strained Rotator Cuff Muscle, a tear is more serious and may require surgery to ensure proper healing. Symptoms include serious pain, a decrease in the range of motion, weakness, and a deep ache. Most usually, players will feel the muscle tear after a fall or collision where the majority of impact is on the shoulder joint. Those who suffer from Rotator Cuff tears are in for several months of rehabilitation before properly healed.