June and July brings some of the best tennis tournaments in the world to West London. Will your favourite player inspire you to pick up a racket and play? If you haven’t played in a while, it makes sense to take things slowly and keep injuries to a minimum. Here are some quick and easy tips on how to avoid tennis elbow:
• Warm Up – Always warm up before beginning any sport or physical activity. Hitting up gently for 10 minutes before a game reduces the risk of injury.
• Get the right sized grip – A too-small grip requires more muscle strength to keep the racquet from twisting in your hand. Prolonged use of a grip that’s too small can contribute to tennis elbow problems. A grip that’s too large inhibits wrist snap on serves, makes changing grips more difficult and also requires more muscle strength. Select a racket with the correct size grip. It means you minimise the strain on tendons and muscles through the arm, and your game will improve. Here is a nice little video on how to do it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hr2f8dmiwpU
• Listen to Your Body – If you experience any pain, stop what you’re doing.
• Improve Your Technique – Get some advice from a good player or coach to make sure you’re playing correctly and not putting undue strain on your body.
• Strengthen Your Forearm Muscles – Speak to your physio about simple exercises you can do to improve the strength in your forearms (and your shoulders!) and make tennis elbow and related injuries less likely.
For more information on dealing with and avoiding tennis elbow, book an appointment with one of our physio’s.
