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UNIT 6
Injuries in Tennis

PREVENTION IS BETTER THAN CURE!

There are four main causes of injuries in tennis.
(i) Improper facilities and equipment
Racket too heavy? These could easily cause ailments such as
Wrong grip size? tennis elbow.
Shoes poor fit? If the shoes are too tight for example, there is
a real risk of blisters.
Court surface? Too slippery?
(ii) Improper Teaching
Poor technique will lead to injuries, such as tennis elbow and muscle
strains.
(iii) Poor Fitness
Players should get fit for tennis not play tennis to get fit! A good level of
fitness will considerably reduce the chance of injury. At the very least all
players should ensure they stretch before and after a playing or training
session.
(iv) Striving For Excellence
No matter the level of fitness there will be times when injuries occur. Even
top players such as Ivan Lendl and Steffi Graf will push themselves over
their limits during play and incur muscle strains and tears for example.
The risk of injury will be limited if players:
A Use good facilities and correct equipment
B Develop good technique
C Get fit for tennis
First Aid
Accidents will happen and in sport there is a greater likelihood of
accidents and injuries occurring. It is, therefore, very important that
teachers and players know how to treat simple injuries and understand
how to cope with any severe injuries.
NB. Any serious injury must receive immediate medical treatment.

TEACHERS SHOULD ONLY ACT WITHIN THE HEALTH AND SAFETY

GUIDELINES LAID DOWN BY THEIR SCHOOL, LEA OR THE LTA.