As with most sports, injuries are part of tennis. A BIG part. Most injuries come from overuse or bad habits. Unlike most sports you don't get too many injuries from colliding with other people. But I thought I would highlight some injuries you should look out for.
1. Sprained ankle - A sprained ankle stinks. I don't see too many people sprain their ankles in normal gameplay and much as I see it happen with freak accidents. Usually someone will leave a ball on the ground or one guy in doubles will step in his teammates foot. If your ankle sprains, get off the court and use the RICE formula (Rest Ice Compress Elevate). Expect to be on the sidelines for about 2 and a half weeks.
2. Lower Back - A lot of people have lower back problems due to hitting their serve too hard or going after low balls. You can actually prevent lower back pain in tennis by lifting weights to strengthen your back. But if you pull something in your back, you just have to wait it out. Probably for about a month. If you DON'T lift weights to strengthen your back it will reoccur. So if you want to serve hard.....strengthen your core.
3. Sprained Wrist - This one could be a number of things. If you have some wristy groundstrokes where you are always trying to spin the ball using only your wrist, then you could wear your wrist out (especially if you have a head heavy racquet). For those of you that copy groundstrokes from people on TV, make sure they haven't been out for any wrist surgeries. Also, you could fall. Make sure when you fall that you let go of your racquet and TRY to roll with the fall. Easier said than done.
4. Knee injuries - Some people who run heavy with develop what is called "Runner's knee." This is a nagging knee pain that will occur when your knees are completely still. Extra heel padding in the shoe helps. And if your shoe is worn on one side because of your foot type, then try not to wear them too much longer.
5. Hitting yourself in the face with the tennis racquet - This move occurs if you don't know how to do a reverse forehand. The ball is stomach height and closer to you than you thought. You are just going to get a racquet on it...BANG. You just hit yourself in the face. This also happens a lot to people that try to put topspin on volleys. They start out with the racquet low and if the ball is close to their face, they will move the racquet up. I try to correct this habit as soom as I see it.
6. Any sort of nerve pain - By that I mean it feels like you can't move your neck or leg or something. One thing you have to be careful of in tennis is overdevelopment on one side. If you get a nerve pain that seems to go in a line somewhere, it could mean that on one side of your leg or neck the bigger muscles are pulling on your nerves. You can try and beat this two ways. Strengthen the weak muscles and be back on the court in about a week. OR let the strong muscles atrophy (weaken) until you don't feel pain and be back on the court in 2 weeks.
7. Tennis Elbow - All I can say is do forearm strengthening exercises. Wrist curls and what not. The muscles aren't protecting your elbow. This is why a lot of older guys/gals get it. Other preventative mesures would be to try not to lock your arm when you do groundstrokes.
Wearing a brace is fine for injuries at the beginning but try not to wear them all the time. You will weaken an already weak area. Everyone is succeptable to weakness in some area of your body. That's just the genes. It is your job to try and stregthen your weaknesses so they don't bother you.
By the way....I am not a physical trainer or a doctor. I just play a lot of tennis. I've had or seen most of these injuries occur. The freak accidents turn into great stories!!!
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