Game’s elegance belies the physical toll
Physical breakdowns from overuse seem inevitable, especially for the pros
Given that the sport has an injury named for it, you can be sure that aches and pains are part of playing tennis.
Tennis elbow is the name for a very real injury, but all sorts of ailments are a reality for elite players and for those who hit the court regularly for recreation.
Tennis fans notice injuries most when star players can’t play and when the draw of WTA and ATP tournaments is affected by withdrawals and retirements.
The sport can be rough on the body, but so is the schedule.
“Tennis basically doesn’t have an off-season,” says Robert Bettauer, Sportsnet’s Rogers Cup analyst.
Common injuries include lateral epicondylitis, or tennis elbow, which is what happens when the tendons that join the forearm muscles at the elbow become inflamed. Most ex- perts agree “virtually every pro player” battles it at some point.
Twelve-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic recently announced he was taking the rest of the 2017 season off to rest an elbow that has given him trouble for the past 18 months.
Looking at other injuries common among players, we need to under- stand how the game has changed. Players at all levels are hitting the ball harder and the technology to make ball speeds faster generally, although not always, means the body absorbs the increased stress.
“If the racquet isn’t taking the stress, the body is,” says Casey Curtis, the director of high performance at Mayfair Parkway in Markham.
Many players struggle with rotator cuff issues, particularly common with the serve and is comparable to the struggles baseball pitchers also have in the shoulder area of the body.
Movement is a required element at all levels and the faster and quicker the motion, the more stress there is on the back, ankles and feet. Threetime Grand Slam champion Andy Murray saw his defence of his Wimbledon title fall short in the semifinal last month, as he contended with hip woes through much of the grass court season.
Twisted ankles, plantar fasciitis and stress fractures in the lower extremities and back are also common.
The most obvious answer for treatment is rest, but for players who train to get better — pros and elite juniors — there are other ways to reduce the pounding on the body without completely shutting down.
“I used to tell players in practice to go 50 per cent on your serve (in order to reduce stress),” Curtis says. “Now, I say to go 50 per cent on ground strokes too.”
Pro players don’t have to worry about getting the right gear, but a surprising number of recreational players do themselves harm by not wearing proper footwear or footwear inserts (critical to prevent stress fractures and plantar fasciitis) and by using an incorrect racquet.
Injuries will always be a factor. But for the pros, there are ways to mitigate and further reduce the physical toll.
Rafael Nadal’s long absence is the most notable; he missed extended time with two wrist injuries and a recent knee problem. Meanwhile, Canadian star Milos Raonic also missed time this season with a hamstring injury.
“There needs to be a proper offseason,” Bettauer says. “Players need proper training and recovery to relax the mind and body.”