Tennis Shoulder Injuries and How to Prevent Them
Tennis Shoulder Injuries and How to Prevent Them
Playing tennis is a great way to stay fit and active at almost any age. It uses every part of your body, and it’s definitely more socially engaging than a HIIT video at home or a workout at the gym, especially if you enjoy a little healthy competition with your exercise.
As with any physical activity, tennis requires proper stretching, technique, and attention to avoid injuries, particularly shoulder injuries which can be common in tennis players from competitive athletes to weekend warriors.
The most common shoulder conditions in tennis players include:
● Impingement – The rotator cuff tendons attach the upper arm bone to the shoulder blade and pass through a narrow channel. If the balance of the shoulder is disturbed, particularly with repetitive overuse that can come from playing tennis, these tendons can become impinged and damaged. There could also be damage to the labrum which is an oval shaped soft tissue ring attached to the socket of the shoulder joint.
● Superior Labral (SLAP) Lesions – A superior labral lesion is a tear to the circular rim of tissue around the shoulder socket. It helps seal and stabilize the joint between the socket and the ball of the arm bone. These tears can be categorized in different ways, depending on which way the tear extends. A tear to the top part of the labrum extending to the back and front of the labrum is known as a Superior Labral Anterior-Posterior lesion – or SLAP tear for short.
● Rotator Cuff Tears – The muscles and tendons that surround the shoulder joint are known as the rotator cuff, and damage to the rotator cuff is common among people who repeatedly perform overhead motions such as a tennis serve. The repetitive motion can cause pain and reduced mobility over time. Sometimes, however, rotator cuff injuries can be caused from a single injury – which may require immediate medical advice and even surgery.
Avoiding shoulder injuries
As a tennis player, you can reduce your risk of injury in a number of ways:
● Correcting poor technique by working with a coach
● Adjusting your training volume and intensity
● Making sure you warm up adequately
● Optimizing your core stability
● Doing preventive exercises to increase your shoulder blade stabilization, increase your rotator cuff strength, and optimize your shoulder rotation
Treating shoulder injuries
If you’re already experiencing shoulder pain – either occasionally or frequently – it’s important for you to seek medical advice. Early treatment, such as physical therapy, may help you avoid more significant treatment in the future. No matter how severe your injury, you’ll want to see a specialist, and Decatur is fortunate to have one right here at DOC Orthopaedics.
Dr. Stacy Tapscott of DOC Orthopaedics in Decatur, Alabama, is just such a specialist. He is board certified in orthopaedic surgery and sports medicine. He has completed a shoulder surgery and reconstruction fellowship at The University of Texas Health Sciences Center at San Antonio, where he trained under internationally renowned shoulder specialists Charles A. Rockwood, Jr., M.D. and Michael A. Wirth, M.D. who have advanced the field of shoulder replacement. He also completed a sports medicine fellowship with the Knoxville Orthopaedic Clinic, the team physicians for the University of Tennessee.
With this advanced training, Dr. Tapscott delivers state-of-the-art care for his patients as part of the team of specialists at DOC Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine and also serves as team physician for several area high schools and Calhoun Community College.
Since 1972, DOC Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine has been committed to providing exceptional orthopaedic care through innovative techniques, quality services, patient communication and education. With specialties ranging from general orthopaedics and physical therapy to sports medicine, joint replacement and more, the doctors at DOC Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine can provide local expert care for any orthopaedic disorder or injury and help put your life back in motion.