Protect Your Shoulders and Knees When Playing Tennis and Golf

Overuse injuries are common in outdoor sports like tennis and golf, so it is essential to warm up, stretch and use proper footwear to protect your joints.

Joint Injury Can Affect All Ages

The warmer months of summer are ideal for outdoor activities such as hiking, playing racket sports and golfing, but the risk of injury also rises. Sprains, fractures and strains affect athletes of all ages and skill levels, but you are more prone to injury if you have any form of arthritis.

Continually swinging a golf club or hitting a tennis ball can lead to repetitive stress injuries (RSI) that affect the joints in the shoulder, elbow and knee. Cumulative trauma disorder (CTD) is a small injury to a ligament, tendon, muscle or bone and occurs when exerting too hard or not allowing your muscles to recover.

Common Overuse Injuries

Tennis and golf can make you more susceptible to several overuse injuries, such as the following:

• Shin splints — Shin splints are overuse injuries that cause inflammation and tenderness in the inner shin. The tissue around the shin can throb or feel like dull pain.
• Runner’s knee — This condition does not just affect runners. Playing a sport on uneven or hard surfaces can cause swelling and pain around the patella (or kneecap).
• Shoulder impingement — When a tendon in the shoulder rubs against surrounding tissue or bone, it can cause persistent pain. Shoulder impingement can affect the rotator cuff and lead to weakness and decreased mobility.
• Tennis/golfer’s elbow — Gripping a tennis racket or golf club during a swing can increase muscle strain and cause tendons to get microscopic tears. Inflammation builds over time and causes the tendon to break down.

How to Recover from Overuse Injuries

Rest is the best prescription for recovering from an overuse injury. Avoid activities that cause discomfort and may injure you further. You may need physical therapy to strengthen the affected muscles and regain range of motion.

If you think you have sprained or strained an area of your body, it is helpful to remember RICE:

Rest
Ice
Compression
Elevation

Tips to Prevent Overuse Injury on the Courts and the Course

You can prevent many injuries by wearing proper footwear and using quality equipment. For tennis, you need to wear tennis shoes with proper ankle support, traction and cushioning. Good shoes will reduce your risk of knee injury and damage to the hip flexors and shins.

Sometimes, inserts and insoles can reduce pain by providing additional support and stability. When your shoes feel uncomfortable and less supportive, it is time to buy a new pair.

You can lower your risk of straining muscles by stretching before exercise. You may want to incorporate these stretches into your pre-game routine:

1. Shoulder stretch
2. Lateral lunge
3. Standing calf stretch
4. Hamstring stretch
5. Chest stretch
6. Hip flexor stretch
7. Arm circles
8. Wrist extensor stretch

It also is essential to take regular breaks during exercise to allow your knee, hip and shoulder joints to rest. You should also be intentional about hydrating your body and wearing SPF protection for your skin.

Talk to Your Doctor About Ways to Exercise Safely

Most American adults are not getting adequate physical activity. The Arthritis Foundation suggests taking part in 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity. However, over-exercising can be as dangerous as being sedentary.

Talk to your doctor about your desired activities and how often you plan to exercise. If you feel pain or sensitivity in your knee, hip or shoulder, your doctor might suggest adjusting your workout routine to help alleviate discomfort.

If you have chronic pain, you may want to speak to an orthopedic surgeon about joint replacement surgery.

Find an Orthopedic Treatment Center in Your Area

Make an appointment with an orthopedist before the end of the year. Often, appointments book quickly, so do not delay in calling the office. Procedures and treatment may cost significantly less if you have already met your deductible for the year.

Are you looking for a bone and joint specialist in your area? Our orthopedic centers employ board-certified orthopedists who specialize in joint health and pain management. Call today to make an appointment.