Wimbledon has a wonderful way of inspiring people to pick up a racket, head to the local courts and enjoy a game of tennis. Whether you play regularly, return to tennis every summer, or are having your first hit in years, it is a brilliant sport for fitness, coordination, strength and social connection.
However, tennis also places a lot of demand on the body. It involves quick changes of direction, sudden stops, twisting, reaching, serving, sprinting and repeated gripping. If your body is not quite ready for that sudden increase in activity, niggles can quickly appear.
At goPhysio in Chandlers Ford, we often see tennis-related injuries at this time of year, especially around Wimbledon, when more people are inspired to get back on court.
Why tennis injuries happen
Tennis injuries usually happen for one of three reasons.
- The first is a sudden increase in activity. If you have not played much over the winter and suddenly play several matches in a week, your muscles, tendons and joints may not have had time to adapt.
- The second is repetition. Tennis involves repeated gripping, swinging, serving and rotating. Over time, this can overload the elbow, wrist, shoulder, back or knee, especially if your technique, strength or mobility is not quite supporting the movement.
- The third is movement demand. Tennis requires you to accelerate, stop, twist and change direction quickly. This can place strain on the calf, ankle, knee, hip and lower back, particularly if you are playing on a different surface or wearing unsupportive footwear.
The most common tennis injuries
Tennis elbow
Tennis elbow is one of the best-known tennis injuries, although you do not need to play tennis to develop it. It causes pain on the outside of the elbow and is often linked with repeated gripping, lifting, typing, DIY, gardening or racket sports.
In tennis players, it can be aggravated by gripping the racket too tightly, hitting repeated backhand shots, playing with poor technique, or suddenly increasing how much you play.
Symptoms can include pain on the outside of the elbow, tenderness when touched, discomfort when gripping or lifting, and weakness when holding objects such as a kettle, racket or shopping bag.
Physiotherapy can help by identifying what is overloading the tendon, reducing irritation, improving strength and helping you return gradually to normal activity. In longer-standing cases, treatments such as shockwave therapy may also be considered as part of a wider rehabilitation plan.
Shoulder pain
The shoulder is placed under a lot of pressure during serving, smashing and overhead shots. Repeated overhead movement can irritate the rotator cuff tendons, shoulder joint or surrounding muscles.
Shoulder pain may feel like a pinch, ache or sharp pain when lifting the arm, serving or reaching overhead. You may also notice weakness, stiffness or reduced power.
Good shoulder movement, upper back mobility, shoulder blade control and rotator cuff strength are all important for tennis. If one part of the chain is not working well, the shoulder can become overloaded.
Wrist and hand pain
Tennis places repeated load through the wrist and hand. This can lead to tendon irritation, wrist sprains or pain with gripping and rotating the racket.
Wrist pain is more likely if you are playing more than usual, using a racket that is not right for you, gripping too tightly or hitting off-centre shots. Pain may be felt on either side of the wrist, during forehand or backhand shots, or when pushing up from a chair or lifting objects.
Lower back pain
Tennis involves a lot of rotation, extension and quick movement. Serving, reaching and twisting can all place strain on the lower back, especially if your hips, upper back or core are not sharing the load well.
Lower back pain may come on suddenly after a shot, or build gradually after repeated play. Sometimes it is linked with stiffness, poor warm-up, fatigue or returning too quickly after a break from exercise.
Calf strains and Achilles tendon pain
Fast starts, sudden stops and pushing off to reach the ball can place high demand on the calf and Achilles tendon.
A calf strain may feel like a sudden sharp pain in the back of the lower leg, sometimes described as being hit or kicked. Achilles tendon pain is often more gradual and may feel stiff first thing in the morning or sore at the start of activity.
These injuries are common when people return to tennis after a break, play on harder surfaces, or increase their playing time too quickly.
Knee pain
Tennis involves lunging, twisting, jumping and changing direction. This can irritate the kneecap, patellar tendon or other structures around the knee.
Knee pain may be felt at the front of the knee, around the kneecap, below the kneecap, or along the inside or outside of the joint. It may be worse with lunging, squatting, stairs or longer matches.
Strength around the hips, thighs, calves and feet can all influence how much load goes through the knee.
Ankle sprains
Because tennis involves quick sideways movement and sudden changes of direction, ankle sprains are also common. This is especially true if you are playing on uneven surfaces, wearing unsuitable trainers or have had previous ankle injuries.
An ankle sprain can cause pain, swelling, bruising and difficulty weight-bearing. Even mild sprains benefit from good early management and progressive rehabilitation, as untreated ankle sprains can increase the risk of repeated injuries.
How to reduce your risk of tennis injuries
The best way to reduce your risk is to prepare your body for the demands of the sport.
- Start with a warm-up. A few minutes of gentle jogging, side steps, lunges, arm circles and practice swings can help prepare your muscles and joints before you start playing properly.
- Build up gradually. If you have not played for a while, avoid jumping straight into long matches or several games in one week. Start with shorter sessions and increase gradually.
- Strength matters. Tennis requires strong calves, thighs, hips, core, shoulders, forearms and wrists. A simple strength programme can make a big difference to how well your body copes on court.
- Check your equipment. Your racket grip, string tension and footwear can all influence how much load goes through your body. If you are unsure, it may be worth asking a tennis coach for advice.
- Listen to niggles early. A small ache that settles quickly may not be a problem, but pain that keeps returning, worsens during play, affects your grip, changes how you move or lingers afterwards should not be ignored.
When should you see a physio?
You should consider seeing a physio if:
- pain is stopping you playing tennis
- pain keeps coming back each time you play
- you have swelling, weakness or loss of movement
- you are changing your technique to avoid pain
- symptoms are not improving after a week or two
- you have had repeated injuries in the same area
- you want a safe plan to return to tennis after injury
At goPhysio, we can assess the injury, identify why it has happened and create a treatment and rehabilitation plan to help you get back on court. This may include hands-on treatment, strength exercises, mobility work, taping, sports massage, shockwave therapy where appropriate, and clear advice on how to return to tennis safely.
Enjoy Wimbledon — and enjoy playing
Tennis is a fantastic sport, and Wimbledon is the perfect motivation to get moving. The key is to enjoy it without asking too much of your body too soon.
If tennis has triggered elbow pain, shoulder pain, wrist pain, back pain, calf pain, knee pain or ankle pain, we can help.
At goPhysio in Chandlers Ford, we support people from across Eastleigh, Southampton, Winchester and the surrounding areas to recover from sports injuries and get back to doing what they love.
Book an appointment with our team and let’s help you stay on court this summer.
Read More About Tennis Related Injuries
- Tennis & Golfer’s Elbow
- Shockwave Therapy for Tennis Elbow
- Sports Injuries
- Shoulder Pain
- Knee Pain
- Foot & Ankle Pain
- Sports Massage
- Rehabilitation
FAQS
What are the most common tennis injuries? Tennis elbow, shoulder pain, wrist pain, lower back pain, calf strains, Achilles tendon pain, knee pain and ankle sprains are all common in tennis players.
Can you get tennis elbow without playing tennis? Yes. Tennis elbow is linked with repeated gripping, lifting or wrist movement, so it can affect office workers, gardeners, DIYers and people who use their hands repetitively.
Should I keep playing tennis with pain? Mild discomfort that settles quickly may be manageable, but pain that worsens, affects your movement, reduces grip strength or lingers after play should be assessed.
Can physio help tennis injuries? Yes. Physiotherapy can help diagnose the problem, reduce pain, improve strength and mobility, and guide a safe return to tennis.