Learn how to stay on the court longer and stronger with advice from teaching pros and fellow players alike. Be sure to check back each day during May for a new Health Tip of the Day.
Related: Instructional Tips of the Day
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May 31st - Massage Therapy:
Locate a sports massage therapist in your area when dealing with chronic injury and pain. Check their training and length of time working with athletes. With proper assessment, work and stretching techniques, you should be able to "go all out" in a reasonable amount of time. Each person responds differently, but unless something more serious is going on, you should feel confident getting back onto the court.
May 30th - Stances & Strain, Part III:
Those who are dependent on an open stance (and thus, lead themselves into greater risk of injury) do so because they constantly want to hit forehands-- a swing which feels more controllable, despite discomfort. Working on your backhand will not only improve your game, but also close up your stance, allowing for more fluid tennis movement which incorporates the whole body.
May 29th - Stances & Strain, Part II:
Going to a 3/4 stance and finish more across your body as opposed to hitting straight out should take pressure off your arm and get more of your total body into your follow through, preventing arm problems.
May 28th - Stances & Strain:
Forearm pain can be caused due the contact point required for open stance play. In general, hitting late will lead to forearm and elbow pain. Health comes first and foremost—nobody wins players are sidelined.
May 27th - Yoga:
Yoga stretches are great for tennis; they help to build strength, balance and flexibility. The deep breathing that goes along with yoga poses also helps to calm the mind and increase focus. Better mind better body = better tennis.
May 26th - Walk It Out:
You need to get into shape to play tennis. However, most folks think I’ll play tennis to get in shape—and that’s when injury occurs. Before going full-tilt on the court, start small. Walking briskly, continuously for 20 minutes minimum each day, can be a nice beginner workout. You will be amazed at what this simple task will do for your overall performance.
May 25th - Joint Pain:
Glucosamine and Chondroitin are two naturally-occurring supplements that can battle and rebuild damaged cartilage. Painful joint maladies such as Osteoarthritis, which can attack knees, elbows, and wrists—three essential areas of the body that a tennis player needs to function—can be alleviated if not eliminated by taking these safe supplements, found at any vitamin or health food store.
May 24th - Overdoing It:
Listen to your body. It may need a bit of rest every other day, and if you’re too tired or sore to function properly, you risk injury—especially in a highly physical and demanding game like tennis. Err always on the side of caution.
May 23rd - Ice, Ice Baby, Part II:
The service motion and the wear on your arm is very much like a baseball pitcher’s. Icing the arm after matches will help your stiffness and reduce the pain associated. Try applying the ice for about a half hour or so to remain at peak performance levels.
May 22nd - Ice, Ice Baby:
Icing is very helpful for preserving muscle function. It is useful, even if you do not have a specific injury. Applying an ice pack to your arm, shoulder, or back for at least 20 minutes after playing will pay huge dividends in preventing physical breakdown.
May 21th - Shoulder Pain, II:
Warm pool therapy while rehabbing a shoulder or rotator cuff injury will strengthen the tendons in the area by using the water resistance and keep the range of motion in the rotator cuff.
May 20th - Shoulder Pain:
When coming back from a shoulder injury, take ample time to stretch before playing—light resistance bands will help you regain range of motion. Wear a layer of clothes over the injured shoulder, no sleeveless t-shirts. On your serves, take it easy. Don't go for the huge first serve or heavy spin.
May 19th - Heel Spurs:
Heel spurs don't hurt—its the muscles around them which hurt, not the spur itself. Therefore, stretching and getting the muscles calloused to the spur are helpful. Hard rubbing of the spur may break down the calcium crystallization but may be too painful to do. New technologies, such as sonar vibrations being used to break up the heel spur, are options—but short of outright removal of the spur, there will always be pain.
May 18th - The Achilles Heel:
To increase strength in your Achilles tendon, do a lot of stretching by standing on your toes facing backwards on a staircase and, holding onto the banister for balance, let your weight bring your calf to maximum stretch very slowly and hold it for 5 seconds, one leg at a time, 2-3 times a day.
May 17th - Unorthodox Upper Body Exercise:
Hold a basketball with both hands and stand between the service line and baseline. (For kids, they can stand closer to the net.) Swivel around the hips and bring the basketball back low. Step towards the net and rotate again in the opposite direction, bringing the ball around in a low-to-high trajectory before releasing it so that it flies over the net. Have someone stand on the other side of the net to catch and return the ball to you so you can repeat.
May 16th - Protect Your Feet, Part II:
A good tennis shoe should only bend in one place -- at the ball of the foot and never in the arch or heel. The next time you buy tennis shoes, while holding the toe in one hand and the heel in the other, bend the shoe firmly. If the arch buckles, keep shopping.
May 15th - Protect Your Feet:
Worn out shoes, or shoes that provide poor arch support can contribute to the occurrence of plantar fasciitis, or an inflammation of the connective tissue in the soles of your feet. In tennis, when much running, pivoting, and bursts are needed from the lower body, proper footwear is essential.
May 14th - Strengthen Your Core:
Your limbs are important for the two vital functions of tennis—running and swinging a racket, but they’re not the most important areas for your tennis workout. Work on your abs not just your arms. Your core supports all this so the back stays aligned for a proper stance and increased torque in your oblique muscles means stronger returns.
May 13th - Staying in Tennis Shape Year Round, Part II:
The easiest way to stay in tennis shape through the harsh, colder months is to… play tennis! Check with USTA.com to find a local indoor CTA facility. There’s bound to be at least one, if not several, in your area-- especially if you live in Northern states.
May 12th - Staying in Tennis Shape Year Round:
Beside the typical video workouts, treadmills, cycles, etc., skipping rope will probably do more for you than anything else. Skipping rope builds stamina and, when done with movement in all directions, develops fast feet, which are essential for a good tennis player.
May 11th - Diabetes:
For a diabetic player, check blood sugar levels early and often during match breaks, with plenty of juice and snacks at your disposal along with an Epi-pen. Above all, consult with your physician to determine further precautions before stepping foot on a court.
May 10th - Eating Before a Match, Part IV:
Stay away from alcohol, caffeine (coffee, tea, soft drinks, etc.). If you are taking a prescribed diuretic, drink even more water.
May 9th - Eating Before a Match, Part III:
Make sure to follow up your match by eating some healthy protein. You've got to jump start those muscles into repair.
May 8th - Eating Before a Match, Part II:
As far as the time element, wait at least a half hour after eating a heavy meal to start playing. It varies from person to person – some may need more like an hour – but the general rule of thumb is one-half hour. If you're just snacking, 15 minutes should suffice, and it might also be a great idea to keep energy bars and bananas or oranges on hand to give you an added boost during your match. And most importantly, stay well-hydrated!
May 7th - Eating Before a Match :
Pre-match dietary choices should be higher in complex carbohydrates, moderate in protein, and low in dietary fat to allow quick digestion and absorption out of the stomach. The more time you have before a match, the larger the meal that can be tolerated. For example, if you have 3-4 hours before you play, a normal sized sandwich like a turkey sub would be appropriate, even with a fruit and/or dairy side. No matter how much time you have before your match, try to pre-hydrate with several cups of fluids like water, sports drinks, or decaffeinated beverages. If you only have 1-2 hours before matches, the volume, protein, and fat content of the meal will need to be limited. An appropriate choice with this timing limitation might be 2 tbsp of peanut butter on a bagel or a PowerBar with a piece of fruit.
May 6th - Treating Tennis Elbow, Part II:
After prolonged rest, conduct stretching and strengthening exercises with elastic bands, which are the least traumatic. They come in different resistances. The process is slow and arduous, but in the end it’s the only effective solution. Check with a strength and conditioning expert for the right ones to do.
May 5th - Treating Tennis Elbow :
For active tennis elbow, you do need to take a holiday to allow for healing. Playing through it will only prolong the condition. A fully inflamed case of tennis elbow needs rest. There is no such thing as playing through tendon inflammation.
May 4th - Preventing Tennis Elbow, Part III:
Checking the forward swing of your forehand and not following through all the way causes tremendous strain on the extensor muscles and tendons of the elbow. Make sure to follow through ALL the way around the body. Again, all of the power and control comes from the core muscles and not from "wristing" the shot.
May 3rd - Preventing Tennis Elbow, Part II:
You can get tennis elbow due to faulty technique by hitting the backhand with the wrist in a weak position. Make sure that you're using a proper grip, with the knuckle of the index finger on the top surface of handle, if one-handed. For the double-handed shot, give enough support to the dominant hand with the opposite hand. Make absolutely certain you do not use a "wristy" shot. The effort must come by taking the racket back and using the core, followed by the shoulder muscles. This must be smooth and not jerky.
May 2nd - Preventing Tennis Elbow:
Tennis elbow prevention is based on developing sound technique and building strength and flexibility in the muscles of the forearm. In terms of technique, one of things to focus on is your wrist position at the point of ball contact. The hand and wrist should be in line with the forearm, and not flexed or extended, to allow the muscles to best handle the forces that are generated.
May 1st - Weight Training:
Lifting weights will help your tennis. Concentrate on improving your leg strength, developing a more stable core, and stronger shoulders. Maintain, or increase, your flexibility by stretching frequently. Ultimately, you want explosive strength and superior balance to excel at tennis.