Although tennis is a much safer sport than a lot of others, mainly because there is no contact between players, there is still a small chance of injury. This is why, even if you are an expert tennis player or you don’t think you could get hurt, you’ll need to put some measures in place to ensure you can avoid injuries as much as possible. Although this might mean you have to delay the start of your match or make some provisions before you can begin playing, it will be worth it if you can enjoy your tennis without getting hurt. With that in mind, here are some of the best things you can do to avoid injury when playing tennis.
Use The Right Equipment
As with any sport, using the right equipment when you play tennis is always going to minimize the risk of getting hurt. This is why these pieces of equipment have been developed in the first place, and why it’s important to ensure you use them in the right way.
Your clothing is a good place to start. Having the right shoes is a crucial element when it comes to preventing injury because shoes that are made to be worn for playing tennis will protect your ankles and feet in specific ways. You’ll also need to have a good racquet to reduce the chance of injuring your wrist.
When thinking about your equipment, you shouldn’t forget about the right tennis nets either. Using a net that is the right size and height means you can play without having to move your body in the wrong way, which will help you stay safe.
Take Breaks
Tennis is a lot of fun, and whether you’re playing with others or by yourself, it can be tempting to skip breaks because you’re enjoying yourself. Or you might be so caught up in the game that you forget about breaks altogether. This is not a good idea when it comes to minimizing injury.
Your body is an incredible thing, but it can’t keep moving and being accurate indefinitely. If you don’t take breaks, you’ll find that you slow down physically and that your reactions are slower too. You might even feel unwell due to dehydration and exhaustion. This can all increase your chances of injury. Taking a break once in a while to have a drink and rest means you’ll be much more accurate and safer when you start playing again.
Warm Up
Before you can even start playing, there is one very important thing you need to do to prevent injuries as much as possible; you need to warm up. Warming up means stretching your muscles so they can move better when you’re playing, and it means getting your heart rate up so that you have enough oxygen moving around your body.
When you warm up first, your body will be ready to play and won’t be ‘shocked’ when you start moving quickly, which can cause muscle strains and other injuries. A warm-up only needs to take two minutes, and it can save you a lot of pain later on.
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