All posts in Tennis

In general, any pain along the outer side of your elbow can be classified as tennis elbow. It is often associated with muscle strain as a leading cause.

The term can be misleading, however, because there are three distinct kinds of pain along three different areas of your arm and elbow. For example, if the discomfort specifically runs along the inner side of your elbow, then this is referred to as golfer’s elbow. When the feeling emanates from back and under, that’s an ailment known as bursitis for you! And like we said, when its on the exterior, that’s most likely to be some tennis elbow pain.

Trivial and unusual as this pain may sound, it can also be debilitating. In severe cases, you would find difficulty in grasping an object as heavy as a hammer or even one as light as a cup and saucer.

Actually, it isn’t the bone of your elbow which aches but the muscles and nerves surrounding it. Even the ligaments and tendons which attach it could be strained. After all, this condition is the result of a motion injury.

To describe this uncomfortable sensation, it radiates from the arm down to the wrist. The discomfort can last from as short as six weeks to as long as 3 months. During this time, you would find it painful to bend your arm as well as difficult to straighten and stretch it.

While you’re recovering, it would be unadvisable to perform any strenuous work or to do any lifting of weights. For any sports buff, you would have to refrain from using the racket or playing tennis for as long as it’s recommended. Thus, you should see your doctor once you encounter this kind of pain. Since pain and inflammation seems to be the problem, pain relievers and anti-inflammatory drugs would be the medications prescribed for you.

Aside from using medications, the condition can be relieved by some practical home remedies. An ice pack would be a good suggestion. Just fill a zip-lock bag with some ice and apply to the site for around 10-15 minutes.

If the pain is severe and recurrent, you can do this application 3-4 times a day. Do keep in mind to leave an hour’s interval between applications. For any bit of soreness or tenderness, you can also use a frozen pack of vegetables such as peas. The important thing is to control the inflammation and allow it to subside.

Once your arm feels better, you can exercise it with some short and quick stretches. Palms up, see first how fully you can extend your forearm without any discomfort. Repeat the movements but don’t overstrain or overdo.

Take it easy and explore your range of motion gradually if you’ve just come from an injury. You could undo the healing and cause more damage to those inflamed muscles, ligaments, and tendons. Complete healing from muscle wear and tear takes time, so you must allow your body to recover at its pace.

Before you sweat it out, make sure you have the sportswear that gives you an edge on the tennis court.
The first rule when it comes to tennis: don’t wear something other than a set of clothing items made exclusively for tennis players. T-shirts and jeans are a no-no on the tennis court, as they make you feel heavy and restrained. Worse, you might fall or hurt yourself during the game if you insist on playing with your denim pants on. A good tennis sportswear allows you to move and run freely on the court minus the discomfort and pain. Simply put, you can’t play your best tennis game without the right apparel.
Unlike sports like basketball and badminton, tennis is not unisex. That means male and female tennis players wear entirely different kinds of tennis sportswear. For example, shorts are for men and skirts are for women. Typically, male tennis players wear a polo-style shirt, tennis shorts, socks, and tennis shoes. For women, the basic clothing items consist of a tank top or polo-style top, skirt or skorts (a pair of shorts with a flap of fabric in the front area), and dress. For added support and comfort, women tennis players also need high-quality sports bras.
Correct fitting and length is a major consideration when buying apparel for tennis. Imagine how uncomfortable it is to move around on the court as you’re wearing tight or baggy tennis clothing items. Know your size first before hunting for the best tennis wear for you.
You should also consider the materials when you choose the right tennis wear. For maximum comfort, go for clothing items that are breathable and can draw off moisture. The best material for tennis wear is a breathable synthetic cotton blend. A sportswear made of 100% cotton, though breathable and lightweight, is not advised because it tends to absorb sweat?thus making you feel extremely uncomfortable.
When it comes to color, choose light-colored apparel because it can keep you cool while playing the game. Light colors don’t absorb heat as much as dark colors do. Because many tennis courts permit players to wear any light-colored clothing, most tennis wear brands offer apparel in light colors.
Aside from the shirt and shorts or skirt, you also need to spend some time in choosing other tennis clothing items such as shoes, socks, headbands, and wristbands. The right pair of tennis shoes is necessary for providing support, cushion, and grip for the feet.
While it seems any pair of socks will do for tennis games, you need to be careful when choosing socks. It’s recommended that you buy socks with a cotton blend that fits just right. Look for socks that can absorb sweat and doesn’t irritate the skin. That said, cotton socks are not advised for tennis since they hold moisture, which causes skin irritation and discomfort.
You may want to get optional tennis clothing items such as headbands and wristbands. When you play tennis, sweat usually drips into your eyes, making you lose focus on the game. Sweat that falls onto your racket also makes it slippery and causes you to lose your grip. To absorb sweat and play tennis without hassles, then it’s best to buy your own headbands and wristbands.
Tennis apparel is all about comfort and performance on the tennis court. Keep these two things in mind when you shop for the right tennis sportswear.

After working with several junior tennis players on their mental game, Ive noticed that players limit their success when they focus on opponent rankings or tournament seeding. As you might already know, comparing your tennis skills to an opponent is a mental game no-no in my book.

When you make comparisons to your opponents, you are essentially saying to yourself that they are better than you! When you look at the draws to find out who you are playing, do you focus on seeding or player ranking?

Whats the mental game of tennis danger in comparing your ranking to your opponents ranking? You make too many assumptions (or generalizations) about who should win and who should lose the match. It may seem logical that the number one seed should beat the number two seed right? You know this is not always the case and this type of thinking can cause a poor mind game for tennis.

Why? If you are losing the match to a higher seeded player (that you think should win the match), how will you react? Yes, youll confirm your pre-determined expectations about who should win the match and then tank it. You wont be willing to fight back after losing the first set. Youll engage with the here I go again syndrome.

I know its hard to not pay attention to who you are playing and your opponents ranking or number of wins. I also realize that you can prepare your game depending on the style of your opponents game. So you could argue that knowing who you are playing can be an advantage. However, in most cases its not helpful to your mental game when you compare your ranking to other players in the tournament.

Then to compound the matter, players feel expectations from others to win if they are the better player or have a higher ranking. Your expectations about winning can turn into added pressure to win and fear of failure about losing.

Youre tennis psychology tip for today: Dont focus on your opponents ranking or the tournament seeding. Focus on your strengths instead of comparing yourself to other players. Think about how you can perform your best no matter the level of the opposition.

While the term tennis shoes is commonly used in reference to athletic shoes of any type, you should not wear running shoes, walking shoes, or cross-trainers when playing tennis. These types of shoes do not provide the correct support and can increase the risk of foot and ankle injuries. In addition, such shoes can also damage the tennis court surface.

There are several criteria tennis players should consider when selecting tennis shoes. First, the court surface you primarily play on will dictate the type of tennis shoe you need. Second, the characteristics of your feet and body will determine what type of tennis shoe is most comfortable and effective. Finally, as with any type of shoe, different people value certain shoe attributes and qualities more than others.

Tennis players that play on hard court surfaces should choose tennis shoes that are durable and resistant to wear. Repeated play on hard (i.e. concrete) courts will wear the tread off the soles of tennis shoes. Loss of tread leads to loss of traction and increased slipping. In addition, the part of the tennis shoe that covers the big toes should have extra protection on the outside. Tennis players often drag their toe while executing shots, especially the serve. It is crucial for right-handed players that the inside toe area of their right tennis shoe have extra protection to prevent premature wear. This area of the tennis shoe is particularly vulnerable because most right-handed players drag their right foot when serving, and often when executing forehand groundstrokes.

Tennis players that play primarily on soft court surfaces (i.e. clay) should select tennis shoes that are comfortable and provide good traction. Durability is less of a concern. It is also vital that the tennis shoe have a smooth, flat sole. The knobs and bumps found on the soles of running shoes and cross-trainers can damage clay court surfaces. In fact, most clay court facilities do not allow players to wear such shoes, instead requiring appropriate tennis shoes.

Feet and body characteristics are an important consideration when selecting tennis shoes. People who are prone to blisters must wear tennis shoes that fit properly and are well cushioned. Advances in tennis shoe technology have created cushioning systems that are lighter, more comfortable, and better at removing moisture. Body type is also an important consideration in tennis shoe selection. For example, larger and heavier players may prefer heavier shoes that provide extra support.

Finally, as with all types of shoes, personal preference and taste often determines what type of tennis shoe a person purchases. Many players desire a tennis shoe with a certain look or color scheme. On a more functional level, some players may select lightweight tennis shoes in an effort to enhance foot speed and agility.

After you determine the type of tennis shoe is right for you, it is important to select a shoe that fits properly. Because tennis involves a lot of sprinting, cutting, stopping, and starting, you should select a tennis shoe that fits snugly across the width of the foot. You should, however, make sure that your tennis shoes have at least a half-inch of space between the toes and the end of the tennis shoe.