The Evolution of Tennis and the Unfortunate Twist in the Story – Part 2

So what do we do from here?  What have we learnt from the decade of the continually evolving and developing game of modern tennis?

There is still so much research to be done, and questions to be asked.

However what we do know is that the wrist is vulnerable to increasing reaction forces as the speed of the ball hitting the racquet increases.  Our ability to best absorb these forces throughout the upper limb and trunk should therefore be considered when assessing wrist injury related to a racquet sport.

The change in technology of the equipment, and technique in both ground strokes and serving actions, mean we should consider both mobility and strength factors in other areas of the kinetic chain that also play a role to avoid overload of the wrist at the end of the chain and how this too must evolve to meet the changing requirements of the modern game.  

And we need to be smart about our training plans.  Consider the value of recovery on tissue load and healing times with respect to the game that is now  higher intensity, higher load, and with higher physical and psychological demands . Consider what will optimise the strength, ability to absorb forces,  what will support ones ability to carry out and maintain correct technique, but to balance this out with avoiding overuse behaviours in training plans.

 

There is still work to do to help us better understand how to keep up with such a quickly changing and evolving area of sport…but with ongoing research, and remaining mindful of all these areas we must consider,  we can work toward addressing injury prevention in a game that has come a very long way from the days of the old wooden racquet!!

About the Author

Kate Senini — Consultant Physiotherapist

Kate, who was a founding partner at Pure Physio in 2010, is now working exclusively in a clinical role. Helping people recover from injury and prevent future injuries has always been her true passion!

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