How Physical Therapy Helps Tennis Players Resolve Shoulder Pain
Have you noticed pain with your overhead to serve? Are you concerned with the tightness in your shoulder after a long tennis match? At Elder Athlete Physical Therapy, our physical therapists help tennis players of all ages and abilities alleviate pain, recover lost motion, and get stronger to hit that ball without limitations!
Shoulder pain is widespread and a significant struggle for tennis enthusiasts of all ages and skill levels. Studies suggest that up to 25% of players aged 12 to 19 and 50% of middle-aged players have shoulder pain.
The most common cause of pain is linked to overuse injuries due to repetitive stress and improper technique. The most common site of pain is the muscles around the shoulder (i.e., rotator cuff muscle) and, in some cases, the muscles that stabilize the shoulder blade (scapula). For some players, the pain and injury started after falling on an outstretched arm resulting in subsequent pain and/or dysfunction.
Fortunately, our physical therapy team can help you optimize your abilities and create effective movement patterns allowing you to perform at your highest level. Our programs will help you minimize the risk of future pain and injury.
At Elder Athlete Physical Therapy, we will assess your whole body to identify deficits that can lead to overuse injuries and impaired performance. Once we determine your needs, we will develop a plan to help you resolve your limitations and get back to the courts!
Request an appointment today with one of our specialists!
How tennis can cause shoulder pain
Tennis is one of the most popular sports worldwide. It is often considered a lifetime sport because it is accessible to people of all ages and abilities. Like all sports, tennis comes with the potential for pain and/or injury. Unfortunately, tennis players often wait for treatment when a new symptom starts.
Too often, people wait, trying to distinguish between “normal” soreness after the exertion of a tennis match and the shoulder pain associated with an actual injury. Prolonged tennis matches can lead to muscle fatigue resulting in changes to how the shoulder blade and the shoulder move (i.e., the mechanics). These changes often lead to the overuse type of injuries most prevalent in tennis players.
Faulty and/or abnormal positions and movement of the shoulder blade (scapula dyskinesis) often result in a limitation of overall mobility, which alters the function of the shoulder. These imbalances put additional strain on the rotator cuff muscles and leave the shoulder vulnerable to injuries to the joints and tissues around the joints.
When functioning correctly, the shoulder complex can maximize efficiency and force generation while minimizing the risk of injury. When a part of the system isn’t working correctly, pain and injury are likely the results.
The most common shoulder injuries include:
- Impingement (due to scapular dysfunction)
- Rotator cuff injury (i.e., partial and complete rotator cuff tears and tendinopathy)
- Acromioclavicular (AC) joint pain
- Superior labral (SLAP) lesions
- Injury to the long head of the biceps
Fortunately, at Elder Athlete Physical Therapy, our physical therapists excel at piecing together the factors contributing to your pain and/or injury. We examine the whole person and assess individual parts and how they interrelate with the rest of the body. We will examine how the shoulder’s weaknesses or restrictions may affect your overall function and how the rest of your body influences the shoulder’s function.
What to expect in physical therapy
We will conduct a comprehensive evaluation that includes a thorough history and movement assessment of the shoulder and shoulder blade function. Our assessments are to ensure we identify any restriction or limitation that may be contributing to your painful condition. We will determine how your shoulder works with the rest of your body.
In addition, we will test your shoulder and shoulder blade strength, coordination, and how they work together in different positions related to a typical tennis match. This information will help determine any weaknesses and/or compensations that may impair your ability to swing the racquet correctly.
Your physical therapist will design a program tailored to your personal goals. Our programs initially emphasize pain relief and restoring the mobility of the shoulder complex. We will shift to targeted stretches, strengthening, and movement performance to resolve your injury and improve overall performance.
We will use any technique, including Kinesio Taping and manual techniques, to assist your rehabilitation and education on proper movement sequencing. Our team will show you how to warm up, including mobility and theraband work, to enhance your performance so you can hit the ball pain-free!
Request an appointment at Elder Athlete Physical Therapy today!
Our physical therapists are highly skilled at treating tennis players of all ages and abilities. No matter what is causing your shoulder pain, we offer the results you are looking for!
Call today to schedule an appointment with one of our highly trained therapists!