Prevent Court Injuries and Play Better: 3 Science-Backed Tips
A few years ago, I was working with one of my standout students, a Fed Cup and international-level competitor. As we sat down to review her year, I asked, “When did you feel like you improved the least or weren't making progress?” Her answer was straightforward: “The two weeks I was sick, and the one month I was injured.” This response was a powerful reminder of a simple truth: You can't get better if you're sidelined with an injury.
As an experienced coach, a master of tennis in performance with the PTR (1 of less than 200 in the world), and a CTPS iTPA certified coach (strength and conditioning for tennis), I want to share three actionable, research-based strategies that can help you stay on the court and enjoy the game for years to come. And oh — you can start implementing these tips right away.
Strength Training: A Tennis Injury Prevention Staple
A comprehensive meta-analysis of 507 studies across various sports revealed an intriguing revelation. First, it showed that injury prevention protocols could be effective inreducing injury rates by up to 40%. Second, it revealed that while many might assume that stretching or warm-ups top the list for preventing injuries, the true champion is actually strength training.
With roughly 600 muscles in your body, the ones you feel are usually the injured ones. It’s not normal to have constantly tight or sore muscles or joints. This discomfort indicates areas of weakness that need strengthening. All of the exercises listed in this article relate to very common issues that nearly all tennis players will face. While this does not constitute a fully formed strength training regimen, consider these your tennis-specific staples.
Copenhagen Side Plank
This powerhouse move helps improve your change of direction speed and prevents groin pulls. To get the most value from this exercise, tuck your belly in towards your spin and stack your hips on the same plane.
Banded Squat Walk
Ideally, you do this move with a band to help preserve your form
Clinically proven to enhance knee health, this exercise is especially crucial for tennis players due to the game’s explosive and dynamic movements. Add it to your routine to strengthen your knee joints, protect against ACL injuries, and improve your braking ability.
Side Plank with Leg Raise
This exercise pairs well with the Copenhagen side plank and targets much of the same muscles as the banded squat walk while giving the added benefit of a core workout. Use in conjunction with or in lieu of banded squat walks if you do not have a band.
Boost Your Balance by Developing Your 'Sixth Sense': Proprioception
Beyond the traditional five senses, proprioception—or your body's ability to sense its position in space—is vital for tennis players. A strong proprioceptive sense allows you to control your movements better and maintain balance. This leads to more accurate shots and reduces the risk of extending beyond your comfortable range. Effective proprioceptive training can dramatically reduce injury risks and was identified as the second most effective form of injury prevention in the meta-analysis.
The best proprioceptive exercises often involve balancing on one leg. When you do this, you engage your glutes and core to maintain balance and strengthen your ankle stabilizer muscles, helping to prevent ankle sprains or rolls.
Proprioceptive Exercises for Tennis
Here are some examples of how proprioceptive exercises can keep you injury-free and even improve your performance on the court:
Single-Leg Romanian Deadlifts
Extend forward, trying to get your body parallel to the floor. Reach for your planted foot with your opposite hand (with or without weights), hold, and then switch sides.
This exercise is excellent for your hamstring, glutes, and lower back (also known as the posterior chain). Weak or tight hamstrings can cause issues along the posterior chain, leading to sciatic nerve pain, pelvic tilt, and reduced mobility. The hamstring is also crucial in the cycling motion of running, so neglecting this muscle can slow you down. The single-leg Romanian deadlift is clinically linked to improved hamstring health while also enhancing your proprioception and speed.
Single-Leg Chair Squats
Gradually work your way down to a seat.
These exercises target the quadriceps, which are essential for the explosive stop-and-start actions in tennis. They help prevent tendon tears near your knees and enhance overall mobility. Single-leg chair squats also serve as a test of quad and hip abductor strength in the physiotherapy world. Weakness in these areas can lead to knee, lower back, or lower limb injuries. If you can't perform at least 20 reps on each leg, it's a clear indication that you're at risk of injury and need to incorporate this exercise into your routine.
Do Functional, Not Static Stretches
Interestingly, the same meta-analysis revealed that static stretching—long considered a staple in injury prevention—was actually the least effective method in reducing injuries.
Instead of just stretching, functional range conditioning, which includes techniques like PAILs (Progressive Angular Isometric Loading) and RAILs (Regressive Angular Isometric Loading), can be transformative. The reason this is so much better than traditional static stretching is that it incorporates strength work with the stretch. Imagine your ankle beginning to roll. Imagine the angle of your ankle getting more and more extreme. Now imagine at that moment, being strong enough to bring your ankle back to a normal alignment. Instead of getting injured, you just keep on rolling. That’s the power of functional stretching. Linked here is one site with a series of examples and helpful visuals to follow.
Mobility Protocols: Program in PAILs and RAILs
Program in PAILs and RAILs on your rest and regen days or add them to the end of your leg workouts. It takes longer than a traditional stretch, and it's not something you’ll want to do before playing. But don’t sit on this new(ish) form of stretching.
Dorsiflexion PAILs and RAILs:
Essential for preventing calf strains and improving the loading phase of your serve. This exercise strengthens the anterior tibialis, helping ward off issues like flat feet and shin splints.
Ankle Supination PAILs and RAILs:
This exercise improves your ability to stop quickly and manage the frequent lateral movements in tennis, reducing the risk of ankle sprains or rolls.According to a review of the last 50 years of tennis injuries, ankle rolls are the single most common injury in the sport Even worse, with each roll, our ankle becomes more prone to rolling again.
Putting it All Together
Preventing injuries and enhancing your on-court performance requires a multifaceted approach. By prioritizing strength training, developing your proprioception, and focusing on functional rather than static stretches, you can significantly reduce your risk of injury and improve your game. These science-backed strategies are practical and can be easily incorporated into your routine. Remember, staying injury-free is crucial for continuous improvement and long-term enjoyment of tennis.
Did I skip over upper body injury prevention? Yep! But don’t worry, I’ve got a good reason. Research shows that lower limb injuries are way more common in tennis than upper body ones. Plus, the same injury prevention techniques apply to your upper body too. So, think of these lower body exercises as your starting serve in the injury prevention game. Once you all have established these staples in your routine then you can add in upper body work as well.
Remember that you can’t improve if you're sidelined with injury! Pre-hab (doing the work now to stay injury-free) is better than re-hab (recovering from injury). Do the work now to stay on the court.
Coach Jason
About the Author:
Jason Goldman-Petri is a Master of Tennis in Performance with the USPTR (1 of 200 worldwide). He’s also a Certified High-Performance Coach with the USTA (1 of 1000 in the US). As an iTPA CTPS (specializing in tennis-specific strength and conditioning), Jason currently serves as a Tennis Director for Blue Chip Sports Management, a large multi-facility management company located in Virginia. Jason also owns Tennis Circuitry LLC, an online tennis-specific physical and mental conditioning consulting firm. He has authored two tennis instruction books, an educational children's book, and has been published multiple times in tennis coaching journals.