A truly fun and engaging sport, tennis is something that can be enjoyed by people of all ages, from all walks of life. Tennis can be both competitive or relaxing, taken seriously or just to played for a ‘hit and giggle’ type of atmosphere. Either way, tennis is a great way to engage all the muscles in the body, get fit, and have fun.

Unfortunately, even tennis can have its downsides. One common negative side effect of engaging in regular games of tennis is called ‘tennis elbow’. Like so many other sports, such as runner’s’ knee or swimmer’s’ itch, this sport too is prone to just a little something going wrong.

Basically, tennis elbow is a type of tendinitis that happens when the tendons around the elbow swell. It can cause pain and discomfort to the muscles and joints around the elbow, making it difficult to continue playing. It happens from the repetitive movement of the elbow joint when playing tennis.

The good news is that tennis elbow is both treatable and preventable. There are many things you can do while playing tennis that can stop it from happening, or easy treatment options available if you do fall victim to it.

Treatment

 If tennis elbow happens to you, there are many easy things that can treat it. Some of these treatments can be carried out at home, or seen to by a medical professional. Depending on how severe the tennis elbow pain is will determine whether you need to seek medical assistance.

Some tennis elbow treatments include:

• Resting the injury at home
• Using a cold pack to reduce the swelling
• Taking an anti-inflammatory tablet
• Wearing an elbow splint while playing
• Learning new techniques and movements
• Wearing a counterforce brace
• Engaging in physiotherapy rehabilitation

Prevention

 To make sure that tennis elbow is not inflicted on you in the first place, you can take a more preventative approach to it. These strategies are generally successful, but it still might occur depending how much tennis you play or if you are prone to tendon injuries.

Try some of these preventative strategies when you are playing tennis to avoid tennis elbow altogether:

• Stretch your arm before each session of tennis
• Practice flexibility and strength building exercises when not playing tennis
• Make sure your tennis racket is the right shape and size for your body
• Wear a brace on your elbow if you are prone to tendon injuries
• Stretch properly and rest appropriately after each tennis session

Hence, it is important that you hit the ball the correct way by engaging a qualified tennis coach for tennis lessons to get the fundamentals in place. Whether you are an adult or kid, getting the basics right from the beginning eliminates bad habits that would ruin your body!