Avoiding Knee Pain With Tennis

Is Tennis Bad for the Knees?

Tennis is not bad for the knees if your body is prepared for tennis.

Tennis is a sport that you can start at any point in your life. It is a great sport for physical fitness, mental fitness, and overall wellness.

Having healthy knees before playing tennis as well as if you are currently having some aches and pain in your knees is to find out why they are aching then having a treatment plan to help alleviate the discomfort.

To avoid serious pain when playing tennis, make sure that both knees are strong, both hips are strong, overall flexibility in all joints (All joints from head to toe) are flexible but also stable to play tennis.

Man holding his Right knee with pain on a tennis court with the racket and tennis ball lying on the court. Knee pain with Tennis

Best Shoes for Knee Pain with Tennis

Most people purchase shoes because they look cool or nice or they are expensive so they “should “be good for my feet. Just like a fingerprint, everyone’s feet are completely different. Searching for tennis shoes is like choosing running shoes. Search for a shoe that is very comfortable but provides:

Excellent stability
Mid/high ankle support
Support in the mid-foot
Cushioning in the midsole.

Remember, when you are playing on clay surfaces, you will need a clay tennis shoe. Many of the clay tennis shoes don’t have as good of an arch support. This is due to the bottom of shoe’s design and to not tear up the clay courts. To prevent conditions like plantar fasciitis, you may want to get a pair of custom orthotics for these shoes.

Blurred racks of tennis shoes with many brands and colors Best shoes for knee pain with tennis

Exercises for Knee Pain with Tennis

Whether you are a competitive tennis player or a weekend club tennis player, dealing with knee pain can keep you from playing your best.

Some common knee pain/injuries that can or will occur with playing tennis can be the following:

overuse injuries
tendonitis
bursitis
meniscus injuries
knee ligament injuries
Osteoarthritis.

If your knee pain is from playing tennis a good stretching, strengthening/knee, and hip stabilization program will be beneficial to you. Strengthening the knees focuses on the hamstrings, quadriceps, gluteals, and hip muscles. Here are some strength exercises that do not require weights.

Half/mini squat – slowly squat halfway down. Keep the knees behind the toes. Repeat 20 x. Click to read more about Proper Squat Technique. man doing half squat side view Half/mini squat

Standing Calf/Heel Raises – Stand and rise onto the balls of the feet. Repeat 20 x. man performing calf or heel raises from side view Standing calf/Heel Raises

Seated Knee Extensions – Sit and fully extend the knee. Repeat 10x, 3 sets. Seated Knee Extensions

Standing Hamstring Curls – Stand and bend 1 knee fully. Repeat 20 X. Man performing standing hamstring curls from the side view Standing Hamstring Curls

Straight Leg Raises – Lay on back, bend the opposite knee, and lift the straight leg 12 inches off the surface. Repeat 20x. Man lying on his back doing straight leg raises Straight Leg Raises

Side-lying Leg Raises – Lying on the side, lift the leg toward the ceiling. Repeat 20x.

Man lying on his side on a mat table doing side-lying straight leg raises Side-lying Leg Raises

Bridges – Bend the knees and lift the buttocks. Repeat 20x. Man lying on his back doing bridges with knees bent and lifting the buttocks. Bridges

Side-lying Clams – Lying on the side with knees bent, lift the knee by moving the hip. Repeat 20X. Man lying on his side doing side-lying clams Side-lying Clams

Stretches to Prevent Knee Pain with Tennis

Stretching the lower body (hips, knees, and ankle stretches) helps improve the flexibility and range of motion of the knee joint. More flexibility and mobility mean your knee will move a lot freely without restrictions. Here are some stretches that can help protect your knees with tennis.

Standing Quad Stretch – grab the foot in standing and hold 30 seconds, 3X. Man holding his foot to do a standing quad stretch Standing Quad Stretch

Hamstring Stretch – Sit on a surface and lean forward to stretch the back of the thigh with the back straight. Hold 30 seconds, 3X. Man sitting on treatment table doing a hamstring stretch Hamstring Stretch

Calf / Heel Stretch – Stand and lean against a wall with 1 leg back with the heel down. Lean forward and hold 30 seconds, 3X. Man doing calf stretch against the wall Calf / Heel Stretch

Hip External and Internal Rotation Stretch – Laying on the back, cross 1 leg over together and push the knee away Hold 30 seconds, 3X. Man lying on his back with the right leg crossed over the left with knees bent doing hip rotation stretch Hip External and Internal Rotation Stretch

Other related JOI Rehab Articles for Tennis: Lateral Epicondylitis or Tennis Elbow and Tennis Ratings and What They Mean.

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