In this week’s Ask An Orthopedist, a patient is concerned after experiencing joint pain after playing tennis for may years and is looking for treatments or pain relief suggestions so she can continue playing the sport she loves.
I have played tennis since I was 8, is it possible that I’ve developed some kind of joint pain in all of my joints? I’ve had wrist tendonitis in the past, knee surgery, and possible tennis elbow. How can I prevent the pain in my joints that still occurs?
Most of the things you are describing are overuse injuries, not due to some type of joint disease. Tennis is quite tough on wrists, shoulders, elbows, knees, feet, and ankles, so problems with these in a competitive tennis player are not surprising. Consistent conditioning and some strategic breaks from tennis for rest and recovery are the best tips I can give you.
