Shoulder Pain

What is Shoulder Pain?

Shoulder pain can occur in tennis players because there are repeated stresses during tennis strokes, particularly the serve. There are several sources of shoulder pain in tennis players, but one of the most common causes is Shoulder Bursitis. Bursitis is inflammation of a sac of fluid called a Bursa.

In the shoulder frequent overuse of the Rotator Cuff muscles (a group of small muscles, situated close to the ball-and-socket joint of the shoulder, that provide stability to the ball and socket) can cause the Bursa to get ‘impinged' between the muscles and the bony prominence of the shoulder, leading to inflammation. This causes pain whenever the arm is raised.

Ways to prevent Shoulder Pain

For tennis players attention must be paid to flexibility, strength and endurance of the shoulder muscles. In addition, any increases in the amount of training or competition must be gradual so as not to overload the shoulder. In particular, repetitions of the service action should be increased gradually to allow the body to adapt to increased workload.

How to treat Shoulder Pain

The first aim of treatment is to reduce the amount of inflammation through ice therapy (never apply ice directly to the skin) and anti-inflammatory medication prescribed by a doctor. Alternatively, a reusable cold pack can be used with a wrap that fixes the cold pack in place. If it’s kept in the freezer this can be used again and again.