While tennis elbow and wrist problems are common sports injuries associated with tennis, the sport can also create or worsen lower back injuries.
Low back pain is very common among tennis players. Low back pain may have various causes, such as postural abnormalities, muscle dysfunction (imbalances, shortening, or weakening of muscle), overuse, instability, and articular dysfunction in the lower back.
In 95% of the cases of low back pain, no specific physical abnormalities are found by additional diagnostic investigations that may explain the low back pain; this is why it is called “non-specific”. This includes muscle strains and back sprains. Specific low back pain is low back pain caused by structural abnormalities such as a herniated disc, a fracture, or a tumor.
How Tennis Causes Back Pain
- Front- and back-hand shots require a large amount of trunk rotation and twisting in the spine when playing tennis
- The tennis serve hyper-extends the lower back and can compress lumbar discs. This hyperextension of the lower back can stress the small joints in the spine, lumbar discs, as well as the muscles, ligaments, and tendons around the spine
- Back muscles must support continual sudden forward and lateral movements and start-and-stop motions during a game of tennis
Preventing Back Pain from Tennis
- Learn about different racket tensions and be fitted by a professional for the appropriate tennis equipment; a more flexible tennis racquet requires more trunk rotation than a stiffer tennis racquet with less tension in the strings. Racquets must also be properly sized by hand size to reduce stress on the elbow which in turn may alter the biomechanics of the swing and ultimately result in back pain.
- Consider using a slice serve rather than a kick serve to reduce the degree of back arch
- Use proper form during tennis, bending the knees, holding in the abdominal muscles
- Have a tennis professional check that the proper form is being used
- For new players, professional tennis instructors can teach proper form and make suggestions on how to avoid back injuries, back pain, or stress on the back
As in all sports, strong core body muscles are essential. A program designed to increase core muscle strength can help minimize or prevent lower back injury from tennis.
Precision Pain Care and Rehabilitation has two convenient locations in Richmond Hill – Queens, and New Hyde Park – Long Island. Call the Queens office at (718) 215-1888 or (516) 419-4480 for the Long Island office to arrange an appointment with our Interventional Pain Management Specialists, Dr. Jeffrey Chacko or Dr. Sonny Ahluwalia.
