Tennis is perhaps one of the most popular sports in the world today. Its popularity is also propelled by heated rivalry in the court by elite male or female tennis players who have gained millions of fans worldwide.

One of the undeniable truths about the tennis is that whether you are a beginner or an elite player, you could suffer from common tennis injuries. Long-time players of this sport are able to attest to that. By knowing and understanding these common injuries, you can be prepared to take extra precautions to avoid them.

1. Sprained Ankle

Many popular tennis players such as Roger Federed, Andrew Murray and Andy Roddick have suffered from a sprained ankle in the past. This injury is normally caused by a sudden sideways movement which players normally perform while playing. This movement causes the ankle to be twisted, resulting to damage of the ligaments and other surrounding tissues. In most cases, the damage results into bleeding of the tissues, which in turn causes the ankle to swell. This type of injury can be severely painful.

To prevent a sprained ankle from occurring, some tennis players use an ankle brace. However, if you already have that, it is also important to observe the PRICE protocol, which stands for Protection, Rest, Ice (should not be applied directly on the skin), Compression and Elevation.

2. Shoulder Pain

Various tennis strokes performed by players can greatly stress the shoulders. That is why shoulder pain is also a common injury among tennis players. In particular, many players suffer from shoulder bursitis, which is an inflammation that affects a fluid sac called bursa. This condition causes extreme pain every time the arm is raised.

To prevent this kind of pain, you should give attention to strengthening your shoulder muscles and keeping them flexible. There are certain exercises that can help you achieve it. If you are suffering from this condition, your first line of treatment is to apply ice pack on the affected area to reduce inflammation.

3. Calf Strain

Calf strain is an injury affecting the calf muscle group found at the back of the lowermost part of the leg. This muscle group becomes very active when a player has to make a sudden or quick move to catch the opponent’s shot.

Increased intake of carbohydrates and fluid within the last 48 hours before your game is one way to avoid calf strain. The PRICE protocol should also be administered to people suffering from this condition.

4. Stress Fractured Back

The lumbar spine can also be fractured as a result of stress while playing tennis. This is characterized by lower back pain, which can be eased by resting and exacerbated by activities that stress the back. It normally develops when the back is stressed during serving.

To avoid having a fractured back, it is important for players to be careful not to overload the back during service. Core stability exercises can help strengthen the back and avoid this injury. A person suffering from this condition may be required to completely rest from playing tennis for at least six weeks until the fractured bone is completely healed.

Most tennis players are already aware about these common injuries, but many aspiring players are not. It is important to be aware and proactive about these injuries so that you can prevent them from happening to you.

Born to a Russian mother and a Georgian father, Anna Chakvetadze was a professional tennis player who retired from the sport in September 11, 2013, because of a persistent back injury. During her career high, she was ranked No. 5 in the world in the women singles.

Anna was born on March 5, 1987 in Moscow. Growing up, she was not very interested in sports. Instead, her past time used to be playing the piano. She only began playing tennis when she was eight years old after her mother introduced her to the sport. She joined a tennis club then, and four years later, won her first trophy in a city competition.

A big break came for Anna in 2001 when she won a nationwide champion in Russia, at the age of 14. But she was still hardly recognized in Europe at that time. She then started to clinch for several junior titles in Scandinavia and Baltic countries. Most of her opponents were two years older than she was and were surprised to be defeated by a girl with a long and blond braided hair. Her braid later on became a part of her image as her WTA women’s tour unfolded.

Her parents fully supported Anna in her tennis career. She traveled with her father in all of her WTA tournaments. Her dad even allowed her to take classes from Chris Evert-Lloyd, a 1970s tennis star.

In 2003, an important leap in her career happened when she made it to the Wimbledon Junior Tournament finals. In 2004, she also got a chance to join the US open where she made it to the three qualifying stages. She was able to defeat some of the biggest tennis stars during that time, including another Russian player Anastasia Myskina. According to her, the US Open gave her more confidence and strength for her future career. In 2004, she ended being on the 33th place of the World Top 100 best female tennis players.

In 2006, Anna also defeated a number of top tennis celebrities including Anna Ivanovic and Elena Jankovic. And in September of the same year, for the first time, she has won her WTA title in Guangzhou in China. She won again another WTA title after one month during the Kremlin Cup in Moscow after defeating fellow top Russian players Nadia Petrova and Elena Dementieva.

2007 marked the peak in Anna’s career. During that year, she had four WTA winnings. She won one in Australia, one in the Netherlands and two in the United States. She even made it to the quarterfinals of the 2007 Australian Open and Rolland Garros in Paris. However, her dream of playing in a grand slam finals did not come true that year. But despite that, she received her highest ranking that year for being ranked No. 5 in the top 100 WTA in the women singles.

In the spring of 2008, she won her last victory in a WTA tournament held in France. After that, her career saw a series of flops and eventually, she decided to retire in 2013.