Tennis

Modern equipment has helped reduce injuries, with larger - lighter - stiffer rackets able to absorb the impact forces, and as such reduce the vibrations that will travel into the wrist. Correct grip size for your racket is essential to reduce injury, likewise the type of strings used. Natural gut is more flexible than manmade fibres and will often reduce the strain to the arm.

Coaching will help to reduce overuse injuries; for example hitting backhands with a wrist action will place strain on the elbow. The wrist should be in-line with the forearm when striking the ball, to enable the stress to be spread throughout the arm.

Begin your warm-up routine with the mobility exercises, spend extra time on areas that may already feel tight, (shoulder - elbow - ankles). Warm-up aerobically for at least 10 minutes by either skipping, light jogging or cycling, avoid hitting balls to warm-up, as this is one of the main causes of injury.

Stay warm whilst performing the warm-up stretches, and also these sports specific stretches.

After every sixth stretch spend 30 - 60 seconds light jogging to enable the muscles to stay warm and pliable. Once you have completed all of the static stretches look at the dynamic stretches, and spend a further 5 minutes doing these movements to simulate the motions made whilst performing the game.

After a good 30 minutes you will be both warm and fully stretched to begin playing your practice shots to help your hand eye co-ordination, and complete neuro-muscular system. Begin your play with easy shots from the baseline, before practising any net shots. Once you've warmed your serving arm, spend a few minutes working into your serve. Remember to take in fluid throughout the warm-up and also during the game.

Commence your cool-down as soon as you finish, with a minimum of 5 minutes light jogging to help circulate the blood, especially in the lower legs and also to reduce the heart rate gradually. Stay warm with suitable clothing whilst performing the cool down stretches.