Pre Game

General foot and leg soreness is a nagging injury that can decrease your desire to play, as well as limit your ability to perform.

CONDITIONING

Strengthening and stretching the muscles in your feet, lower legs, hamstrings, and quadriceps can help to prevent soreness.

Rolling a tennis ball under your foot stretches the foot muscles and can improve flexibility.

Precipitous changes in activity, such as playing several hours of tennis when you have not played for months, can produce foot and leg soreness. Build up your activity level gradually.

GEAR

Individuals with foot imbalances, such as high arches or over–pronation, may be at a greater risk of suffering from foot and leg soreness. Taping, off–the–shelf orthotic inserts, and custom orthotic devices prescribed by a physician can help correct this problem.

When choosing tennis shoes, settle on a pair that is well–padded at the ball of the foot, where the most pressure is exerted, and well–cushioned in the heel to absorb excessive force.

TENNIS LEG

Tennis leg is the term used to describe a deep muscle tear within the calf. Whether the result of overuse or a direct blow, calf injuries can be debilitating because they hinder your ability to perform explosive movements.

SKILLS

Changes of direction or sudden bursts, such as when you are reaching for a shot, can put you at risk of injuring your calf muscles. Unless you are properly conditioned, try to avoid these motions. Tennis leg is more likely to occur during competition or when you are playing at higher intensity.

CONDITIONING

Stretching and strengthening the muscles around your lower leg will help prevent calf injuries, as will properly warming up before taking the court. Begin with a brisk walk or light jog, then stretch your lower legs for several minutes. Hit a series of easy strokes with your tennis partner, and perform runner's stretches before, between, and after matches.

Never play through calf pain. R.I.C.E. (Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation) should be used immediately after a calf injury, and you should seek medical attention if the pain does not subside.

GEAR

Be sure your footwear provides good support. You may want to consider wearing orthotics for additional support. Having your calf taped or wearing a shin-calf sleeve can help by providing support to the calf area. Also, inserting a heel pad into your shoe can lessen some of the strain on your calf muscle.