Tennis is a highly demanding sport that requires a unique combination of physical and mental skills. From the quick movements on the court to the strategic thinking required for each shot, tennis players must be physically and mentally fit to excel in the game.
Tennis players need a balance of speed, power, and strength to match the fast paced nature of each game but also the endurance to maintain that for matches that can last hours and even carry over to multiple days.
Coordination and focus are also highly valuable skills in tennis. Having the mental capacity to make quick decisions and react to your opponents every move takes time and practice, but without them, it could make or break your game.
Tennis is a highly dynamic and engaging sport to play; whether that’s recreationally for fun or indeed in a competitive space and is a great activity to add to your active lifestyle. However, it does come with its risks… injuries!!!
The three most common tennis injuries are:
Tennis elbow: This injury is a type of tendinitis that causes pain and inflammation in the outer part of the elbow. It is caused by repetitive motion and overuse of the forearm muscles, which are used frequently in tennis to grip the racket and hit the ball.
To avoid tennis elbow, it's important to use proper technique when hitting the ball, and to gradually increase the intensity and duration of your tennis sessions to allow your muscles to adapt to the demands of the sport.
Additionally, it's important to properly stretch and warm up before playing and to use equipment that is properly sized and fitted to your body.
Shoulder injuries: Tennis involves a lot of overhead movements, which can put strain on the shoulder joint and muscles. Common shoulder injuries in tennis include rotator cuff tears and impingements.
To avoid shoulder injuries, it's important to use proper technique when serving and hitting overhead shots, and to build up the strength and flexibility of the shoulder joint and surrounding muscles through targeted exercises and stretching.
Additionally, it's important to gradually increase the intensity and duration of your tennis sessions, and to take regular breaks to rest and recover.
Knee injuries: Tennis involves a lot of lateral movement and quick changes of direction, which can put strain on the knee joint and surrounding muscles, especially when playing on a hard court. Common knee injuries in tennis include ACL tears and patellar tendinitis.
To reduce the risk of knee injuries, it's important to wear proper footwear that provides support and stability, and to use proper technique when moving and pivoting on the court.
Additionally, it's important to build up the strength and flexibility of the knee joint and surrounding muscles through targeted exercises and stretching, and to gradually increase the intensity and duration of your tennis sessions to allow your muscles to adapt to the demands of the sport.
Optimising your nutrition with high quality sources of dietary protein such as collagen peptides will enhance the robustness of tissues such as: ligaments, tendons, muscles, and bone, making them more resistant to the stress placed on them during training and competition. Doing so improves your daily recovery from exercise as well as providing extra support when recovering from an injury.
Collagen is the primary structural protein that forms the structure of tendons, ligaments, muscles, and bone and therefore plays a critical role in the performance and recovery of these tissues. Adding more collagen to these tissues will ultimately make for a stronger and more injury resistant tissue structure that will better withstand and recover from, the stress of tennis matches and training.
Not only that, with specific Bioactive Collagen Peptides® (like the ones we use here at U Perform), we can not only add more collagen into the mix by ingesting supplements, but in doing so we can also kickstart the body’s own natural production of collagen again! With clinical studies showing up to a 65% improvement in just 56 days.
Despite losses due to age, physical activity, or injury, we can see an overall significant net gain in available collagen to support the recovery and adaptation of key structural tissues in the human body to help you stay in the game longer and perform at your best!
Maximising the time spent training, while also minimising the time lost to injury, is the number one goal here at U Perform. TENDOFORTE® Bioactive Collagen Peptides® featured in our best-selling Active Collagen gels are being widely used to optimise the health and function of our soft and connective tissues like ligaments, tendons, and muscles; whilst also contributing to improving recovery from exercise and injury.
Due to the highly dynamic nature of tennis matches and training, connective tissues like ligaments and tendons, can come under a significant amount of stress and strain which can cause damage, inflammation and in worst cases, lead to injury.
Where it was once thought that tendon injuries were caused primarily by inflammation and overtraining, evidence is now pointing towards that fact that tendon injuries are likely more characterised by collagen fibre degeneration and the ineffectual activity of surrounding muscle groups. This means that an overstretched and over-exerted muscle during a serve or volley can cause significant damage to other soft tissue which could likely end in a tear or rupture.
Because of a limited blood supply tendons are slow to recover and disrupt training with several personal, competitive, and financial consequences to the high-performance athlete or the exercise enthusiast.
Ongoing research evidence and clinical studies are continually demonstrating the efficacy and value of adding TENDOFORTE® Bioactive Collagen Peptides® to your daily recovery routine.
For example, one independent study by the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) examined the benefits of TENDOFORTE® over a period of 6 months. The participants were 20 runners with long-term symptoms of chronic Achilles tendinopathy, not responding to any traditional therapies, and being unable to train.
Within 3 months, 12 out of 20 participants were able to return to running after starting a therapy with a daily intake of 5g of TENDOFORTE® (exactly the amount we include in each Active Collagen gel). What’s more, the benefits continued, and more runners returned to training in the following 3 months.
High performing tendons and ligaments combine strength, durability, and flexibility. U Perform TENDOFORTE® collagen peptides give the fibres the optimal elasticity for optimal function and performance.
As the primary structural protein in the human body (over a third of total body protein), collagen plays a vital role in the maintenance and development of almost all the physical structures of the body, including muscles.
Up to 10% of muscle is formed of collagen fibres and these fibres give the muscle tissue its strength and rigidity, whilst also maintaining their elasticity and durability.
The latest innovation in collagen technology, BODYBALANCE® is a brand-new muscle specific Performance Peptide®. BODYBALANCE® has a multi-factorial effect on body composition and the maintenance and development of muscle mass and was recently proven to contribute to over 61% more muscle growth over whey protein alone, making it a highly viable addition to your training and match day recovery routine.
Dietary protein is an essential for any foundational nutritional plan as it contributes to the maintenance and development of lean muscle mass; the muscle that gives us our strength and power. Through training we create damage (in a good way of course) to stimulate adaptation and repair.
Outside of adequate programming, rest time, quality hydration and sleep, your nutrition is crucial as it is from food and supplements that the body receives the nutrients it needs to fulfil that repair and adaptation process.
Crucial to the quality of that repair is COLLAGEN…
Supplementing with a high-quality recovery protein source such as U Perform Active Whey & Collagen post-workout, meets this need conveniently and cost-effectively. Alongside whey protein, collagen supplementation not only provides a high-quality source of Essential Amino Acids but also targeted Bioactive Collagen Peptides® have been proven to improve the recovery and growth of muscle tissue, as well as to increase their strength and make them more resistant to injury.
Furthermore, several randomised, placebo controlled. double blinded studies have demonstrated the efficacy and potential of the daily intake of 15g of BODYBALANCE® in combination with resistance training showing increases in muscle size, strength, decrease in waist circumference and, improved muscle recovery times. Recent studies show that BODYBALANCE® may contribute to upwards of 61% more growth in muscle size than whey protein alone.
Studies have been carried out in both men and women of varying age ranges and levels of activity; with all showing statistically significant results in as little as 12 weeks (15g daily serving BODYBALANCE® in combination with physical exercise). And this is exactly why we deliver 15g in each serving of our Active Whey & Collagen; for maximum functionality and the best value for money.
Joint problems are relatively common among tennis players due to the repetitive stress placed on the body during the sport. The most frequently affected joints are the knees, wrists, elbows, and shoulders.
For example, tennis players may experience knee problems such as patellar tendinitis, meniscus injuries, and wear and tear of the cartilage from the constant running and stopping, while wrist and elbow injuries such as tennis elbow or wrist tendinitis may occur due to the repeated hitting of the ball. Shoulder injuries can also be a problem, particularly rotator cuff injuries, due to the overhead serving motion.
The frequency and severity of joint problems can vary depending on factors such as age, playing style, training methods, and overall physical condition and if not managed properly, joint and cartilage injuries can be both painful and take a significant amount of time to recover. Proper technique, warm-up routines, appropriate training programs as well as nutritional interventions can help to prevent joint problems in tennis.
Optimising joint health should therefore be a top priority for tennis players of all abilities to reduce the incidences and severity of joint and cartilage injuries.
Cartilage within our joints effectively act like a shock absorber, taking on the impact and stress from running, jumping, tackling, and changing direction during physical activity of any kind. Therefore, maintaining the integrity and mobility of your joints and articular surfaces such as hyaline cartilage is crucial for anyone looking to improve their tennis performance, reduce the risk of injury and stay in the game for longer.
70% of articular cartilage is made up of collagen protein and Type II in particular. The physical demands of tennis practice and matches will inevitably put immense pressure on our joints and bones which can often lead to pain, impaired movement, and even chronic injuries.
Activity related joint pain (knee pain in particular), is one of the most common injuries experienced by golfers of all ability levels. Having the nutritional support to optimise our joint health is a crucial component of keeping us in the game for longer.
With a unique formulation of Type II optimised Bioactive Collagen Peptides®, FORTIGEL® is an innovative ingredient clinically proven to activate the growth of new cartilage and protect the integrity of existing cartilage by stimulating specific collagen producing cells in the cartilage tissue itself, helping to ease joint discomfort, and keep joints moving smoother for longer.
The effectiveness of FORTIGEL® has been scientifically proven in numerous studies and according to published research, the ingestion of FORTIGEL® collagen peptides (minimum 5g per day) stimulate a significant increase of cartilage tissue metabolism, against placebo. Which is exactly we have included the clinically recommended dose in each serving of our Active Sport Collagen formulation.
One study, carried out by Harvard University, investigated the long-term effect of FORTIGEL® treatment on the composition of hyaline cartilage in individuals with early knee osteoarthritis, a common condition that can affect the ability for us to stay in the game as we get older. The analysis of the final cartilage scans revealed a statistically significant increase in proteoglycan density in the medial and lateral tibial regions of the FORTIGEL® treated subjects compared to the placebo group.
Studies have been carried out in various groups and looking at different joint disorders including osteoporosis and osteoarthritis all showing statistically significant results in as little as 12 weeks (minimum 5g daily serving FORTIGEL®).
See and Feel the difference for your self – try Active Sport Collagen today! 1 month’s supply for only £29.95.
