Hello USTA Mid-Atlantic! I’m Dr. Bradley Butkovich at Atlantic Orthopaedic Specialists. I specialize in Sports Medicine and Arthroscopy and see patients at our Kempsville and Depaul offices. I am the Team Physician for Old Dominion University and work with all athletes including ODU’s Men’s and Women’s Tennis Teams. My Athletic Trainer, Jonathan Hartman, MSAT, ATC will be available at USTA MAS events in the Virginia Beach area for consultation and appointment scheduling if you experience an injury on the court.
Today I wanted to discuss “knee health” and give you some tips to help keep you on the court! Tennis requires you to be quick on your feet to keep the ball in play. All of the constant back-and-forth, quick turns, and other moves mean that your knees are constantly being twisted, turned and pounded on.
As a tennis player it is very important to protect your knees and prevent knee pain and problems. Always warm up before a match, and cool down afterward. It is crucial to have a good stretching program to be performed before and after activity. Play within your limits, and ease back into play if you haven’t played in while. Strengthen the muscles around your knee and in your legs to offer better support and protection for your knees. Exercises that focus on quadriceps, hamstrings and core are all very important in injury prevention.
If you have an injury, take a break from tennis and allow the knee to heal. Ice the knee regularly to ease pain and inflammation, and keep the knee elevated to manage swelling. The use of a knee sleeve can help keep the knee warm and has proprioceptive properties that can help to support the knee. Anti-inflammatory medications such as Aleve, Advil or Ibuprofen, can help to manage your pain and swelling. If you are having persistent swelling, pain, locking, clicking or catching then you may have a more serious knee joint problem and you should come see us in the office. Please feel free to schedule an appointment by contacting Renee Hart at (757) 321-3311, or visit www.atlanticortho.com for more information.