Tennis is a sport that can cause a lot of injuries, and most players don’t know about some of the most prevalent harm that can befall you on the court. Every year, thousands of tennis players come down with dead-arm syndrome and have never even heard of it before. Instead of counting you amongst those thousands, here’s a quick run-down of the dead-arm syndrome and what you can do to prevent it.

What Is Dead-Arm Syndrome?

Dead-arm syndrome is an injury of the shoulder and rotator cuff that often affects your ability to throw and swing. In tennis, it’s a nightmare, but in daily life, you might not notice it very much. While you’re playing on a dead arm, you might notice your serves going slower, with less control over the ball, or even pain when serving. Many times, dead-arm syndrome results from many different factors all combining to become a full injury. Over time, small, repeated muscular tears can develop, as well as repeated overuse injuries in the shoulders and back. If you overcompensate for previous injuries, you might find yourself out of the game with the dead-arm syndrome.

How Can You Prevent Dead-Arm Syndrome?

Thankfully, there are plenty of ways that you can prevent dead-arm syndrome even when you’re off the court. Doing strengthening exercises on your shoulders and upper arm muscles is a great place to start, just as long as you make sure to warm-up before exercising. Make sure to stretch regularly, especially before a match, to make sure that your muscles are ready to move. And finally, ensure that you’re varying your movements from time to time. Don’t always serve in the same way, with the same posture– instead, find new ways to mix it up and outthink your opponents.

Are You At Risk From Dead-Arm Syndrome?

Anyone playing tennis can be at risk from dead-arm syndrome. This is an injury of the shoulder and rotator cuff and can cause you to have a little more difficulty playing on the court. To prevent this, make sure you’re exercising and stretching regularly. Dead-arm syndrome doesn’t have to take you off the court- instead, you just need to take regular steps to prevent it.