Tennis players frequently attribute aches and pains to the hard court surfaces, but often the root cause of lower back, groin, hip and knee pain is misaligned knees. The hips basically connect the upper and lower halves of the body – when they are misaligned, other joints overcompensate, which can create new problems altogether.
Ideally, our shoulders should be positioned directly above the hips, but when the hips are misaligned, the extra stress tennis puts on the now overcompensating shoulders can be problematic for surrounding muscles and tendons. One of the best ways to avoid this is by stretching.
A good pre-tennis groin stretch can boost hip health by helping with alignment. This stretch is passive and relaxing, which means it’s easy to do on a regular basis!
Simply lie on your back and spread your arms to the sides. Bring your feet up towards your torso, with the soles together and knees spread out to the sides. Make sure your feet are centered. The back does not need to be flat to the ground – just make sure you’re comfortable. Don’t push with your hands – let gravity do this work!
Ideally, this stretch should be held for two or three minutes. You can use this time to visualize your upcoming tennis victory!
This stretch is so simple and non-exerting that it can even be done in bed! Nevertheless, it provides a tremendous boost to hip health and flexibility and is highly recommended by ATA!
That’s all for today, gang. Be sure to follow us on social media for more helpful stretching tips and other great tennis content sent directly to your newsfeed!
SOURCE: http://www.active.com/tennis/articles/the-3-minute-stretch-to-prevent-tennis-injuries
