The medical component of a player development program involves both preventative and curative measures. Prevention is perhaps the most important issue in the physical-medical component for learning tennis. If coaches and players can successfully practice prevention, they will not have to resort to emergency treatments, cures and even rehabilitation that can interfere with a player’s competitive goals and, ultimately, a tennis career.

So, a coach’s main focus should be on the prevention of injuries, since he or she can make a huge difference in a player’s ability to stay injury free and develop a body, skills and game plan geared toward success on the court.

There are two categories of injuries – acute and chronic – that require different curative responses. An acute injury is a new injury or a complaint from the time it occurs and the short time that follows its start. An example of an acute injury suffered by many tennis players is an ankle sprain. A chronic injury typically recurs or repeats itself due to continued play or lack of proper rehabilitation. An example of a chronic tennis injury is tennis elbow that is present for one or two years and flares up during long, grueling tournaments. Acute tennis injuries are much easier to treat, and when treated promptly and properly, you can prevent an acute injury from becoming chronic.