Table tennis is a game that balances strength, agility and precision. The high speed of the game requires players to react properly within milliseconds, which puts their body under a great deal of strain. The following guide will help you avoid the most common injuries while enjoying a game on the table tennis table.
Muscle Strain:
A muscle gets strained when you demand short, quick bursts of energy from it without allowing it any time to prepare itself. All physical activity should gradually progress through intensities so that your body has enough time to adjust. Doing a simple warm-up before a game will help you avoid muscle-strains when you are playing. Ensure that you spend some time getting your pulse rate higher and shadow playing your shots before you approach the table tennis table.
Knee, ankle problems:
Table tennis requires you to quickly move yourself around the table, and shift your weight to benefit the shot. This puts a lot of strain on the knees and ankle joints which is why many players with bad training practices develop problems in these areas. Strengthen your legs by exercising them regularly and keeping them fit for use in a good game.
Shoulder, wrist problems:
As the main aspect of the game involves swinging your arm at the right speed, angle and position to get a good strike, there is definitely a lot of pressure on your wrists and shoulders than you realize. Most amateur players tend to overuse their shoulders in each of their shots with the hope of adding power, but this can easily be achieved by using good weight transfer technique. Ask your trainer to teach you how to use weight transfer to hit powerful shots instead of overusing your shoulder.
Although preventing injuries is much more desirable than treating them, there is a chance that you will injure yourself if you are pursuing table tennis seriously. Remember that giving yourself complete rest is the best way to ensure that a small injury does not develop into a chronic problem, so stay away from the table tennis table if you are injured.
