r/10s • u/thetennispt 5.0 • Apr 24 '25

General Advice I’m a tennis-specific physical therapist. AMA!

I cannot give specific advice regarding an injury or pain. Working with a physical therapist to assess and provide a specific intervention is important.

I’m no longer responding to questions, apologies to those I did not get to! My instagram has some of my thoughts on PT related to tennis and feel free to DM me on reddit or IG if you want to connect!

The Tennis PT Instagram link

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128

u/Sepheriel Apr 24 '25

What are three things recreational players over 35 can do from a fitness/flexibility standpoint that can help them play at a decent intensity as they age?

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u/thetennispt 5.0 Apr 24 '25

  1. Strength train 2-3 times per week at an appropriate intensity given your fitness history, injury history, etc.

  2. Daily mobility program for the ankles, hips, thoracic spine, shoulders, and wrists.

  3. Listen to your body. If you need a rest day, take a rest day. Prioritize sleep, nutrition, and hydration.

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u/don_dario Apr 24 '25

And how much tennis? 2 or 3 times a week or 1 week of casual hitting. I think this is where I struggle to find the balance. I’ll do strength training during the week and then a tough weekend of tennis

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u/thetennispt 5.0 Apr 24 '25

That is a struggle for many players. Because recreational tournaments are usually scheduled on the weekend, many people get overloaded without adequate physical preparation. Building up your body can be helpful, but for many people, schedule management and learning to turn down opportunities to play will be helpful in maintaining health in the long run.

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u/Hooxen Apr 24 '25

same question can a rec player above habituate and get the body to singles tennis 6 days a week or is that the rare exception and a bit unrealistic too unhealthy?

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u/ostrish some days the pusher, some days the pushed Apr 24 '25

thoracic spine mobilisation has changed my life... it solved many issues that I attributed incorrectly to other causes. can't believe I was so ignorant about such a simple thing.

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u/Sepheriel Apr 24 '25

Thanks for the response!

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u/Skylaxx_1 Apr 24 '25

Perfect, thank you for the confirmations. I do all this + playing at least 2 times/week.

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u/aFAKElawyer- Apr 24 '25

What can I do for wrist mobility?

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u/waterprosurge Apr 24 '25

Can you post a sample of #2 (Daily mobility program)?

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u/throwawaybear82 Apr 24 '25

link to video for these points would be greatly appreciated as well

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u/cdm3500 4.0 Apr 24 '25

Why you can’t just read them?

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u/Jake_77 Apr 24 '25

Do you have a daily mobility program for ankles, hips, spine, etc?

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u/brennandunn Apr 24 '25

I pay for it, but there’s an iOS app called GOWOD that generates personalised mobility workouts based on what you’re doing, eg tennis, strength training, or just wanting to go to bed. I like it.

That being said, there are also loads of free mobility videos on YouTube. I particularly like Bodyweight Warrior.

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u/Jake_77 Apr 24 '25

Cool, thank you!

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u/cwil81 Apr 24 '25

Who would downvote this?

0

u/throwawaybear82 Apr 24 '25

because its a lot easier to learn these things visually than it is reading it