EFFECTS OF FLEXIBILITY EXERCISES TO PREVENT KNEE INJURIES IN TENNIS PLAYERS

Abstract

ABSTRACT Introduction: Despite the intrinsic benefits of sports practice, the adherence to tennis by a large part of the population without the due physical preparation apparently resulted in a high rate of knee joint injuries in tennis players, either in daily training or competitions. Objective: Prevent tennis players’ knee joint injuries by exploring ways to improve lower limb joint stability. Methods: This paper selected 50 national second-level professional tennis players and divided them into two groups. Both groups had daily tennis training, but the experimental group experienced additional lower limb flexibility exercises. Results: The tennis players in the experimental group increased their seated forward flexion from 22.19 cm to 26.96 cm, the knee joint extensor muscle strength index increased from 142.69 to 176.23, and the knee joint flexor muscle strength index increased from 93.21 to 149.28, P<0.05, with significant differences. The general stability index was changed from 0.23 to 0.20, the internal and external indices varied from 0.13 to 0.08, and the frontal and posterior indices changed from 0.13 to 0.08. Conclusion: Knee joint injuries in tennis players can be effectively combated by adding lower limb flexibility exercise protocol to daily training. Level of evidence II; Therapeutic studies - investigation of treatment outcomes.