Professional tennis players must endure a grueling calendar where physical discomfort is nearly unavoidable, according to sports kinesiologist Facundo Urchipia.
Shoulder Injuries Rank as Most Frequent in Tennis
The rigorous rhythm of elite tennis leaves a very narrow margin for physical recovery due to demanding tournament schedules, constant court surface changes, and last-minute international travel. Urchipia, a kinesiology specialist with the high-performance sports group BioSport alongside physical trainer Alejandro Lacourt and sports physician Eugenio Gordon, noted that epidemiological data reveals clear injury patterns across the sport.
Shoulder injuries rank as the most frequent issue in tennis overall. However, the exact nature of physical complaints shifts dramatically depending on the player’s competitive level. Professional tennis players frequently suffer from trunk injuries, lower back pain, and abdominal tears. In contrast, recreational players deal far more often with lateral epicondylitis, commonly known as tennis elbow.
Urchipia attributed the high rate of tennis elbow among amateur players to technical and equipment factors rather than sheer workload. Recreational athletes rely too heavily on wrist action during strokes instead of keeping the wrist relaxed during the swing, a flaw largely avoided by professionals who possess more refined mechanics. Playing with an unsuited racket or switching equipment without an adequate adaptation period alters the fundamental biomechanics of the stroke.
Managing Discomfort in Professional Careers
The daily reality of elite competitors—including athletes such as German player Daniel Altmaier and Argentine competitor Luisina Giovannini from Rosario—demands constant medical intervention that goes far beyond basic pain management. According to Urchipia, professional players operate in a continuous state of physical compromise. In a professional player, it is nearly impossible not to have physical discomfort, and the core challenge involves negotiating what constitutes a genuine medical concern because high-performance athletics do not equate to health.
This reality dictates a relentless daily routine that persists even during tournament weeks. Preventive physical therapy occurs both the day before a match and immediately following a defeat, with practitioners attempting to utilize every available second without overworking the athlete.
To support local athletes, the BioSport team focuses on centralizing high-performance care in Rosario so young competitors do not feel forced to relocate to the capital city. The project aims to provide an integrated professional staff locally, allowing developing players to train with experts who possess direct experience in professional tennis.
Temperature Therapy Depends on Injury Type
Addressing common misconceptions regarding home recovery treatments, Urchipia clarified the specific indications for temperature therapy following physical activity or acute incidents. Cold applications remain necessary when dealing with trauma or acute conditions involving significant inflammatory processes. Conversely, chronic issues such as muscular tension or contractures require heat applications to encourage muscle relaxation.
The BioSport team’s ongoing clinical operations continue in Rosario, where practitioners coordinate daily preventive conditioning and injury management for regional tennis prospects and touring professionals.
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