6 Injuries from Ping Pong You Should Avoid for 2023
- Daniel Truong
- No Comments
A person can experience ping pong injuries, even though these things are not that common. Of course, many assume that the sport is far from being a high-risk game compared to physical-contact sports.
However, anyone who plays ping pong may encounter these unwanted tragedies along the way. If one ignores the importance of preparations and warm-ups, they might get injured in the middle of the game.
So what are these injuries from ping pong that you should be aware of?
Table of Contents
Common Ping Pong Injuries
1. Ankle Sprain
Ankle sprains are the most common injuries in sports, and it typically occurs in ping pong, too. Specifically, it accounts for about two-thirds of all sports-related injuries.
Most ankle sprains happen when the foot is turned on its side or twisted. And for ping pong players, they should be wary about this.
After all, ping pong players are continually pushing off the ground with their feet. Hence, it is incredibly crucial to ensure your ankle strength and stability are adequate to prevent this particular injury.
It is also essential that players practice proper posture when playing. They should be able to position themselves properly before making a shot; doing this will help them avoid unpredictable and unnecessary movements.
2. Knee Injury
Knee injuries are a common occurrence among table tennis players, whether they are young or old. The reasons for this are not necessarily due to a lack of technical skills but rather due to the fact that table tennis involves a lot of twists, turns, and jumps.
The knees are a very important part of the body; they provide support and balance for the rest of your system so that you can run and sprint properly. Unfortunately, the knees can be prone to injuries, too, especially in a sport like a ping pong.
Similar to ankle sprains, the way you can avoid knee injuries is pretty simple. You have to train your posture and strengthen your legs.
Try not to make risky plays, too, especially if you are still new to the game. Letting your body get used to the physical strains of ping pong can be beneficial in the fitness of your knees and lower body.
Of course, having the right equipment can help you avoid these strains. For instance, you can check these ping pong tables from KingKongPong if you want extra protective platforms for players.
3. Tennis Elbow
Tennis elbow, or lateral epicondylitis, is a form of tendinitis that results in pain and tenderness at the flexor tendon at the outside of the elbow. It is caused by repetitive strain on the tendon.
The tendon becomes inflamed, and it may swell as well. It may become less flexible and, as a result, the elbow becomes stiffer.
Tennis elbow is caused by overuse of the forearm and can result in pain in the elbow during and after activity. Pain typically occurs around the inner elbow area at the point where the muscle and tendon meet.
The pain is most often felt during ping pong and can also occur during other activities that involve gripping, such as golf, weight lifting, and racquet sports.
Tennis elbow from the improper form during service can also happen and can be avoided by keeping the elbow straight and using the wrist to snap the ball.
4. Calf Strain
Calf strains are the most common injuries among recreational and competitive ping pong players. The injury can either be acute or chronic.
While some acute calf strains can be treated with simple rest, others may require weeks of rehabilitation and stretching before you can return to play.
Usually, calf strain happens when a player doesn’t take ample time to rest. Let me emphasize that ping pong is a game of running and diving; in short, it uses your lower body all the time.
If you don’t rest and you like to execute crazy movements, you can easily suffer from a calf strain.
Thankfully, developing a calf strain is usually easy to avoid with a few simple precautions.
Don’t forget to rest after a game. Moreover, do light warm-ups before and after playing to fully stretch your muscles.
5. Shoulder Pain
Shoulder pain is a common problem in ping pong players, especially if they spend a lot of time practicing, competing, or even just trying to play ping pong alone.
The shoulder is a complex joint and is susceptible to problems if a player uses it in the wrong way. This pain is most often caused by repetitive motions and often occurs in athletes.
While you are playing ping pong, you are exposing your shoulders to a wide array of movements–some of which can be considered high-intensity or explosive. Doing these strenuous routines for long periods can cause your shoulders and joints to suffer from bad pain.
It is recommended that you shouldn’t put excessive strain on your shoulders while playing. To achieve this, you need to improve your techniques so that you can minimize unnecessary motions.
It is also suggested that you hone your weight transfer. You have to make sure that you optimize the energy utilization of your body so that no part will be pressured.
6. Wrist Sprain
Holding a table tennis paddle is the steady cause of wrist sprain among ping pong players, especially those who have played the game for a long time.
It’s not uncommon for someone to stop playing for a few months due to wrist pain.
Keep in mind that the wrist is more susceptible to injury than any other part of the body because it is small, mobile, and not very well supported by muscles and ligaments. In fact, it is the least stable articulation in the body.
Relaxing your muscles within your forearm can reduce the chances of injuring your wrist. Practicing the right form and technique is also pivotal to avoid this particular injury.
Quick note: In KingKongPong, we researched and built TOP Products Review for Your Reviews. For more information, just click below.
Conclusion
Ping pong is a great game to play with friends, but like anything, it requires a certain amount of caution to avoid injuries.
Needless to say, ping pong injuries can ruin a fun day of ping pong, and while they are not likely, they are possible and should be avoided.
I hope you find this post useful. For other related inquiries, feel free to ask me in the comment section below.
