Step Up Your Tennis Game!

Have you hit a plateau with your serve? Or maybe you’re feeling like your backhand is weak? It could be that the shoulder or mid back joints are not moving correctly. I compare this to driving down the street with your emergency brake on. It can be done, but the car has to work harder and eventually something is going to give!

If your shoulder and mid back are not moving correctly you could be losing power. To see a first hand example of this, grab a tennis ball and stand with your back against a wall (see figure 1). Keeping your back flat against the wall, try to throw the ball as far as you can. Next step away from the wall, spread your feet and throw the ball as far as you can (see figure 2). Did it go further?

If the joints in your shoulders and mid back are stuck, it’s like trying to throw while standing against the wall.

Figure 1 Figure 2

Restoring the proper movement to the shoulder and mid back joints is like stepping away from the wall and throwing.

The best way to restore the motion to these joints is to have a chiropractor evaluate them. They can then treat them to restore the motion. If more strengthening and stabilization is needed the chiropractor can follow up with recommendations; but the first step is to restore the proper motion to the joint, or to release the figurative e-brake.