Game, Set, Match: Safety strategy for tennis players 65 and older
Sixty-five-year-old tennis players may long for their youth, just as 80-year-olds reminisce about their 60s. Tennis players slow down with age, but some egos defy that truth. So, older players might push too hard and hurt themselves.
Poor hearing and vision. Weight gain. Aches and pains that worsen over decades. They all contribute to the risks of tennis after 65.
Muscles shrink and weaken, and chromosomes shed telomeres. Telomeres protect chromosomes but are depleted by cell division. Then, cells divide less and lose vitality. National Senior Games Association age brackets mark the decline in 5-year increments from age 50.
The Marquis de Sade designed knees, prostates, groins, and hamstrings, but tennis players’ elbows, wrists, and shoulders got his best work. To be safe and competitive, older players need playmates whose ages are within 10 years of theirs and of comparable ability.
Their handicaps affect safety directly. Neuropathy makes feet insensitive and players oblivious to moments of imbalance and surface irregularities. Players’ feet stick and shuffle low and late even on a perfect surface. Players blame their shoes for a fall.
Older people rely increasingly on vision to stay upright. But, eyesight dulls as do kinesthetic, auditory and other senses that guide balance.
Cataracts blur vision and may give sight a yellowish hue. Blurry yellowed vision obscures speedy yellow tennis balls especially when backlit or blended with background colors. Then, players react late and sprint recklessly after a ball.
Exercise, cardiovascular fitness, mental and neurological wellness, and social engagement improve life for older players. But tennis can be frustrating and dangerous.
Tips on self-maintenance and preparation
Here are some ideas if you want to continue playing tennis into your elder years.
- Doctors who check older players’ cardiovascular health should test their foot bottoms with a tuning fork. Numbness to the vibration is a warning about neuropathy. Vision examinations for cataracts and macular degeneration are important, too.
- Hearing aids improve balance by increasing awareness of space, movement and sound. Wear them on the court if you need them.
- Pads protect one’s face, head and knees. Volleyball knee guards and soccer headbands are inexpensive, effective, and easy to wear. If an accident can happen in the quantum world of tennis, it will.
- Good shoes prevent ankle rolls because they provide foot support that worn-out, poor-quality, Ill-fitting shoes do not. Worn soles and erratic traction cause spills from slips. Overly grippy shoes impede pivoting and endanger ligaments and cartilage in the knees and ankles.
- Outdoor tennis exposes players to ultraviolet radiation. Sunscreen and protective clothing help prevent sunburns and skin cancers, as do hats, skull caps and sunglasses. Older players are more vulnerable to skin cancer.
Make smart choices
Here are some ideas on how you should play the game as you grow older.
- Play doubles more, singles less. Defend half a court with a partner rather than a whole court alone. The ability to stay upright during a sprint, stop, turn, or misstep diminishes with age.
- Play on clay or grass courts, which are softer and more forgiving than hard courts. Injury rates differ little, but impact forces on hard courts are higher. Palm Beach County has more clay courts than anywhere in the country. Sprains abrasions, and bruises are more likely on soft courts. Bone fractures and joint injuries can happen anywhere but are more likely on hard courts.
- Do not play on wet courts. Courts need not be drenched to be slippery. Taped or painted lines get slick.
- End deuce games by sudden death. These are unnerving words for older players but they might make a one-point end-of-the-game attractive after several deuces.
- Rotation allows extra players to participate and other players to rest. Rotating one player out and one player in after each doubles game lets everyone play four consecutive games and rest for one or more. Eliminating ad points speeds rotation and shortens sit time.
- Don’t compete against young, hard-hitting players who may be merciless. Some hit rockets to older opponents at the net. A shot to the face jeopardizes vision and ruins one’s looks – at least temporarily.
- Drink water before and during play. Sit during rests. Fatigue increases risk so stop playing after an hour or two, especially on hot days. Play on alternate days to be active and promote recovery.
- Leave the court if you notice pain, shortness of breath, or other troubling symptoms. Play with people who care about other players’ well-being and respond to distress signals.
Court survival techniques
- Remove stray balls from the court, and warn players about balls at their feet.
- Avoid off-balance turns, leans, or stretches if a return to equilibrium is sketchy.
- Do not backpedal for a lob. Instead, turn around, and run forward toward the baseline. Stop near the baseline, face the net, and let the ball bounce before attempting a return.
- Don’t look up for a lob while running. Anticipate its trajectory. Keep your head level, eyes focused ahead and move to where you expect it to land. Stop, turn around and then find the ball.
The bottom line for older tennis players
Older tennis players can be safe and competitive. Good preparation, smart play and a healthy attitude are keys to success. Tennis for older players should resemble a chess game, not a brawl. Players need not risk injury to win.
The game isn’t just about competition. It’s about goofy errors, laughter, and camaraderie. Exercise and the satisfaction of improving are golden rewards.
Sanford Weinstein, Ed.D., M.S.W., is Professor Emeritus at New York University
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Tennis players longing for youthful days can still play into their 80s, 90s
