USTA Injury Prevention & Rehabilitation 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which muscle group is most commonly involved in tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis)?
- Wrist flexors
- Wrist extensors (Correct answer)
- Shoulder rotators
- Biceps brachii
Correct answer: Wrist extensors
Tennis elbow involves the wrist extensors, particularly the extensor carpi radialis brevis, which attaches at the lateral epicondyle.
Question 2: What is the recommended PRICE protocol step immediately after an acute ankle sprain?
- Progressive loading and strengthening
- Protection, Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation (Correct answer)
- Passive stretching and heat application
- Return to play within 24 hours
Correct answer: Protection, Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation
PRICE (Protection, Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation) is the standard immediate management protocol for acute soft tissue injuries like ankle sprains.
Question 3: A player reports sharp pain in the patellar tendon below the kneecap during jumping and landing. This most likely indicates:
- Iliotibial band syndrome
- Patellar tendinopathy (jumper's knee) (Correct answer)
- Meniscal tear
- Anterior cruciate ligament sprain
Correct answer: Patellar tendinopathy (jumper's knee)
Patellar tendinopathy causes pain at the inferior pole of the patella and is aggravated by jumping and loading movements.
Question 4: Which of the following best describes the concept of periodization in injury prevention for tennis players?
- Performing the same workload year-round to maintain fitness
- Systematically varying training load and intensity across cycles to allow recovery (Correct answer)
- Eliminating all strength training during the competitive season
- Focusing exclusively on technical skills and ignoring physical conditioning
Correct answer: Systematically varying training load and intensity across cycles to allow recovery
Periodization involves planned variation in training volume and intensity to optimize performance and reduce overuse injury risk.
Question 5: When a junior player reports consistent low-back pain during serves, the FIRST area a coach should assess is:
- Grip pressure on the racket handle
- Hip and thoracic spine mobility limitations (Correct answer)
- String tension of the racket
- Foot positioning on the baseline
Correct answer: Hip and thoracic spine mobility limitations
Limited hip and thoracic mobility forces excessive lumbar hyperextension during the serve trophy position, a leading cause of low-back pain in juniors.
Question 6: What does the term 'kinetic chain' refer to in the context of tennis biomechanics and injury prevention?
- The sequence of racket, string, and ball interaction
- The linked transfer of forces from the ground through the body to the racket (Correct answer)
- The opponent's pattern of stroke production
- A warm-up drill using elastic resistance bands
Correct answer: The linked transfer of forces from the ground through the body to the racket
The kinetic chain describes how force is sequentially generated and transferred from the legs through the core and arm to the racket and ball.
Question 7: Which type of stretching is most appropriate during a tennis warm-up to prepare muscles for play and reduce injury risk?
- Prolonged static stretching held for 60 seconds
- Dynamic stretching involving controlled movements through range of motion (Correct answer)
- Passive partner-assisted stretching
- Ballistic bouncing stretches
Correct answer: Dynamic stretching involving controlled movements through range of motion
Dynamic stretching increases muscle temperature and neuromuscular readiness without reducing force production, making it ideal for warm-up.
USTA Injury Prevention & Rehabilitation 2
Which muscle group is most commonly involved in tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis)?