Lightheaded on Court / When to Quit?

Today, during a match, I won the first set 6-1. In the third game of the second set I became lightheaded. I got through it and was up 3-0. It was 85 degrees and humid and though I was winning my opponent was tenacious and making me work for most points.

At the break I hydrated, with water and homemade sport drink. Poured water in my cap and wrapped my neck with a wet towel too. I dropped the next game even though I was serving and just had trouble adjusting to the light headedness which persisted, mostly on exertion like running.

I managed to tough it out, but the next three games which I won were a struggle. I was managing disorientation after exertion for the rest of the match. I did my best to run my opponent which gave me a lot of shots up the middle to return but he was still able to run me a bit too.. When it was over it took about 2 hours in air conditioning and a good meal and quart of cold water to set me back to normal.

My question is how would I know if it were unsafe to keep playing? This incident scared me a bit.
 
As soon as you started feeling lightheaded you should have quit. No red tennis match is worth it.
I understand what you are saying and I have found that these sorts of things usually pass.
Back when I was in far worse shape, I would often have a 30 second or so episode, when I would get disoriented in the middle of hard match. Once the moment passed I would be OK for the rest of the match. This happened a few times over a period of months. Then as my conditioning improved it stopped happening altogether until yesterday. So I am conditioned to taking a wait and see approach.
I am feeling fine today so I am glad I didn't quit. Still I wonder how I would know I "really" need to quit. Maybe I won't till I pass out ;--(
 

nyta2

Legend
Today, during a match, I won the first set 6-1. In the third game of the second set I became lightheaded. I got through it and was up 3-0. It was 85 degrees and humid and though I was winning my opponent was tenacious and making me work for most points.

At the break I hydrated, with water and homemade sport drink. Poured water in my cap and wrapped my neck with a wet towel too. I dropped the next game even though I was serving and just had trouble adjusting to the light headedness which persisted, mostly on exertion like running.

I managed to tough it out, but the next three games which I won were a struggle. I was managing disorientation after exertion for the rest of the match. I did my best to run my opponent which gave me a lot of shots up the middle to return but he was still able to run me a bit too.. When it was over it took about 2 hours in air conditioning and a good meal and quart of cold water to set me back to normal.

My question is how would I know if it were unsafe to keep playing? This incident scared me a bit.
happened to me recently when on vac in DR... was evening but still hot & humid...
lack of conditioning + extra loss of liquid from sweating = no bueno...
i quit when i feel that way... at mininum to elim potential head trauma if i pass out (which i have done before)
it's possiible i was low on electrolytes (i usually consume LMNT but didn't have any in DR)
 
happened to me recently when on vac in DR... was evening but still hot & humid...
lack of conditioning + extra loss of liquid from sweating = no bueno...
i quit when i feel that way... at mininum to elim potential head trauma if i pass out (which i have done before)
it's possiible i was low on electrolytes (i usually consume LMNT but didn't have any in DR)
I'm curious about the times you passed out. Did you experience lightheadedness first or did it hit you all at once or were there other symptoms. Was it from hot conditions with extreme exertion or other circumstances?
 

nyta2

Legend
I'm curious about the times you passed out. Did you experience lightheadedness first or did it hit you all at once or were there other symptoms. Was it from hot conditions with extreme exertion or other circumstances?
i've only passed out once... but have felt the symptoms many times..
lightheadedness, then feels like the lights go out (like i'm looking through a tunnel), then just black
conditions were heat, fatigue, etc,...
 

SystemicAnomaly

Bionic Poster
I had a good breakfast with carbs and protein and drank 3 cups of water and two of sport drink during the match. I probably needed more liquids though since I was soaked in sweat..
I would often eat a generous amount of pasta (or carb + protein) for dinner the previous night so that I could get away with a fairly light breakfast.
 

onehandbh

G.O.A.T.
should get a check up. could be conditioning but what if there's an underlying cardiac condition?
Yes. Get checked out.

There was a guy I used to play with who felt unwell during doubles. He went to sit down and then died (from a heart attack).
 

dkmura

Professional
I can only say that as a 4.0 player approaching 70 that I notice my vision begins to change before I start getting lightheaded. This usually happens in hot weather and after 1.5 hours of competitive play. When this happens, I usually stop play, congratulate my opponent(s) and STOP before anything bad happens. I want to walk off the court, not be carried off it! I continue to be treated and evaluated by a cardiologist, who has yet to find a definitive cause.
 
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