Stiff Neck/pain after playing

[srimes]

Anyone else deal with a stiff neck after playing? For me it hits the day after I play, and often lasts 2-3 days. When I play often my neck stays sore.
I'm 40 btw, but have had this issue several years. I fear it's arthritis and there isn't much to do about it.

 

[Harry_Wild]

If you have great medicine plan, ask for a referral to a physical therapist and see if she/he can help you with that. Otherwise, you might have to pay a deductible. Paying straight out pocket cost is not too bad if you just do two sessions, maybe $250-$300.

 

[S&V-not_dead_yet]

Anyone else deal with a stiff neck after playing? For me it hits the day after I play, and often lasts 2-3 days. When I play often my neck stays sore.
I'm 40 btw, but have had this issue several years. I fear it's arthritis and there isn't much to do about it.

If you play doubles, blame it on your partner, the "pain in the neck" guy.

Do you do anything to stretch your neck and connected shoulder muscles before or after? Maybe you should establish a routine and see if that helps. And what about ice or heat after? Electro-stim? A foam roller?

Can you isolate it to something specific [ie serving]? For example, does it happen under all circumstances or just when you play a match? If you rally without serving, does it still occur? Maybe it's your OH?

I'm not sure of the wisdom of taking NSAIDs because that could just be masking the problem. Still, I know several athletes who pop one or two before playing and they say it helps.

 

[srimes]

I don't do anything special before or after, unless you count pivoting at the waist/turning whole body to look left and right to avoid neck movement. Kinda j/k it isn't that terrible, but I do some of that.

I think it's the side-to-side movement, as I feel it even if I don't serve.

I'm also skeptical of painkillers for routine activity. I reserve them for injury or extraordinary events.

 

[comeback]

it's from straining your neck while serving..Try rubbing it down with a good analgesic ointment before you play

 

[blakesq]

i get a stiff neck from tennis. my cure was working with weights at the gym. not sure what particular exercise helped, but I do bench press, squat, shoulder press, lat pull downs, curls, triceps , leg extensions, hamstrings, calfs, and ab work. I think doing exercise that’s different from tennis is what helped my neck—Works different muscles than the same muscles you use over and over again in tennis.unfortunately, haven't been to the gym since march 2020, and my neck is sore again.

 

[Crowdgoeswild]

Anyone else deal with a stiff neck after playing?

Yes, For me it is the "Trapazius" muscle. I'm getting older also and now have to self massage the neck and stretch the neck.
I apply a medium pressure and run my fingers along the Trapazius from the middle base of the skull to about mid way along the shoulders on the back area.
Then try to stretch the neck. You may try directing warm water on your neck and shoulders for a bit and try to safely stretch a bit.

I agree with blakesq that trying to find exercises you can do that works the shoulders, and upper body should help. Since all the muscles have a purpose for aiding, supporting, or moving
some part of the body it makes since some exercises focuses in the upper body region would show some benefits.

 

[Deleted member 776614]

I'm trying to find a good, concise stretch routine for tennis - which should include dynamic stretches beforehand, and sustained stretches after. I get stiff anything if I exercise and don't stretch. I hired a running coach who showed some simple before/after stretches and never, ever had a single problem. I haven't seen a tennis coach do this. Sure enough I started playing tennis and have had some issues.

I got a bad stiff neck / shoulder / back spasm which I think is from serving practice and not stretching.

There are plenty of suggestions online, but I want to know the suggestions come from someone who knows what they're talking about before implementing them.