A incidência de lesões em tenistas profissionais durante torneios oficiais: uma revisão narrativa

Abstract

Introduction: Professional tennis, a high-demand sport played on various surfaces, predisposes athletes to injuries. The injury pattern is characterized by acute injuries in the lower extremities and chronic overuse injuries in the upper extremities and trunk.Objective: The objective is to analyze the most incident injuries among professionals during official competitions, focusing on the relationship with tournament characteristics to develop preventive strategies.Methodology: This is a narrative literature review of 9 articles that analyzed adult professional tennis players with injuries or withdrawals during valid competitive matches. The search was conducted in databases such as PubMed, EMBASE, Scielo and LILACS. Results: Injury incidence varies widely, from 20,7 per 1000 sets played (Wimbledon) to 48,1 per 1000 MEs (US Open). Musculotendinous injuries are the most common. A history of previous injury is the most significant predictor. Risk patterns vary based on: the location of injuries, with acute injuries being more incident in the lower limbs and chronic injuries in the trunk and upper limbs; gender and tournament level, with men and lower-tier tournaments having a higher likelihood of injuries and withdrawals; and the court surface, with hard and clay courts posing a higher risk of withdrawal.Conclusion: Tennis exhibits a predictable pattern of acute injuries in the lower extremities and chronic injuries in the trunk/upper extremities. The incidence of withdrawals is on the rise. Previous injury history is the main risk factor, reinforcing the need for standardization in data collection and the development of preventive programs focused on trunk stabilization and lower limb load management.