A wrist tendinopathy is an overuse injury of one of the tendons
around the wrist. Usually it involves the extensor tendon, which
is located at the ulnar side of the wrist (Figure 1). Often, the
injury occurs in the non-dominant wrist in players who use a
double-handed backhand. The flexor tendon is also located lower
down on the ulnar side of the wrist. This injury leads to
complaints during serving and when hitting forehands and
forehand volleys. The cause of the injury is the high loads that
the tendons around the wrist have to deal with when the ball
impacts with the racket. This results in overstretching and
micro-tearing of these tendons. Women are more commonly affected
than men, because they have looser and weaker wrists. The injury
is characterised by pain, swelling, heat and redness at the
insertion point of the tendon in the wrist. Usually, extension
and flexion of the wrist against resistance is painful. Tendon
injuries are slow to heal and may take six weeks or more.
Activity modification (if you