Why Can't I Put Weight On My Knee After Playing Tennis?

Your knee feels too painful or unstable to put weight on after playing tennis because a ligament, meniscus, tendon, or other supporting structure may have been injured during a sudden movement on the court.

You may have finished a point, planted your foot to change direction, or landed after reaching for a shot when your knee suddenly became too painful to stand on. Instead of feeling sore, it feels like the knee simply will not support you, making even a few steps difficult.

This type of pain often develops immediately after a twisting movement or sudden stop. Depending on what was injured, your knee may swell quickly, catch when you try to bend it, or feel like it wants to give way every time you shift your weight onto that leg.

Every Step Feels Like The Knee Might Give Out

You may hesitate to walk because the knee no longer feels stable.

A sprained ligament, particularly the medial collateral ligament (MCL) or anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), can make your knee feel unreliable even if you are standing still. The moment you try to walk, your body may instinctively avoid putting full weight on the injured leg because the joint feels weak or unstable.

Twisting During Tennis Can Trap Something Inside The Joint

You may feel pain deep inside the knee along with catching or locking.

A torn meniscus can make it painful to bear weight because part of the cartilage becomes pinched as the knee moves. You might notice the knee bends only partway, feels stuck during certain movements, or becomes sharply painful whenever you try to straighten your leg fully.

Why Your Knee Could Be Taking Longer To Heal

Your knee has a hard time healing when blood flow and circulation are limited.

Tendons, ligaments, and other soft tissues naturally receive less blood supply than many other parts of the body. Because of this, they often take longer to heal after repeated stress or injury, leaving you more vulnerable to lingering pain and a cycle of reinjury.

When circulation through the area remains limited, injured tissues have a harder time receiving the vital oxygen and nutrients they need to repair and heal. This can leave your knee feeling stiff, tight, weak, or painful during everyday movement and activity.

What Can Help Your Knee Feel Better

Your knee starts feeling better when blood flow and circulation improve.

Chinese herbs have been used for centuries to promote healthy blood flow and circulation. Their medicinal properties help break up stagnant blood and fluids that remain trapped around injured tissues, interfering with circulation. As circulation improves, blood flows more freely through the area, allowing those tissues to receive the oxygen and nutrients they need to heal properly.

Topical herbal remedies made with these Chinese herbs can help relieve pain while improving blood flow and circulation to injured tissues. The right product depends on your symptoms and whether you're in the acute or chronic stage of recovery.

If you have pain, swelling, inflammation, or bruising, Acute Sinew Liniment helps relieve these symptoms by increasing circulation and dispersing stagnant blood and fluids around the injured area to speed recovery. During the acute stage of healing, getting circulation moving early allows injured tissues to receive the fresh blood, oxygen, and nutrients they need to repair and heal.

If your injured area is especially swollen, red, or warm to the touch after a recent injury or flare-up, Sinew Herbal Ice is also used to reduce swelling and inflammation while restoring normal circulation so you can quickly regain range of motion. While traditional ice is commonly used to reduce swelling, Sinew Herbal Ice acts as an ice alternative to reduce swelling and inflammation while also dispersing accumulated blood and fluids to speed the healing process.

If you no longer have swelling or inflammation, but still have pain, stiffness, weakness, or sensitivity in cold and damp weather, Chronic Sinew Liniment helps relieve these symptoms by strongly stimulating circulation and increasing blood supply to injured tendons and ligaments to promote their healing. This is especially important because tendons and ligaments naturally receive less blood supply, which is why chronic injuries can take longer to heal.

If you have residual pain and stiffness, or the area becomes more painful in cold weather, Sinew Injury Poultice is also used to significantly stimulate circulation to injured tendons and ligaments to further promote their healing. By strongly increasing circulation, it counteracts the reduced blood flow caused by cold weather that commonly aggravates chronic tendon and ligament injuries.

If you exercise, play sports, or do other strenuous activities, Sinew Sports Massage Oil warms and stimulates muscles for exertion and relieves muscle tightness and soreness after activity. Warming and preparing your muscles before activity can improve flexibility, enhance performance, and reduce the risk of injury.

Frequently Asked Questions

You may also find these commonly asked questions helpful.

Should I keep walking if I can't put weight on my knee after tennis?

No. If your knee will not support your weight or repeatedly buckles, stop playing and have it evaluated as soon as possible.

Could I have torn a ligament during tennis?

Yes. A sudden twist, pivot, or awkward landing can injure knee ligaments and make weight-bearing difficult almost immediately.

Can a meniscus tear make it hard to stand?

Yes. A meniscus tear may cause sharp pain, locking, or catching that makes standing or walking very uncomfortable.

Is swelling expected after this type of knee injury?

Swelling is common after many knee injuries and may appear within minutes or gradually over the next several hours.

When should I seek medical care?

You should seek prompt medical evaluation if you cannot bear weight, your knee feels unstable, has significant swelling, or you heard a pop when the injury occurred.

The information provided here is intended to help you better understand your symptoms and recovery, but it is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Persistent, severe, or worsening symptoms should be evaluated by a qualified healthcare professional.