Why Does My Knee Hurt When I Play Tennis?

If your knee starts hurting as you chase balls, lunge for shots, or stop suddenly during tennis, the pain may keep returning because repeated court movements are straining your knee faster than it can recover.

When you play tennis, your knee has to handle more than simply bending and straightening. You may sprint toward a ball, plant one foot, turn quickly, and push off in the opposite direction within seconds. If your knee is already irritated or your leg muscles are tiring, these repeated movements can make the joint or nearby tendons painful.

The exact source of the pain depends on where you feel it and how it behaves. Pain around the kneecap can occur with patellofemoral pain, while discomfort just below the kneecap may involve the patellar tendon. Pain along the inside or outside of your knee, particularly when twisting, can have other causes, including irritation or injury to a meniscus or ligament.

Quick Stops And Sharp Turns Make Your Knee Hurt

Planting your foot and changing direction can put extra stress on an already irritated knee.

You may feel a sharp twinge when you reach for a wide shot and try to push back toward the center of the court. The pain can also appear when you stop suddenly after a sprint or turn on a planted foot to chase a ball. These movements make your knee bend and rotate while supporting your body weight, which can aggravate the joint, meniscus, or surrounding ligaments if they are already irritated or injured.

Your Knee Pain Builds As The Match Goes On

Repeated rallies can make knee pain more noticeable as your legs tire.

You might start a match with little pain, only to notice your knee aching more after several games of running, lunging, and pushing off. As your thigh and hip muscles fatigue, controlling repeated changes in direction can become harder, and your knee may feel less comfortable during movements that were manageable earlier. If you keep playing through the pain, the repeated stress can aggravate the area further instead of giving it a chance to settle.

Why Your Knee Pain Keeps Returning During Tennis

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.

Why does my knee hurt when I play tennis?

Your knee may hurt during tennis because repeated running, lunging, sudden stops, and sharp turns strain the joint or nearby tendons. The exact cause depends on the location of your pain and whether it began gradually or after a specific movement.

Why does my knee hurt when I change direction during tennis?

Changing direction while your foot is planted can twist your knee and aggravate an irritated meniscus, ligament, or joint. Pain that starts suddenly or comes with swelling, locking, or instability should be assessed by a healthcare professional.

Why does my knee hurt more toward the end of a tennis match?

Your knee may become more painful as your legs tire and repeated running, stopping, and lunging add stress. Continuing to play through increasing pain can aggravate the problem.

Should I keep playing tennis if my knee hurts?

If your knee pain increases during play, stop or reduce the activity rather than pushing through it. Rest from painful movements and seek an assessment if the pain persists, worsens, or keeps returning.

When should I get my knee pain checked after playing tennis?

Seek prompt medical attention if you cannot bear weight, have major swelling, experience knee locking or instability, or develop severe pain after a twist. Persistent or worsening pain also deserves a professional assessment.

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.