A study classifies tennis as a ‘Dangerous Sport’… Here are its brain injuries
When discussing sports-related brain injuries, we typically think of games like football, rugby, boxing, and other combat sports. However, a recent study has added tennis to this list.
According to Professor Shin Lin Jao, a mechanical engineering professor at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, United States, a powerful tennis shot can cause a brain injury if the ball hits the player’s head.
According to the study published by “Tennis Universe,” concussions can occur if a tennis ball traveling at a speed exceeding 89 miles per hour (approximately 143 kilometers per hour) collides with someone’s head.
The researchers explained that the average serve speed in professional tennis often exceeds 100 miles per hour for both men and women.
The researchers noted that amateur players may not hit the ball with the same force, but tennis injuries are possible, albeit rare, even among amateurs, according to the UPI news agency.
Shin Lin Jao emphasized that “understanding head injuries caused by tennis balls and protecting against them is crucial, considering that tennis is a global sport practiced by tens of millions of people worldwide.”
How Do Serious Injuries Occur in Tennis?
According to the researchers, head injuries caused by tennis balls are more likely if the ball hits the side of the head or if it strikes at a 90-degree angle directly.
The researchers reached their conclusions using a computer model similar to the one that predicts head injuries that may occur in a car accident.
The computer model assessed what might happen to a person’s head if a tennis ball struck it at different speeds, locations, and angles.
The researchers, whose study was published in the scientific journal “Applied Mechanics,” specifically focused on whether a tennis ball could cause a traumatic brain injury—a strong impact to the head severe enough to disrupt normal brain function.
The research team compared these results with previous studies on severe brain injuries to ensure the accuracy of their observations and findings.
Concussions are considered mild traumatic brain injuries because they do not threaten life, but they can cause problems such as headaches, dizziness, difficulty concentrating, and may persist for weeks or months.
