Health advantages of tennis while pregnant

Health advantages of tennis while pregnant

In a modern world many people try to keep a healthy lifestyle. Men and women, adults and children – many of us are fond of doing physical activities.

Sports help people to keep fit, make us healthy and disciplined. Now all necessary facilities are provided for people, including for pregnant women. Expectant mothers can also do physical activities, but there are a plenty of limitations for them.


If there are no contraindications, exercise will make you healthier during pregnancy. Regular physical activities increase the physical resistance of a woman’s body, improve the nervous, cardiovascular and respiratory system, affect to the metabolism and increase emotional stability. They improve the blood circulation and nutrition of cells of a baby.

Pregnant woman playing tennisPregnant women can do such kinds of sports as swimming, hiking, water aerobics, yoga, pilates and so on. But football, volleyball, diving, water skiing, horse-riding, roller-skating are prohibited for them because of a high risk of injury.

Saying about such game as tennis, some pregnant tennis players continue playing the game until the last trimester of their pregnancy. But others abandon this entertainment. It is a difficult choice to make for pregnant women, especially if there is some stake.

So, is it safe to play tennis for mothers-to-be? What cautions do doctors note during this game? In this article we will give you necessary information about playing tennis during pregnancy.


First we will answer on the most important questions that you might thinking about: “Can you play tennis while pregnant?”, “Can you play tennis when pregnant?”, “Can I play tennis while pregnant?” etc. Yes, you can.

Tennis equipmentTennis is a sport which involves almost all muscles of the body. It is a mobile game that improves reactions and coordination.

Playing tennis while pregnant has several advantages for women. This game helps to keep in tone and strength your muscles. Focusing on the actions on the court we distract from our thoughts, relax and we can get a great pleasure playing tennis. Aggression and negative emotions are going down after the game. And it is a great opportunity to be outside and change your activities.

Certainly, there are some disadvantages of playing tennis foe expectant mothers. During the game we spend a lot of energy that can lead to serious problems. And you should not forget that tennis requires many rapid changes in direction while your movements are slower than they were before.

Because of the changes in your center of gravity you have a risk of falling and injuring. Also, there is a probability that a ball can hit you and injure you and your fetus.

And abrupt movements can cause a back or arms injuries. Now when you have an idea of the connection between tennis and pregnancy let’s speak about safety measures that should be taken into account.


Consult with doctor firstIs it safe to play tennis while pregnant? Doing any physical activity is always has some risk for pregnant women. Playing tennis during pregnancy has also some precautions. Before playing tennis you must see your doctor first.

If specialists consider you should not engage in this kind of entertainment, follow his/her recommendations because they know your medical history and your chronic diseases which can have some complications during playing tennis. If you get your doctor’s approval then you should ask for help a tennis instructor to get some tips for pregnant players.

As we say, tennis is a game which demands a plenty of energy, fast reflexes and coordination. Your body cannot have so much energy, your movements are slower and coordination is probably off. That is why you should be careful and try to avoid falls and injuries.

Warning: Doctors do not recommend playing tennis at the first trimester of pregnancy. It is explained that the fetus does not have any stability and the game involves an explosive force. It can lead to miscarriage.

The second trimester is safer period of pregnancy than other trimesters. But your body is changing and your belly is getting bigger and bigger so you should not run for a ball willing to win, play only for fun.

In the last trimester playing tennis is not recommended. This period you should stay calm and have a good mood and think about your child.

What should you remember playing tennis while you are pregnant?

According to doctors’ consideration, if a woman has played tennis before she may continue doing this kind of sport. But if you have never played tennis before, it is not the time try yourself.

Example of women tennis clothesIf you have played tennis a few times then you should not play tennis your pregnancy. Even for experienced players it is hard to keep balance and changes of the body makes playing tennis very harmful and dangerous.

Playing tennis you have to run a lot from the one side of the court to the other. Serving in tennis your lower back and back muscles are working, but you should be careful and avoid abrupt movements.

So we can conclude that pregnant women should play in a training mode and focus on the condition of their health. When the child is born, tennis will be the perfect game to keep fit and have a good physical shape.

During pregnancy we should try to avoid singles play, especially with an experienced partner. Doubles play involves less movement which can cause you to lose your balance. Also you always can rely on your partner who can do most of the running and carry your team.

Pregnant women should keep their organism hydrated, so it is necessary to have a bottle of water with you. When the sun is strongest you should avoid playing because heating has some negative sides for pregnant woman and her baby. You may wear a hat or a visor and breathable clothes. If your movements are uncomfortable for your belly you can wear an abdominal support and a supportive bra.

Warning! Do not play tennis between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. as it is the hottest hours of the day.

Warm-up and Cool-down exercises

It is important for all people to warm up and cool before and after doing sport. Correct warm-up and cool-down exercises help you to play better, improve the health condition and stay sporty.

Many tennis players start with jogging around the court. But because of the delicate state of health pregnant women can walk around the court. They should take twice as much time as usual doing exercises.

Recommendation: The most comfortable shoes for playing tennis are sneakers with thick soles. Choose your shoes properly.

Then you can play mini-tennis for several times, it helps to strength your muscles. Also there is an exercise called “tennis with a wall”.

Tennis is safe enough for pregnant womenAfter the game you can jog around the court raising your arms above your head for several times. Then you should use some exercise that will help your heart calm down to your normal one. It will prevent soreness and stiffness.

You should stop all your activities if you feel the following diseases:

  • dizziness;
  • headache;
  • belly pains and aches;
  • bleeding;
  • nausea.
Remember! If you feel discomfort, leave your activity and see your doctor.

Finally, we can say that pregnant women can play tennis but they must observe a plenty of precautions. Also there are pregnant women who are not allowed playing tennis.

Often they have high-risk pregnancies or other medical conditions. Whatever sport you want go in for, let your doctor know about your entertainment. If he or she says “OK” for it, follow recommendations which your tennis instructor will give you.

Pregnancy is a delicate state of health, so each woman should provide her organism with rest and care it deserves. Always listen to your body and behave yourself according to its reactions.

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