Exercise and Arthritis

Staying Active: Playing Tennis With Rheumatoid Arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis and sports can go together when you make certain accommodations. Find out how you can still play tennis and enjoy other activities with RA.

By Denise Mann
Medically reviewed by Lindsey Marcellin, MD, MPH

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Keitha Hill, now 43, is planning to pick up her tennis racquet and hit the courts with her teen daughter as soon as the weather in her hometown of Shallowater, Texas, cooperates. This may not seem like a big deal, but it is for Hill. Diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis when she was 29, Hill, a fitness instructor, had been an avid tennis player and golfer. "I had to quit tennis because it was too painful to grip the racquet since my fingers were so swollen, and the vibration when the tennis ball hit the racquet also caused such bad pain,” she said. But Hill's story has a happy ending. Thanks to aggressive treatment, her condition is under control, and she's able to participate in all of her favorite activities.

RA Activities: Staying in Motion Is Key

Hill never gave up her active lifestyle. She teaches nine classes a week, including circuit training and step aerobics, runs four days a week, plays basketball with her 14 year old, and jumps on the trampoline with her 6 and 4 year olds.

“When I was diagnosed, my doctor said, ‘You are going to have to keep moving or you will stiffen up’ so I just kept going,” she said. “I was not going to lie down and say, ‘Woe is me.’”

Hill’s can-do attitude reflects that of a growing population of athletes, aging baby boomers, and weekend warriors who have been diagnosed with a form of arthritis, including RA. Female tennis stars Venus Williams and Billie Jean King, for example, each have a different type of arthritis and are doing their best to stay active.

Though pain and inflammation can make it more difficult to play sports, these conditions don’t have to sideline you. Along with proper medication, being active is an important part of any rheumatoid arthritis treatment plan, said Jordan D. Metzl, MD, a sports medicine physician at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City. “The stronger the muscles around your joints are, the better the joint performs,” he said.

Your Rheumatoid Arthritis and Sports Game Plan

“There is no reason why you should ever stop being active as long as you respect your pain and limits and learn how to work within them," said April Davis, OTR/L, CHT, a clinical specialist in hand therapy and upper extremity orthopedics at the NYU Langone Center for Musculoskeletal Care in New York City. These RA exercise steps can help keep you active in the activities you love:

Get an evaluation. If you have RA and want to play tennis, golf, or another sport, make sure the underlying inflammation is controlled and connect with a physical or occupational therapist experienced with caring for athletes. “First, we evaluate you and determine what issues instigate the pain and see if we can diminish this through an intervention and allow you to return to the court,” said Melissa Gunning, PT, MS, associate director at the Mount Sinai Rehabilitation Center in New York City.

Warmups count. Your rehabilitation may include incorporating a proper warmup/light stretching routine to make sure you are limber before play, Davis said. It's also wise to work with your pain, not against it. For example, because RA tends to flare in the morning, scheduling your tennis game in the afternoon makes more sense. Your therapist or doctor can also teach you how best to use ice or heat to relieve joint pain and inflammation.

Modify your equipment and swing. Tennis racquets, golf clubs, and other sports equipment can be modified so it's easier for you to hold and use. “We can build up the tennis racquet grip by making it fatter with wrap,” Davis said. “A physical therapist can also help modify your swings to decrease the emphasis on inflamed joints.” Always bring your own equipment with you to your therapy appointments.

Ask about splinting. Custom splinting of joints can also help. “This can hold the joint in a more stable position," added Gunning. “This adaptive splinting can be done at rest after play, during play, or even beforehand, depending on your needs.”

As Dr. Metzl said, “Arthritis doesn’t mean that you can't be active — it just means you have to do more homework to be active."