What's been your experience with GOLFERS ELBOW?

[twocents]

I'm going on my 6th week with Golfer's elbow. I went to the Cleveland Clinic and all they did was take xrays, give me some pills, an arm band, and exercises. They told me to come back in two weeks. They said I could play when I felt like I could and ice it afterwards like it was no big deal. After two weeks I hit for the first time (I bought Kennex rackets.) with my arm all wrapped up. It actually felt pretty good all wrapped up. Today it feels like I'm back to square one !!!
The question is: Do I increase the exercises? Rest it again for two weeks?
or just suck it up and realize this is the way it's going to be for the next year or so and just play with the pain. The xrays said there was no damage. IT'S JUST GOLFER'S ELBOW !!!
I'm curious to hear what Your experience has been. Thanks for any feedaback.

[Craig Sheppard]

You probably don't want to hear this, but you really need to stop playing until it completely feels better. After the pain subsides, start doing some strengthening exercises with very very light weights. You also need to get your technique evaluated because it's not your equipment causing it, most likely it's your technique. Excessive wrist snap will continually cause golfers elbow. Do you play with an overly small grip size or an overly light racquet? Both of those could contribute to wrist snap... I played a while with a grip too small and started to develop this problem. Thankfully it went away quickly after some rest and the right size grip.

[Tchocky]

What's Golfers' Elbow? How does it affect tennis players?

[Marius_Hancu]

What's Golfers' Elbow? How does it affect tennis players?

read the links under Elbow Pain in my signature here:

[Marius_Hancu]

twocents, read as many threads with "elbow" in this forum.

you MUST stop tennis NOW, until there's no pain.

then (if not pain) do flexibility exercises, then (if not pain) light weights, only then (if not pain) tennis.

which racket, strings, tension? you might have to change all of them.

[twocents]

"you MUST stop tennis NOW, until there's no pain.
then (if not pain) do flexibility exercises, then (if not pain) light weights, only then (if not pain) tennis."
which racket, strings, tension? you might have to change all of them.
Last edited by Marius_Hancu : Today at 05:15 PM.

Marius,
That's what I thought I would hear when I went to the clinic. I asked them if I needed to rest it completely and be pain free before doing ANYTHING. They said I need to keep stretching the ligments with light weights, that I probably would experience some pain, and that I could play with the strap on when I felt ready. I hit with moderate to extreme topspin off the forehand. I have been playing for more than 15 years and never had any type of arm or wrist problems so I don't think my technnique has gone that bad all of a sudden. I'm 99% sure it's from changing to the AeroDrive "Plus" (Swing wgt.334)strung with Hurricane on the high end and practicing a lot of serves.
After a while I switched to playing with gut for a while and lowering the tension but it didn't seem to help that much. It was probably too late. Since then I have bought a Kennex KI 10 PSE and tried it out yesterday. As long as used the strap it felt ok. Today I'm back to square one.
I will take your advice and rest it completely. THANKS.

[Waimea_Boy]

Get some Rolfing or the equivalent. Deep massage of the flexor muscles to break up any tension will ease the strain on the tendons above (at the elbow) and below (at the wrist). Highly effective.

[Marius_Hancu]

I'm 99% sure it's from changing to the AeroDrive "Plus" (Swing wgt.334)strung with Hurricane on the high end and practicing a lot of serves.

I will take your advice and rest it completely. THANKS.

welcome.

yes, it's the racket, most probably.

check this thread to see my experience:

Golfer's elbow ...from tennis
http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showthread.php?t=35004

[Cruzer]

Firstly, I do not believe the Babolat APD is causing your golfer's elbow. I have had golfer's elbow and it was caused by using a very stiff frame, Wilson HPS 5.0 and too much weightlifting. I use the APD+ now, having recently switched from the PD+ and have no elbow problems of any kind.
The simple answer when you have some type of arm problem is just don't play until it goes away. If you are at all an avid tennis player this is not the answer you want to hear. If you go to a sports doctor they will probably understand that need to play tennis and they will diagnose the problem and give you a regimen that will allow you to keep playing, albeit probably less than you would like but nonetheless still playing, while helping your condition get better. My wife has had elbow problems for a few years and the sports doctor she saw allowed her to keep playing on a reduced schedule, do some exercises and lift some light weights to help alleviate the condition. You have to be careful not to overdo the the exercises as that will worsen the problem. If you really want to continue playing I recommend you seek out a good sports doctor to help with the problem.

[Marius_Hancu]

Firstly, I do not believe the Babolat APD is not causing your golfer's elbow. I have had golfer's elbow and it was caused by using a very stiff frame, Wilson HPS 5.0 and too much weightlifting. I use the APD+ now, having recently switched from the PD+ and have no elbow problems of any kind.

Re the double negation in your first phrase: is that what you wanted to say?

I think in your condition you're asking for trouble by using these relatively stiff rackets. As you know, TE is a repetitive stress injury (RSI) and the fact that you don't feel anything now it doesn't mean the microscopic scars don't continue to accumulate in the tendons, and the risk is higher with a stiffer racket.