How does tennis elbow start?

A

AznRamenDude

Rookie
Try searching the forums with no luck. Was practicing with a friend today. As we were rallying, there was a point that he was making the run around the court. I couldnt get to one of his forhand in time and ended up framing the shot. I felt a mild pain in my elbow at the impact. It faded in like 3 seconds, so i carry on. After like 10 minutes, it came back, and i linger on just for a bit, like 5 seconds. When we are rallying, there is no pain, but at breaks, i can feel a bit more pressure at my elbow. Well its been about 10 hours since i played and my elbow feels pretty fine atm.

Is this a start of a TE, or does it just happen to be a momentary pain at the courts today?

Thanks
 
chess9

chess9

Hall of Fame
You pick up a tennis racquet...and you strike a tennis ball...and you are on your way to helping send some orthopedic surgeon's son to Harvard. :)

-Robert
 
autumn_leaf

autumn_leaf

Hall of Fame
i have no clue but i guess you'll feel a twinge in the elbow and pains when you hit again.

advice would be not to play for a week or two and see how it is after that. you get it by repetition of an action so don't keep using it if it hurts, don't ice up and get back on the court, no no no.
 
A

AznRamenDude

Rookie
chess9 said:
You pick up a tennis racquet...and you strike a tennis ball...and you are on your way to helping send some orthopedic surgeon's son to Harvard. :)

-Robert
Click to expand...

haha, i must say thats pretty funny :)


Thanks for the input Aut. Leaf. I'll be sure to keep that in mind if more pain comes (which i hope not).
 
basil J

basil J

Hall of Fame
My pro told me that it can develop as a result of a variety of things
1. Squeezing the grip too tight when serving or hitting ground strokes
2. A tense 1HBH-tightening up prior ro contact and not swinging freely through the ball. You see a lot of old timers pushing the 1HBH wearing elbow braces.
3.using a stiff frame with stiff strings. Nowhere for the vibration to go except up your arm.
4. using a grip that's too small.- forces you to squeeze harder than normal to keep the frame in your hand.
 
A

AznRamenDude

Rookie
1) Well i'm sure that i'm holding the grip rather firmly, but not hard. I dont tense up my muscles that much.
2) i got a 2hbh
3) Well my n95 is stiff, but i dont find it REALLY stiff. I acutally like the solid feeling of it. Currently using Wilson Syn. gut extreme. Pretty comforthble strings in my opinion, but looks like its going to break pretty soon.
4) Nah, i got a 3/8 grip with a wilson pro overgrip. Fits very comforthbly in my hand.

My main concern is how does it start. If that pain is really the start, i'll take a week off to let it heal. I play like 4 to 5 or 6x a week, 2 hours each (though 3 days ago i played for 4 hours). If it's just a momentary pain, i'm going to resume playing because i get kind of twitchy if i dont for 3 days stright...:?
 
RakettoKozou

RakettoKozou

Rookie
That happened to me on my old stick. Pains came back whenever I used it, but after I switched to my APDC, everything became fine. I'm guessing its your strokes are off a bit or it's your racket. (In my case it was my racket.)

(BTW I was using Wilson Syn Gut on my old stick and now I'm having less pain using Kevlar o_O go figure)
 
Last edited:
Bud

Bud

Bionic Poster
AznRamenDude said:
Try searching the forums with no luck. Was practicing with a friend today. As we were rallying, there was a point that he was making the run around the court. I couldnt get to one of his forhand in time and ended up framing the shot. I felt a mild pain in my elbow at the impact. It faded in like 3 seconds, so i carry on. After like 10 minutes, it came back, and i linger on just for a bit, like 5 seconds. When we are rallying, there is no pain, but at breaks, i can feel a bit more pressure at my elbow. Well its been about 10 hours since i played and my elbow feels pretty fine atm.

Is this a start of a TE, or does it just happen to be a momentary pain at the courts today?

Thanks
Click to expand...

For me, it started as the elbow joint constantly popping (when not on court)... similar to cracking your knuckles. It stayed like that for a year or so... very little pain. Then one day, it started getting progressively worse.

So, if you feel pressure/pain or experience tightness/popping, that's the pre-cursor to TE. Start massaging your entire arm (both arms) before and after playing. Massage the tricep, bicep and the forearm muscles. Also, make sure to stretch both arms (all muscles) prior/post match.

Search the Internet for massage/stretching techniques to prevent TE.
 
A

AznRamenDude

Rookie
Thanks for the input Bud. I think it was just a momentary pain, as my elbow feels fine and i never have experience have my elbows joints popping or cracking.

Thanks for the input guys, greatly appricated it
 
V

volusiano

Hall of Fame
I had TE and got over it a couple of years ago already, but my joints still pops in my right arm, twice on the full range of motion. My left arm never had TE but it still pops once over the full motion. So I'm not sure if joint popping is a conclusive indicator of TE or not.
 
netman

netman

Hall of Fame
Tendons and ligaments are amazing pieces of tissue. Their inherent toughness and elasticity puts many man-made wonder fabrics to shame. Unfortunately they are susceptible to cumulative long term damage. Years of micro-tears and subsequent healing can build up scar tissue which doesn't have the flexibility and elasticity of healthy tissue. If the scar tissue area gets big enough, it can lead to everything from TE to complete tears, i.e. the infamous Achilles tendon tear.

Trying to play through the pain on TE just piles on the scar tissue. See a doctor and get an educated diagnosis of what is going on. Some times a rest period will cure the issue. Or play through the pain and help pay for your docs new Mercedes.

-k-
 
A

AznRamenDude

Rookie
netman said:
Tendons and ligaments are amazing pieces of tissue. Their inherent toughness and elasticity puts many man-made wonder fabrics to shame. Unfortunately they are susceptible to cumulative long term damage. Years of micro-tears and subsequent healing can build up scar tissue which doesn't have the flexibility and elasticity of healthy tissue. If the scar tissue area gets big enough, it can lead to everything from TE to complete tears, i.e. the infamous Achilles tendon tear.

Trying to play through the pain on TE just piles on the scar tissue. See a doctor and get an educated diagnosis of what is going on. Some times a rest period will cure the issue. Or play through the pain and help pay for your docs new Mercedes.

-k-
Click to expand...

Say what...? o_o
 
B

baseline08thrasher

Semi-Pro
What kind of question is this?
You either tweak something and you feel it when it happens, and you go home and wake up the next day and it hurts.
Or you have a slug fest with a hitting partner and you have a really high tension on your racquet, then you wake up the next day and it hurts.
Or after the match.
It really starts anytime, or anywhere.
You can't really be that specific, it's different for everybody, but mostly people have told me it hurts after their match for a while then they sleep, and it hurts them in the morning.
 
S

seb85

Rookie
Well, it might be the start of TE or it might not. Helpful eh?!

The truth is that it is pretty hard to say. Personally when i get any kind of niggle i stretch that area thoroughly, massage it and carry on as normal. After two weeks, if it still hurts, i;ll book in with a physio to get a professional opinion.

BTW stretching means twice or three times a day GENTLY. it doesn't mean every second- the idea is to relax the tissue so it can heal better. For the massage just stick your fingers in and try to loosen off any lumps you find. Another method i use for stubbord stuff is rolling an old tennis ball over the area.

If it still hurts after two weeks go to a doctor or PT.
 
A

AznRamenDude

Rookie
Ok, been two days, and my elbow feels pretty fine. Just a momentary pain. Thanks for your advices. I'll keep those in mind for the future. :)
 
S H O W S T O P P E R !

S H O W S T O P P E R !

Hall of Fame
AznRamenDude said:
3) Well my n95 is stiff, but i dont find it REALLY stiff. I acutally like the solid feeling of it. Currently using Wilson Syn. gut extreme. Pretty comforthble strings in my opinion, but looks like its going to break pretty soon.
Click to expand...

If the strings and stick are too stiff, use 2 shock traps. Place them at the bottom part of the head so it sucks up a lot of vibration.




AznRamenDude said:
My main concern is how does it start.
Click to expand...

It's mostly shock that causes it. If you have a recurring acute pain, stop playing and ice the elbow.
 
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