Not a sandbagger but...

[srwaldr]

Hi everyone, just curious if anyone has any comments or advice about this situation.

Last year I started the season rated a mid low 3.5. I didn't play 10 months prior to the start of the season because of golfers elbow and still while recovering (gotta play!) I started the season out 2-5. Blah, couldn't even determine where the ball would bounce properly! Needless to say my rating was laughing at me. Eventually my elbow started to become accustomed to playing again, my game recovered and improved, and I finished the year after mixed and combos with around a 30-10 record. Great! I figure I'm ready to make a run at 4.0 this year as I was called a sandbagger repeatedly throughout the year (even almost had an entire opposing team start a fight over it and my partner whooping up on someone in 7.5 combos) and really beat people pretty easily.

And then... towards the end of the year I got injured again, this time the outside elbow which seems to be have been caused by repeated forearm pronation stress. Regardless, here I am, with an elbow that is 80%, I haven't played since October, and the new season starts in two weeks.

I guess my question is, if I skip the mens season this spring (I don't think my arm will hold up) to heal to 100%, will the computer rate any other league (mixed, singles, combo) that I compete in with the hopes of getting to 4.0 next year or will I be relegated to 3.5 again? I have a feeling that when healthy I'll continue to improve like last year and the beat downs will be even worse later this year.

Should I just embrace the label Sandbagger and get ready for 3.5 domination in 2019?

 

[McLovin]

I could be wrong, but if you have gender-specific results (e.g., mens 4.0, womens 3.5, etc), then your mixed results are not counted towards your year end rating.

Likewise, things such as combo (e.g. mens 8.5) are not counted towards your rating either.

However, if all you play is mixed, then you will obtain a 'mixed' rating, denoted by an 'M' at the end of your rating (e.g. 4.5M).

 

[OnTheLine]

Your C rating will stay with you for 3 years even if you only play mixed gender leagues. I believe in most (all?) sections that combo leagues do not count at all. Once you haven't played regular adult league for 3 years (or 2 years if over 60 years old I think) then it will turn into an M rating.

If you don't play either 40+ or 18+ this year you will retain the rating you had last year I believe.

Some sections, including my own, have other leagues that do count, single-gender single NTRP leagues in the Fall.

 

[Startzel]

Why not just do the right thing and play 4.0?

 

[5sets]

That decision is up to you but I can advise you into stringing at a lower tension and/or using multifilament strings to cure your elbow.

If that doesn't work try a lower flex racquet.

I had elbow issues for years, then magically cured with these treatments. You will enjoy tennis again no matter what league you play ! [emoji6]

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G928A using Tapatalk

 

[OnTheLine]

I also overcame elbow issues with doing what @5sets mentioned (using Sensation down to 54#)... and accupuncture.

For me, one session and 80% of the pain and weakness was gone. A tennis friend of mine was about to undergo surgery for it, she had been sidelined for 8 weeks, couldn't even lift a coffee cup ... encouraged her to try out the accupuncture as a last ditch effort. 3 sessions and 2 weeks later and she was back on the court and cancelled the surgery.

 

[srwaldr]

Why not just do the right thing and play 4.0?

Because people look at tennis record and see a low 3.5 rating and I don't get calls.

 

[Startzel]

Because people look at tennis record and see a low 3.5 rating and I don't get calls.

I have a hard time believing someone blowing people away at 3.5 isn’t being scouted for combo teams.

Are you saying you only play 6.5 or do you play 7.5?

 

[srwaldr]

I also overcame elbow issues with doing what @5sets mentioned (using Sensation down to 54#)... and accupuncture.

For me, one session and 80% of the pain and weakness was gone. A tennis friend of mine was about to undergo surgery for it, she had been sidelined for 8 weeks, couldn't even lift a coffee cup ... encouraged her to try out the accupuncture as a last ditch effort. 3 sessions and 2 weeks later and she was back on the court and cancelled the surgery.

The reality of my injury is that my elbow is decently strong and I don't experience "tennis elbow pain" in most activities. I'm using a yonex dr 98 with multis. I can twist the crap out of a blue flexbar and my strength in other PT TE activities is very high. BUT, I've always had this forearm extensor pain, towards the middle of my forearm that has been there since last year. I can ghost swing with a little wrist pronation and I can feel the soreness right in the middle. When I give tennis a go for 30 min, the elbow generally doesn't hurt too badly but after I get done the DOMS is EXTREME and my entire arm and elbow flares up deep inside to the point of pain for days. Even had numbness in my fingers after one day of probably going too hard. In fact I'm seeing an orthopedic Dr tomorrow to see if he can shed any light on it as it feels like it is more than just tennis elbow.

 

[srwaldr]

I have a hard time believing someone blowing people away at 3.5 isn’t being scouted for combo teams.

Are you saying you only play 6.5 or do you play 7.5?

Huh? I did play combo, said it above. In fact our 7.5 team went to states and lost in the final, 3rd set tie breaker. At this point I was already injured though.. =[ Posted a 9-1 record for 7.5 combo though.

 

[Startzel]

Huh? I did play combo, said it above. In fact our 7.5 team went to states and lost in the final, 3rd set tie breaker. At this point I was already injured though.. =[ Posted a 9-1 record for 7.5 combo though.

So you play 7.5 combo with a bunch of 4.0s that know you’re legit and you’re claiming no one at 4.0 would have you on their team because your rating makes you look like a low 3.5?

 

[srwaldr]

Yea, no captains were on our combo team. I'm sure I could have someone vouch for me but since I'm injured this year I didn't go down that route.

 

[IowaGuy]

accupuncture

@OnTheLine - any points in particular that you had the acupuncturist focus on? Or did they just pick the points themself after you described your elbow pain?

 

[Dartagnan64]

The reality of my injury is that my elbow is decently strong and I don't experience "tennis elbow pain" in most activities. I'm using a yonex dr 98 with multis. I can twist the crap out of a blue flexbar and my strength in other PT TE activities is very high. BUT, I've always had this forearm extensor pain, towards the middle of my forearm that has been there since last year. I can ghost swing with a little wrist pronation and I can feel the soreness right in the middle. When I give tennis a go for 30 min, the elbow generally doesn't hurt too badly but after I get done the DOMS is EXTREME and my entire arm and elbow flares up deep inside to the point of pain for days. Even had numbness in my fingers after one day of probably going too hard. In fact I'm seeing an orthopedic Dr tomorrow to see if he can shed any light on it as it feels like it is more than just tennis elbow.

Work on technique especially hitting in front. Sounds like a problem from a flattish, slapping stroke.

 

[kevrol]

I also overcame elbow issues with doing what @5sets mentioned (using Sensation down to 54#)... and accupuncture.

For me, one session and 80% of the pain and weakness was gone. A tennis friend of mine was about to undergo surgery for it, she had been sidelined for 8 weeks, couldn't even lift a coffee cup ... encouraged her to try out the accupuncture as a last ditch effort. 3 sessions and 2 weeks later and she was back on the court and cancelled the surgery.

Yep, both my wife and I have gone this route with amazing results.

 

[OnTheLine]

@OnTheLine - any points in particular that you had the acupuncturist focus on? Or did they just pick the points themself after you described your elbow pain?

I described my pain and problems and they did the rest. I had been under an orthopedic's care and on an ice and immobilization, which I think was a terrible mistake. Accupunturist changed me to no ice at all, instead heat therapy, first did a deep massage/stripping and then placed needles wherever they chose.

I was not expecting it to work .... I was shocked. Relief was nearly immediate. By the next day probably felt at 75% better, by day 3 with continued heat therapy was at 100% .. Did not need a second session.

 

[Dartagnan64]

I described my pain and problems and they did the rest. I had been under an orthopedic's care and on an ice and immobilization, which I think was a terrible mistake. Accupunturist changed me to no ice at all, instead heat therapy, first did a deep massage/stripping and then placed needles wherever they chose.

I was not expecting it to work .... I was shocked. Relief was nearly immediate. By the next day probably felt at 75% better, by day 3 with continued heat therapy was at 100% .. Did not need a second session.

I'm fully convinced that increasing blood flow to the tendon and muscles is really the key to healing from tennis elbow. There is not a lot of active inflammation and its more of a degenerative process. Heat, massage, dry needling, accupuncture, PRP injections, proper warmup is all superior to ice and rest IMO.

 

[srwaldr]

I had dry needling done with nothing positive to report. Feels weird when they do it though, triggers muscle reactions and phanton pains in other locations of the arm....

 

[OnTheLine]

I'm fully convinced that increasing blood flow to the tendon and muscles is really the key to healing from tennis elbow. There is not a lot of active inflammation and its more of a degenerative process. Heat, massage, dry needling, accupuncture, PRP injections, proper warmup is all superior to ice and rest IMO.

Yup ... I am now a believer too. I have some mild achilles tendonitis and use heat packs for 20 minutes before any tennis as well. But accupuncture didn't seem to help as well with that as with the elbow.

 

[kevrol]

Yup ... I am now a believer too. I have some mild achilles tendonitis and use heat packs for 20 minutes before any tennis as well. But accupuncture didn't seem to help as well with that as with the elbow.

I had it done for that too and it did help. Unfortunately though that just masked the pain and I ruptured it a year later.

 

[srwaldr]

Work on technique especially hitting in front. Sounds like a problem from a flattish, slapping stroke.

Thanks, I originally had Golfers elbow from this, catching the ball late ect.. Since then I've been hitting with a full western grip and getting good results hitting out front.

Where I think my injury is coming from is from the serve, I'd feel it in the extensors during hard flat serves. I think my extensors just broke down from constant bashing and can't support the elbow properly. I don't know, just my guess. The extensor soreness still hasn't gone away even though my elbow has been feeling better, which is frustrating beyond belief. I also went out to hit backhands and I got some decent DOMS from that which was puzzling, until I realized that the right arm in the backhand basically does a reverse grip curl, which kills my arm extensors and the radial brachialis.

Wonder what "procedure" djoker had on his elbow... Maybe the new TENEX Technique?

 

[Dartagnan64]

Yup ... I am now a believer too. I have some mild achilles tendonitis and use heat packs for 20 minutes before any tennis as well. But accupuncture didn't seem to help as well with that as with the elbow.

Eccentric heel drops. Sets of 20 three times a day. Hopefully will also prevent risk of rupture.

 

[OnTheLine]

Eccentric heel drops. Sets of 20 three times a day. Hopefully will also prevent risk of rupture.

Every morning on the stairs with my cup of coffee, every night before I go to bed. I have the achilles lump ... but I have had that for 25 years ... hoping to avoid a rupture.