Tennis Elbow and Strings?

[WildVolley]

The anecdotal evidence is that stiffer string is not good for people with tennis elbow, and the most common stiffer strings are some sort of co-poly.

There are a lot of us that play with polys and have no elbow problems. On the other hand, if you have elbow problems it really makes sense to use a more flexible string.

The other common advice is to use a heavier more flexible graphite racket to protect your elbow.

[Chas Tennis]

Does anyone know of any neutral research on the issue?

What characteristic of the strings is important?

How do the different strings compare for that characteristic?

[mbm0912]

Originally Posted by LeeD

58? Drop 8 right off the bat, unless your racket is an OS, then drop 4.
You have elbow problems, why use such high tensions?

58 is toward the lowest tension recommended with that racquet. It comes strung @ 62 so I dropped it 4 and went with the softer strings. So you would go 4 more with the OS? I also hit around 5 times a week.

[Cindysphinx]

I got TE earlier this year. I dropped my tension, although I continued using the same strings (gut on the mains, poly on the crosses).

That seems to have helped. Now I am string the gut at 55 and the poly at 50. I'm pretty much cured.

[TheCheese]

If you like poly, try going low tension. mid to low 30s.

[CFreeborn]

I went through similar issues last year. Mine was "Golfers Elbow" rather than tennis - which was directly related to squeezing the racket handle too tight.
Also switched to a softer racket (Babo Pure Storm) and away from poly strings to a multi mix. So far favorite is Wilson NXT Control, with Babo Addiction coming in second. That allowed me to keep the tension where I prefer (57-9), but soften up the string bed.
-C

[WildVolley]

Originally Posted by Chas Tennis

Does anyone know of any neutral research on the issue?

What characteristic of the strings is important?

How do the different strings compare for that characteristic?

It seems there is no good quality statistical study of this issue, which isn't surprising. The evidence is anecdotal, but doesn't seem completely wrong. Stiffer rackets and string seem more likely to irritate tendon issues. However, the fact that some people play stiff rackets and string without issue while other people with flexible rackets and gut have developed tennis elbow shows that logically poly is not the only cause of tennis elbow.

I don't know how to properly define it, but anyone who strings knows that poly string is stiff and holds a bend, unlike gut or most synthetic guts and multis.

[Mick3391]

Originally Posted by joe49n

Many, many years ago I had a bad case of tennis elbow. I gave up tennis for almost a year. I switched to a very light racquet, the Volkl Catapult 3. It was great. No more tennis elbow. About a year ago I started using Dunlop Sport Explosive Hybrid 16 gauge strings. I don't know if it is coincidence, but my tennis elbow is back, not as bad as I had it before. Is it possible that certain strings are worse than others for tennis elbow? If so, what string type, brand, etc., is used by people with tennis elbow that is helping them?

This year is my year of learning about injuries, seems I've had it all, calfs, golfers elbow, neck, tendon in the ankle.

The last thing to go, and I thought I'd never play serious again, was this golfers elbow. I don't know how old you are, I'm what like 38, anyways it was so bad it hurt to dry my hair, hurt to pick up the racquet.

Call me nuts, or perhaps it's just cooincidence, but I started HCG shots 500IU every other day, it's boosts testosterone, and I am totally pain free, I mean I played today, nothing, could run no pain in the legs, but my arm is what amazed me.

Testosterone my understanding builds muscles back up, repairs if you will, I'm not sure, and I realize this is just anecdotal evidence, but heh, I can play full speed again

[Pbarrow]

Originally Posted by Mick3391

Call me nuts, or perhaps it's just cooincidence, but I started HCG shots 500IU every other day, it's boosts testosterone, and I am totally pain free, I mean I played today, nothing, could run no pain in the legs, but my arm is what amazed me.

Testosterone my understanding builds muscles back up, repairs if you will, I'm not sure, and I realize this is just anecdotal evidence, but heh, I can play full speed again

Can you elaborate on your testosterone steroid program please? Are these actual injections and under a supervised prescription? I am 45 years old very active and athletic but I can feel my body aging and curious about every advantage possible to strengthen and have more energy.

[Chas Tennis]

Originally Posted by joe49n

Many, many years ago I had a bad case of tennis elbow. .............................

Do you hit with a one hand backhand?

Researcher D. Knudson has some interesting things to say about 1hbh technique.

[Mick3391]

Originally Posted by Pbarrow

Can you elaborate on your testosterone steroid program please? Are these actual injections and under a supervised prescription? I am 45 years old very active and athletic but I can feel my body aging and curious about every advantage possible to strengthen and have more energy.

Sure, it's not taking Testosterone, that alone will reduce your body to produce it naturally.

HCG shots, 500IU every other day forces your body to produce it's own Testosterone naturally. Until last year, you could get it without a prescription, but since there is this weird diet associated with it, that is basically starving yourself, the extra Test supposed to hold onto muscle, the FDA made it so it's only legal with a prescription.

I would look here for more information http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_c...c_gonadotropin

All you are doing is RESTORING your Testosterone to when you were much younger, no side effects, no complications, it's AWESOME.

[charliefedererer]

Originally Posted by Mick3391

Sure, it's not taking Testosterone, that alone will reduce your body to produce it naturally.

HCG shots, 500IU every other day forces your body to produce it's own Testosterone naturally. Until last year, you could get it without a prescription, but since there is this weird diet associated with it, that is basically starving yourself, the extra Test supposed to hold onto muscle, the FDA made it so it's only legal with a prescription.

I would look here for more information http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_c...c_gonadotropin

All you are doing is RESTORING your Testosterone to when you were much younger, no side effects, no complications, it's AWESOME.

As long as you have enough money, you can find a quack to initiate this "therapy" and become a HCG junkie.

How did you fink your quack?



HCG is a banned substance in all sports.

"Since it is established that human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) affects testosterone production and release in the human body, the use of this hormone as a performance enhancing drug has been prohibited by the World Anti-Doping Agency.
- http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21798680


"Does HCG IM have side effects?
The following side effects are associated with HCG IM:
Common side effects of HCG IM:
Enlargement of an Ovary Severe
Visible Water Retention Less Severe
Infrequent side effects of HCG IM:
Puberty at an Earlier Age than would be expected Severe
Depression Less Severe
Enlarged Breasts Less Severe
Low Energy Less Severe
Head Pain Less Severe
Nervous Less Severe
Signs and Symptoms at Injection Site Less Severe
Easily Angered or Annoyed Less Severe
Rare side effects of HCG IM:
Ruptured Ovarian Cyst Severe
Acute Blood Clot in an Artery Severe
Ovarian Enlargement Usually due to Infertility Treatment Severe
Life Threatening Allergic Reaction Severe
Allergic Reaction caused by a Drug Severe"
- http://www.webmd.com/drugs/drug-1119...0&pagenumber=6

[Pbarrow]

Yikes, I read the wiki and it looks pretty scary to me! Not the silver bullet I was looking for, too bad. Thanks for the info both of you.

[epiczeko]

Originally Posted by Ramon

I can already tell you everything the String board will say:

1. Try natural gut
2. Try soft multifilaments
3. Poly is bad
4. Poly isn't that bad if you string it low.
5. It's not the strings, it's your bad form.
6. Why don't you just hit the ball in the sweetspot every time!

You should add good dampener to that list. A rubber band should do the trick
It helped me.