Arm-Friendly Racquets for those with Arm Problems?

M

matchpointread

Rookie
Hello all,

I have a sensitive arm and have developed some issues in my elbow and shoulder. So I'm looking ways to help my arm heal and still play. My arm seems to do better with lighter racquets, so I'm considering to find a new stick. My favorites are the RF97 and PS97, but my arm seems to disagree with this preference (it could have been the velocity mlt in the crosses as well).
So, I'm open to new quality information to help my arm and keep playing. With this consideration, I'm thinking of trying:

Pro Kennex Ki 5 (300)
Pro Kennex Ki 10 (310)
Head Graphene 360 Extreme MP
Yonex EZONE 100L

I'm looking to keep the weight low, yet have a stable and comfortable racquet. If anyone has played with any of these and can confirm the comfort or not, input here is very welcomed. Also, if you know of other racquets that are easy on the arm, a mention is welcomed as well.

Thanks for your post!
 
Mark-Touch

Mark-Touch

Legend
matchpointread said:
Hello all,

I have a sensitive arm and have developed some issues in my elbow and shoulder. So I'm looking ways to help my arm heal and still play. My arm seems to do better with lighter racquets, so I'm considering to find a new stick. My favorites are the RF97 and PS97, but my arm seems to disagree with this preference (it could have been the velocity mlt in the crosses as well).
So, I'm open to new quality information to help my arm and keep playing. With this consideration, I'm thinking of trying:

Pro Kennex Ki 5 (300)
Pro Kennex Ki 10 (310)
Head Graphene 360 Extreme MP
Yonex EZONE 100L

I'm looking to keep the weight low, yet have a stable and comfortable racquet. If anyone has played with any of these and can confirm the comfort or not, input here is very welcomed. Also, if you know of other racquets that are easy on the arm, a mention is welcomed as well.

Thanks for your post!
Click to expand...

Check this thread.
Someone asked basically the same question as you, less than a month ago!
https://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/ind...acquet-for-older-player.664597/#post-14156613
 
McGradey

McGradey

Hall of Fame
The v7 Blade 98s are very flexible, stable and solid at a relatively low static weight. They do have high swingweights though, so that's something to keep in mind.
 
P

p-ratziner

New User
My pro staff 97 with VOLKL VSTAR 1,25 with 48 lbs plays very soft. I had elbow AND wirst problems with pure Aero before.
Also i think that your body needs Time to get use to a new raquet.

Enviado desde mi WAS-LX3 mediante Tapatalk
 
Last edited:
A

Arak

Legend
it’s much more likely to be the strings than the racket. I find using the RF97 very good on my elbow while the blade 98 18x20 gives me the most trouble. I believe the consensus is high static weight head light balance is the best combination.
 
mike schiffer

mike schiffer

Semi-Pro
I have found the "answer" in a Head graphene 360 Radical "S" with a RA of 61 and a reel of Mantis Comfort.....Also....after minor arm problems persisted with the stock frame.....I injected foam up the shaft that came halfway up the hoop.Then, as a final mod I removed foam 5 inches up the shaft and replaced it with silicone up to the buttcap....45lbs with the MCS and I've got a completely quiet frame with an enormous sweet spot even on mis=hits and a big creamy response when I'm on the money...ice packs after every play and stretching massage on the arm with my special anti inflamation cream...and I refuse to play below 65 degrees....And for all you heavy racquet purists....if you cant play with your poly and 12 oz uberstix....it still means you cant play at all...and I'd rather get out there with my wonderwand(10.6 0z) and play....plenty of plowthru here...I'm saying "keep searching for the cure and try something different...I was about to give up and play pickleball
 
A

Anthony Kirk

New User
Headlight balancing is what you want, high twistweight for stability, large sweetspot, and generally I'd say higher static weight to absorb the ball contact. Key is fluid technique. I recently found a replacement for my beloved RF97 as well, nothing wrong with the RF97, just wanted something more forgiving, more modern, larger sweetspot, and same plow through. Ended up having TennisWarehouse matching and modifying a pair of Tecnifibre Tfight 305 XTC, basically had them modified to match the balance and weighting of the RF97. It was a success! Love the frames and they are easier on the shoulder/arm for me, and the added bonus is much better control.

Lastly stringing can help, I have always used a hybrid setup simply due to the feel.
 
mike schiffer

mike schiffer

Semi-Pro
matchpointread said:
Hello all,

I have a sensitive arm and have developed some issues in my elbow and shoulder. So I'm looking ways to help my arm heal and still play. My arm seems to do better with lighter racquets, so I'm considering to find a new stick. My favorites are the RF97 and PS97, but my arm seems to disagree with this preference (it could have been the velocity mlt in the crosses as well).
So, I'm open to new quality information to help my arm and keep playing. With this consideration, I'm thinking of trying:

Pro Kennex Ki 5 (300)
Pro Kennex Ki 10 (310)
Head Graphene 360 Extreme MP
Yonex EZONE 100L

I'm looking to keep the weight low, yet have a stable and comfortable racquet. If anyone has played with any of these and can confirm the comfort or not, input here is very welcomed. Also, if you know of other racquets that are easy on the arm, a mention is welcomed as well.

Thanks for your post!
Click to expand...
the Ki 5 killed my arm with it's high RA of 69.....even with it's voodoo anti vibe design....go low RA ...always..and no poly!
 
S

Steve Huff

G.O.A.T.
I have a sensitive arm also. Most of my adult life, I played with the ProKennex 5G, then ki5.. They didn't bother my arm at all. The ki 10 wasn't bad either, but not nearly as good as the 5 series. If you want the easiest graphite racket ever, you'd have to go back a way. I'd said the ProKennex Asymmetric 265 95 was about the easiest on the arm. It's soft, has the oval shaft, an asymmetric width on the head of the racket. It's low-powered, lots of spin, easy on the arm. May have to scour the bay to find one.
 
Hayward Butler

Hayward Butler

Rookie
Try this combination for total arm comfort and playability. Prince 03 Phantom 100 with Technifibre HDMX string at 21 kg.
_20200306_214319_zpsb0vdlrc2.jpg

_20200306_214319_zpsb0vdlrc2.jpg
 
F

fuzz nation

G.O.A.T.
matchpointread said:
Hello all,

I have a sensitive arm and have developed some issues in my elbow and shoulder. So I'm looking ways to help my arm heal and still play. My arm seems to do better with lighter racquets, so I'm considering to find a new stick. My favorites are the RF97 and PS97, but my arm seems to disagree with this preference (it could have been the velocity mlt in the crosses as well).
So, I'm open to new quality information to help my arm and keep playing. With this consideration, I'm thinking of trying:

Pro Kennex Ki 5 (300)
Pro Kennex Ki 10 (310)
Head Graphene 360 Extreme MP
Yonex EZONE 100L

I'm looking to keep the weight low, yet have a stable and comfortable racquet. If anyone has played with any of these and can confirm the comfort or not, input here is very welcomed. Also, if you know of other racquets that are easy on the arm, a mention is welcomed as well.

Thanks for your post!
Click to expand...

You've got a lot going on there if you're dealing with issues in both your elbow and your shoulder.

Shoulder first - no, I'm not a health care professional, btw. In my experience with teaching and coaching (and stringing), shoulder troubles might happen in a couple different ways. One source of stress can be trying to serve with a rather heavy racquet combined with not-so-good serving technique. If you're muscling the racquet up to the ball with a late sort of push or "heave", that can be rough on the front or the top of a shoulder.

The other big source of shoulder stress that's not terribly rare is over-swinging, perhaps with a racquet that's relatively light. I've run into this issue myself once or twice. Lighter racquets can have less inherent power and stability compared with others having a little more beef. Those lighter frames can coax some players into swinging a lot faster to try to compensate for that racquet's lower power. Think of the idea of trying to throw a Whiffle ball that's only hollow plastic as hard as a baseball, which weighs a few ounces. In either case, this overexertion can really stress the back of the shoulder around the shoulder blade.

Sorting out your shoulder issues is important. You might need a lighter racquet if a hefty one is stressing things too much, but you might actually benefit from a little extra heft if a lighter one is tricking you into swinging too hard too often.

As for your elbow, I think the secret there is finding a racquet that's a comfortable and consistent hitter for you. Even if that racquet is something like the notorious Babolat Pure Drive/Pure Aero or something else having similar weight and stiffness, you can make that frame substantially more arm-friendly if you string it with a soft string type. Syn. gut can be moderately soft (I use it all the time), multifiber will typically be even softer, and natural gut is still the very best option for protecting a sensitive elbow.

If you want to protect your arm, stay away from poly strings. That includes hybrids.

Remember that you might not like a stiffer sort of middle-weight frame like a Pure Drive, etc. paired with a softer string. That might be a tough combo to control, but that's one of those things that you'll need to sort out for yourself. More flexible frames can often pair very well with softer strings, but if a flexy racquet isn't too heavy, it might give me the impression that it lacks a lot of "pop". Always a bit of a trade-off there.
 
weelie

weelie

Professional
matchpointread said:
I'm looking to keep the weight low, yet have a stable and comfortable racquet. If anyone has played with any of these and can confirm the comfort or not, input here is very welcomed. Also, if you know of other racquets that are easy on the arm, a mention is welcomed as well.
Click to expand...

I've listed here before that part of my solution was tailweighting. As I think light static weight does not necessarily mean comfort, instead I've opted adding lots of weight to the grip.

copied from my old post: "I feel my elbow hurts if I take a full on practice swings with a very high SW racket, I mean even without hitting anything with racket. So I've gone to low SW but high static weight (well, not that high, but like 12.5oz), basically all the added weight (~65g) is in the handle or just above it. When I've played higher SW rackets, like RF97 or 104SW, I feel in the my forearm."

I bought a Clash Tour 2nd hand, to maximize comfort, but have not really played with it. Hopefully get to test it still this week (a friend is to restring it tighter it first). In the meantime Ive actually played with my old Dunlop m3.0, with some lead in the hoop and blutack under the grip (12.5 oz). Works well enough, but sometimes hurts a bit (RA 66, I think... my Radical Graph S is more comfortable, but terrible for slide and net game).

So my guide so far has been to go under max 63 RA, very HL and no poly strings. Rackets like Phantom 100x 305 and Blade 98 v7 16x19 are calling me, but I'll wait for the prices to come down.
 
D

Deleted member 768841

Guest
A very good line to check out is the clash. I would say either the 98, 100, or 100 tour/pro because they all have head light balance, ra of 55, and super soft. I have a few 98’s and a 100 tour.
 
speedysteve

speedysteve

Legend
mike schiffer said:
the Ki 5 killed my arm with it's high RA of 69.....even with it's voodoo anti vibe design....go low RA ...always..and no poly!
Click to expand...
I second this, esp in 18x20 pattern.
Tried various strings.

Perhaps it depends on the nature of your arm problems though..

Classic Volkl's are much better for me.
C10 Pro if you can swing it is the best!
V1 Classic is light, V1 Pro not bad but not very head light in standard trim. Lead is your friend.
 
mhkeuns

mhkeuns

Hall of Fame
matchpointread said:
Hello all,

I have a sensitive arm and have developed some issues in my elbow and shoulder. So I'm looking ways to help my arm heal and still play. My arm seems to do better with lighter racquets, so I'm considering to find a new stick. My favorites are the RF97 and PS97, but my arm seems to disagree with this preference (it could have been the velocity mlt in the crosses as well).
So, I'm open to new quality information to help my arm and keep playing. With this consideration, I'm thinking of trying:

Pro Kennex Ki 5 (300)
Pro Kennex Ki 10 (310)
Head Graphene 360 Extreme MP
Yonex EZONE 100L

I'm looking to keep the weight low, yet have a stable and comfortable racquet. If anyone has played with any of these and can confirm the comfort or not, input here is very welcomed. Also, if you know of other racquets that are easy on the arm, a mention is welcomed as well.

Thanks for your post!
Click to expand...

If you know of anyone who plays with the Angell K7 Red, please try to hit with it. Even the Clash 98 user felt this stick was soft. It also packs a punch and excellent spin potential.
 
M

matchpointread

Rookie
fuzz nation said:
You've got a lot going on there if you're dealing with issues in both your elbow and your shoulder.

Shoulder first - no, I'm not a health care professional, btw. In my experience with teaching and coaching (and stringing), shoulder troubles might happen in a couple different ways. One source of stress can be trying to serve with a rather heavy racquet combined with not-so-good serving technique. If you're muscling the racquet up to the ball with a late sort of push or "heave", that can be rough on the front or the top of a shoulder.

The other big source of shoulder stress that's not terribly rare is over-swinging, perhaps with a racquet that's relatively light. I've run into this issue myself once or twice. Lighter racquets can have less inherent power and stability compared with others having a little more beef. Those lighter frames can coax some players into swinging a lot faster to try to compensate for that racquet's lower power. Think of the idea of trying to throw a Whiffle ball that's only hollow plastic as hard as a baseball, which weighs a few ounces. In either case, this overexertion can really stress the back of the shoulder around the shoulder blade.

Sorting out your shoulder issues is important. You might need a lighter racquet if a hefty one is stressing things too much, but you might actually benefit from a little extra heft if a lighter one is tricking you into swinging too hard too often.

As for your elbow, I think the secret there is finding a racquet that's a comfortable and consistent hitter for you. Even if that racquet is something like the notorious Babolat Pure Drive/Pure Aero or something else having similar weight and stiffness, you can make that frame substantially more arm-friendly if you string it with a soft string type. Syn. gut can be moderately soft (I use it all the time), multifiber will typically be even softer, and natural gut is still the very best option for protecting a sensitive elbow.

If you want to protect your arm, stay away from poly strings. That includes hybrids.

Remember that you might not like a stiffer sort of middle-weight frame like a Pure Drive, etc. paired with a softer string. That might be a tough combo to control, but that's one of those things that you'll need to sort out for yourself. More flexible frames can often pair very well with softer strings, but if a flexy racquet isn't too heavy, it might give me the impression that it lacks a lot of "pop". Always a bit of a trade-off there.
Click to expand...


Lots of good info here. Thank you!!!
 
1HBHfanatic

1HBHfanatic

Legend
mike schiffer said:
the Ki 5 killed my arm with it's high RA of 69.....even with it's voodoo anti vibe design....go low RA ...always..and no poly!
Click to expand...

-not bad advise!, low RA, soft strings, good start
-i focus more on the balance of the racquet!, the more HL a racquet, the better for your arm IMO/IME
-also, a light fast racket (below 10oz), not a good option for shock absorption (ive helped #s of people by adding LEAD to the head AND handle of their light racquets)
 
M

matchpointread

Rookie
Latest Update:

Although I not fully healed, I feel better than before since I've started eating meat again. Not ready to play with my RF97 yet, but my arm is stronger and more stable. Whereas before, my arm was getting worse with a lighter racquet and strength exercises. My left knee that was giving me some issues is feeling more stable as well.
 
S

scotus

G.O.A.T.
If you want to stick to ProKennex, try the new KI Black Ace. The only racquet with both Kinetic System AND low RA.

Prince Phantoms are good, but if you want the ultimate in arm comfort from Prince, hunt down an old EXO3 Tour.
 
speedysteve

speedysteve

Legend
scotus said:
If you want to stick to ProKennex, try the new KI Black Ace. The only racquet with both Kinetic System AND low RA.

Prince Phantoms are good, but if you want the ultimate in arm comfort from Prince, hunt down an old EXO3 Tour.
Click to expand...
I've used 16x18 EXO3 tours a lot.
The Völkl C10 Pro (any year model) is more arm friendly for me.

PK with their stiffness and 'system', I've tried extensively and never liked - Ki Black Ace sounds interesting though.
 
mike schiffer

mike schiffer

Semi-Pro
weelie said:
I've listed here before that part of my solution was tailweighting. As I think light static weight does not necessarily mean comfort, instead I've opted adding lots of weight to the grip.

copied from my old post: "I feel my elbow hurts if I take a full on practice swings with a very high SW racket, I mean even without hitting anything with racket. So I've gone to low SW but high static weight (well, not that high, but like 12.5oz), basically all the added weight (~65g) is in the handle or just above it. When I've played higher SW rackets, like RF97 or 104SW, I feel in the my forearm."

I bought a Clash Tour 2nd hand, to maximize comfort, but have not really played with it. Hopefully get to test it still this week (a friend is to restring it tighter it first). In the meantime Ive actually played with my old Dunlop m3.0, with some lead in the hoop and blutack under the grip (12.5 oz). Works well enough, but sometimes hurts a bit (RA 66, I think... my Radical Graph S is more comfortable, but terrible for slide and net game).

So my guide so far has been to go under max 63 RA, very HL and no poly strings. Rackets like Phantom 100x 305 and Blade 98 v7 16x19 are calling me, but I'll wait for the prices to come down.
Click to expand...
Is your radical a recent Graphene 360 with the gray and red orange PJ?
 
Ronaldo

Ronaldo

Bionic Poster
Prince Tour 98 & 100 ESPNot sure of anything that comes close except the entire Head Tour line from the 90s.
 
P

PT280 Fan

Semi-Pro
I swear by rackets that incorporate aramids and kevlar in the layup. I have some horror stories in my younger years like having to miss a season in Junior College using some Bancroft monstrosity with a metal rod in the middle and a year out using the Head Guillermo Villas as well as several episodes of tennis elbow with some others. Oddly though I've never had problems using rackets incorporating super compounds in the layup. Never had an issue using the Kneissl White Star (Lendl Pro) -kevlar, or the Head Pro Tour 280 -Twaron, or the Mizuno Pro 8.1 -Dyneema or the very recently purchased Prince Textreme Beast 98 -Twaron. I felt so confident ordering the Beast 98s, that I had them strung with kevlar in the mains and they feel like butter. Can't really believe the price point I got them at: https://www.tennis-warehouse.com/Prince_Textreme_Beast_98/descpageRCTWABG-TX2B98.html
 
Crocodile

Crocodile

G.O.A.T.
1. Pro Kennex Q Tours and Ki series are best
2. Prince Phantom Series very close to best
3. Angell K7 Lime and Red are excellent
4. Yonex V Core 95
5. Donnay frames
6. Older Volkl and Pacific frames
7. Dunlop CX range and older biomimetic range
8. Wilson Clash range and Ultra Pro/Tour
9.. Diadem Elevate MP best new comer
10. Head Speed no 360 pretty good
11. Tecnifibre TF40 mp
 
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