Go lighter or heavier for wrist issue?

[Booli]

Hello everyone, I am new here and I have a few questions...

I have played with PD for 3+ years (previously PD Lite). I am in my 50s, and play competitive and social doubles (mixed and ladies), I have had coaching usually twice a week for several years. I am around a 4.0/4.5 rating. I am female, just under 5ft 4in and a size 10, small frame, 9 stone in weight. The racquets are strung with Babolat Excel, currently at 57. I have a double-handed backhand. I have been working to impart more topspin on both ground strokes for some time now...tennis is sooo hard, eh?

I developed TE (Golfer's actually) after about a year or so of changing to PD. I have never worn an elbow brace. I have had physio / ultrasound on it. The thing that improved TE was having strings loosened to about 54/55. It never went completely but was better. However, I have since developed an intermittent wrist issue. It is on the right side of my wrist (palm down) just under the pointy bone - it may be the ECU tendon. First time I had pain (December 2016) was when driving. I had physio, strapped up with kinesiology tape and it got no worse when playing tennis. It cleared up, then flared up again in April when stroking the dog(!) and flared again recently when cleaning the gutters out. I have never iced it because I don't like icing (I don't know why) but I think I will have to start. It doesn't usually get worse after playing. Initially it didn't hurt when playing any tennis but it has done this time around. The only time it feels sore when playing now is if I catch a forehand late and try to whip up the back of the ball. It can feel sore at other times off-court too.

I have read that I should be increasing racquet weight, and flexibility to prevent arm problems in the future. It makes sense for TE but is it the same principle for wrist issues? I am not 6ft tall and 12 stone with wrists to match so I wonder how much (more) weight I could 'heft' into a topspin forehand, or playing a volley for that matter. However, I am currently using Clinibands and 'stress balls' to strengthen my wrists.
And is there a top weight of racquet that a person of my size should play with? I never had elbow or wrist problems with the PD Lites: I had upper arm issues but that could have been poor service technique. My coach suggested I change to heavier racquets as I wasn't getting any help from the light ones...I assume he meant power.

Apologies for the long post but I thought more detail would help

 

[Tommy Haas]

The simple explanation could just be that the size or shape of your racquet's grip is too small or too big or maybe the buttcap itself since your wrist pain is closest to your pinky finger.

Do you hit with an extreme western forehand? If you switched to an eastern grip and hit flat forehands old school style standing sideways and catching the racquet with your other hand on the follow through. That could help.

In addition to the strengthening exercises using stress balls, also be sure to do wrist flexion exercises as well and icing down after playing. Babolat and arm pain seem to go hand in hand and more or less weight may not help.

 

[bogdan101]

I think it's hard to theoretically figure out what might help; if you have a tennis shop with a demo program you may want to try out different frames to see what works best. Good luck!

 

[n8dawg6]

the pure drive is about the ONLY frame that has ever given me wrist issues. i would look into something more flexible.

 

[Toyo]

I had the same wrist issues you described around 3 years ago. My wrist became so sore after playing tennis that I couldn't even drive home using the sore hand and the next morning I couldn't even pick up a jug of milk from the fridge. I was taking weeks off at a time and thought I would never be able to play tennis again.

I was using the Aero Pro Drive at the time with a hybrid setup strung at around 48 lbs. At that time I started searching for a racket with the most the most flex, but of course they all lacked the addictive power and spin of the APD.

It was about that time when I was watching a TW review for the Yonex AI 100 which turned out to be a godsend. I demoed the racket with a syn gut/Poly Tour Spin setup and it felt like a dream. I'm now currently using the racket with a full bed of Poly Tour Pro at around 48 lbs and haven't had any arm issues at all since then. Although the Yonex has a huge sweet spot it is bit more difficult to play with than the APD, but as a blessing in disguise it forced me to hit with better technique which also helped my wrist.

The AI 100 weighs the same as the APD and PD at around 11.2 ounces strung, but it has a heavier swing weight of around 327. I believe it's the swing weight that gives the racket a more solid feel on contact with less twisting on off center hits. The Ezone AI 100 has been discontinued but the DR 100 apparently is bit more stiff with more power and for that reason some users have complained of arm issues. I've hit with the DR version and felt fine though. The new Ezone 100 and the lite version are being released this week, so i think you owe it to yourself and your sore wrist to at least give them a try!

 

[Booli]

The simple explanation could just be that the size or shape of your racquet's grip is too small or too big or maybe the buttcap itself since your wrist pain is closest to your pinky finger.

Do you hit with an extreme western forehand? If you switched to an eastern grip and hit flat forehands old school style standing sideways and catching the racquet with your other hand on the follow through. That could help.

In addition to the strengthening exercises using stress balls, also be sure to do wrist flexion exercises as well and icing down after playing. Babolat and arm pain seem to go hand in hand and more or less weight may not help.

Thank you. I already have an eastern grip - I have tried several times over the years to establish a semi-western but I always 'creep back round' to the eastern. I use a grip size 1 racquet with ordinary replacement grip, and a pro's pro overgrip as I measure a tiny bit over 4 1/8 inch. I am looking at changing racquet brands now as I have read loads about PD and arm pain of all types in the last few days

 

[Toyo]

The simple explanation could just be that the size or shape of your racquet's grip is too small or too big or maybe the buttcap itself since your wrist pain is closest to your pinky finger.

Do you hit with an extreme western forehand? If you switched to an eastern grip and hit flat forehands old school style standing sideways and catching the racquet with your other hand on the follow through. That could help.

In addition to the strengthening exercises using stress balls, also be sure to do wrist flexion exercises as well and icing down after playing. Babolat and arm pain seem to go hand in hand and more or less weight may not help.

My wrist got better when I started doing reverse wrist curls and stretching before and after every hit. Also, I did loosen up my grip and relaxed my arm as much as possible when hitting

 

[Toyo]

Thank you. I already have an eastern grip - I have tried several times over the years to establish a semi-western but I always 'creep back round' to the eastern. I use a grip size 1 racquet with ordinary replacement grip, and a pro's pro overgrip as I measure a tiny bit over 4 1/8 inch. I am looking at changing racquet brands now as I have read loads about PD and arm pain of all types in the last few days

I should also mention that I've hit with my friends PD 2015 and we both experienced arm pain. He switched to the DR 100 and loves it! If you do happen to go with Yonex, the grip sizes are very similar to Babolat so you might want to try the size 1 to begin with.

 

[fuzz nation]

If using that racquet is giving you pains when it's strung with a decent multifiber at reasonable tension, I think you're smart to shop for a replacement.

Never easy figuring out what could be an appropriate demo, but don't assume that you need to stick with a rather light racquet just because you're not really big and strong. Even if a certain frame carries a little extra beef, it might be surprisingly easy to maneuver as long as it has enough head-light balance to give you comfortable handling.

The standard Pure Drive isn't big-time heavy, but it also isn't very head-light. I find these racquets to feel a little sluggish for me (and harsh), but they weigh in at about an ounce and a half less than my regular players which are also about 10 pts. head-light. Despite their weight, the balance makes these racquets pretty easy to navigate.

If you want to stick with racquets on the lighter end of the spectrum, you might be more comfortable with a little larger hoop size than the 98"-100" crowd. The larger string bed should be inherently a little softer and livelier for you as long as it isn't tensioned too high with a string that's too stiff.

I remember demos offered by TW as having either 4 3/8" or 4 1/2" grip sizes. If you sample any of these, pay attention to how you do with those bigger grips. The one on your racquet is really small and might be forcing you to use a little extra grip pressure to control it.

I'm a bit of a Volkl nerd (I keep two models in my bag all the time), so I'll recommend you look over what they have to offer. Compared with some labels like Babolat, some of Volkl's frames are moderately flexible and potentially comfortable.

 

[Booli]

I remember demos offered by TW as having either 4 3/8" or 4 1/2" grip sizes. If you sample any of these, pay attention to how you do with those bigger grips. The one on your racquet is really small and might be forcing you to use a little extra grip pressure to control it.

Yes, I have been told 'it's a kid's grip size' but if my hand only measures 4 1/8inch, isn't that what I should go for? :/ I have played with grip size 1 + overgrip for many years now, although I started out with a grip size 2 (before I knew racquets came in grip size 1).

 

[fuzz nation]

Yes, I have been told 'it's a kid's grip size' but if my hand only measures 4 1/8inch, isn't that what I should go for? :/ I have played with grip size 1 + overgrip for many years now, although I started out with a grip size 2 (before I knew they came in grip size 1).

I really believe that measurements are only a guideline. If a racquet's grip feels as though you're squeezing a pencil to try to control it, then it's probably too small. I've always used frames with 4 5/8" grips and a couple of these are built up to be even larger. Now my hands are a little larger than some (I'm 6' 2"), but whenever I use other racquets in my collection with perhaps 4 3/8" grips, I almost always notice that I squeeze them too hard.

Much of what makes a grip "right" is whether it feels okay for you, not a specific measurement. But if the handle is so small that you can't physically hold the racquet or maneuver it without using substantial grip pressure, that's a problem.

For the record, when I built up the grips on those frames I mentioned, I used a $2 heat shrink sleeve (from TW) and did it at home. I also put a new replacement grip over that, so the whole build up probably only cost about $9, since I also put an overgrip on top of everything. Just an option to consider - much less expensive than a whole new racquet.

 

[Harry_Wild]

Heavier!

 

[Shroud]

Heavier!

I recently bought the aero pro 112 and delusionally thought i could play with it stock. Never had wrist issues playing tennis but damn if my wrist wasnt sore after hitting. Added enough weight to get it to 13oz and the wrist issues went away...

 

[Karma Tennis]

I'm going to roll out the good ole chestnut solution for Babolat racquets yet again.

Before changing racquets, add at least 10g of weight inside the handle of your PD. Easiest way to do it is to open up the butt-cap trapdoor and place 10g of Bostic Blue-Tack in the cavity. The Blue-Tack will give the racquet a little more heft, make the racquet a little more Head Light balance, and cushion some of the impact and post impact vibration shock. Any or all of these things may contribute to protecting your wrist and elbow.

I would also re-visit your grip size. But it sounds like you have that sorted. Just try and hit the ball with as little grip pressure as possible.

You always have the option of moving to a different racquet if none of these things help.

Many people suggest rushing to a softer or more flexible racquet. That is not always the solution. Under some circumstances that can actually make things worse.

 

[abhimawa]

Hi
I believe the cause is shock and vibration during impact.
First thing first: Rest until your elbow and wrist get better

On racquet:

• go with the largest possible grip. The larger the grip, the less strain you put on your wrist and elbow
• Add overgrip to soften the feel.
• Do you still have the PDLite? If so, grab it back, add some lead tape on the hoop (on the sides, not the top; you can remove some if you feel it too heavy later on). Heavier racquets are more stable at impact, in general
• Lower your tension significantly (try 46-48lbs)
• Try arm-friendly strings (ask your local shop for help). Although some people said polyester is stiff, I find it comfortable to play with Babolat RPM Blast (just an example)
• Switching racquet is easy, but it can be frustrating. Give your current racquet some modification first before you decide to switch your racquet. Don't fall for the marketing trap

On yourself:

• Swing with your arm. Elbow and wrist are for fine tuning your shot
• Try not to volley too much
• If you have big backswing, try to shorten it. That way, you get better timing. It's the follow through that matters more, not the backswing.
• Again: rest

Hope that helps.

 

[Simplicius]

Hi
I believe the cause is shock and vibration during impact.
First thing first: Rest until your elbow and wrist get better

On racquet:

• go with the largest possible grip. The larger the grip, the less strain you put on your wrist and elbow
• Add overgrip to soften the feel.
• Do you still have the PDLite? If so, grab it back, add some lead tape on the hoop (on the sides, not the top; you can remove some if you feel it too heavy later on). Heavier racquets are more stable at impact, in general
• Lower your tension significantly (try 46-48lbs)
• Try arm-friendly strings (ask your local shop for help). Although some people said polyester is stiff, I find it comfortable to play with Babolat RPM Blast (just an example)
• Switching racquet is easy, but it can be frustrating. Give your current racquet some modification first before you decide to switch your racquet. Don't fall for the marketing trap

On yourself:

• Swing with your arm. Elbow and wrist are for fine tuning your shot
• Try not to volley too much
• If you have big backswing, try to shorten it. That way, you get better timing. It's the follow through that matters more, not the backswing.
• Again: rest

Hope that helps.

+1 to that!

Light & heavy are very personal taste.
Heavy don't help the wrist for sure, but the light also vibrates a lot.
I always believe that the "middle road" is the best...
Wishing you well!

 

[Lack]

I'm sure you probably already know this, but just in case,
1. You should always contact the ball in front of your body
2. Loosen up your arm and wrist and let your body and the racquet do most of the work.

I would recommend filling your PD handle with foam to decrease vibration and see if that works first before looking for new racquet.

I believe finding the right amount of racquet weight for wrist injuries has to do with how hard you are hitting the ball and how hard your opponents are hitting it to you. Light racquets usually gets pushed back during the contact, putting stress on your wrist, but if you and your opponents are only hitting, for instance, less than 50 mph of serve and groundstrokes, then using PD would be just fine. However, if you are receiving several fast paced balls during a match, then you should consider increasing racquet weight just to the point where you can still swing with ease.

 

[abhimawa]

I'm sure you probably already know this, but just in case,
1. You should always contact the ball in front of your body
2. Loosen up your arm and wrist and let your body and the racquet do most of the work.

I would recommend filling your PD handle with foam to decrease vibration and see if that works first before looking for new racquet.

I believe finding the right amount of racquet weight for wrist injuries has to do with how hard you are hitting the ball and how hard your opponents are hitting it to you. Light racquets usually gets pushed back during the contact, putting stress on your wrist, but if you and your opponents are only hitting, for instance, less than 50 mph of serve and groundstrokes, then using PD would be just fine. However, if you are receiving several fast paced balls during a match, then you should consider increasing racquet weight just to the point where you can still swing with ease.

Very sound advice! Can't say it better myself

 

[Tommy Haas]

Very sound advice! Can't say it better myself

I think she should replace the grip on her Babs PD with a Wilson Shock Shield. It will add a little more weight and build up the grip by about half a size. It's a quick and easy experiment to try.

Also remember that healing doesn't happen overnight. She needs to use a friendlier to her wrist racquet setup and continue the wrist exercises at least a few weeks to know if it's working.

 

[Booli]

I think she should replace the grip on her Babs PD with a Wilson Shock Shield. It will add a little more weight and build up the grip by about half a size. It's a quick and easy experiment to try.

Also remember that healing doesn't happen overnight. She needs to use a friendlier to her wrist racquet setup and continue the wrist exercises at least a few weeks to know if it's working.

And would you recommend the foam & weight in the handle? And still putting the pro's pro overgrip on top? I am willing to try stuff with the PD before looking around for different, more flexible racquets.

 

[Aladdin]

...I did loosen up my grip and relaxed my arm as much as possible when hitting

This is the most important thing that solved my ulnar wrist ache (under the pinky). I was muscling the ball because I was "loading my wrist" during my forehand drop. Changed my drop style to make sure racquet faced the ground when I executed baseline groundstrokes. It's a technique problem if you've ruled out strength problems and tried out more flexible rackets.

Here's a great video summarizing that:

 

[Chotobaka]

The obvious primary culprit is the racquet. The PD is what it is -- a non arm friendly stick with lots of free power, but has come with with potential wrist, elbow and shoulder issues for many people over the years. Since you spend a fair amount of time on the court, these effects become cumulative. You are not in an uncommon situation.

If you want to lean in the same "free power" direction, Volkl has models that will get the job done, while being far more benign to your body. Their vibration absorbing system in the handle is unique, and actually works. You might also look at Pacific racquets (the bulk of their models are based on Fischer's designs) especially if you want a softer, flexier layup that will provide greatly enhanced feel. Yonex also has racquets that could work well for you. You just need to demo. I recommend staying in a similar weight range and focus on the racquet as the sole variable at this point.

Sure, grip size and weight may (or may not) be contributing factors, but the PD is the elephant in the room. Your string choice is already among the best available for comfort, so i would not muck around with that.

 

[Wise one]

Hello everyone, I am new here and I have a few questions...

I have played with PD for 3+ years (previously PD Lite). I am in my 50s, and play competitive and social doubles (mixed and ladies), I have had coaching usually twice a week for several years. I am around a 4.0/4.5 rating. I am female, just under 5ft 4in and a size 10, small frame, 9 stone in weight. The racquets are strung with Babolat Excel, currently at 57. I have a double-handed backhand. I have been working to impart more topspin on both ground strokes for some time now...tennis is sooo hard, eh?

I developed TE (Golfer's actually) after about a year or so of changing to PD. I have never worn an elbow brace. I have had physio / ultrasound on it. The thing that improved TE was having strings loosened to about 54/55. It never went completely but was better. However, I have since developed an intermittent wrist issue. It is on the right side of my wrist (palm down) just under the pointy bone - it may be the ECU tendon. First time I had pain (December 2016) was when driving. I had physio, strapped up with kinesiology tape and it got no worse when playing tennis. It cleared up, then flared up again in April when stroking the dog(!) and flared again recently when cleaning the gutters out. I have never iced it because I don't like icing (I don't know why) but I think I will have to start. It doesn't usually get worse after playing. Initially it didn't hurt when playing any tennis but it has done this time around. The only time it feels sore when playing now is if I catch a forehand late and try to whip up the back of the ball. It can feel sore at other times off-court too.

I have read that I should be increasing racquet weight, and flexibility to prevent arm problems in the future. It makes sense for TE but is it the same principle for wrist issues? I am not 6ft tall and 12 stone with wrists to match so I wonder how much (more) weight I could 'heft' into a topspin forehand, or playing a volley for that matter. However, I am currently using Clinibands and 'stress balls' to strengthen my wrists.
And is there a top weight of racquet that a person of my size should play with? I never had elbow or wrist problems with the PD Lites: I had upper arm issues but that could have been poor service technique. My coach suggested I change to heavier racquets as I wasn't getting any help from the light ones...I assume he meant power.

Apologies for the long post but I thought more detail would help

I advise: Smaller, heavier racquet, larger grip size, avoid western grip, use gut string. I am age 67, and I play with Donnay Borg Pro wood racquets that weigh about 14 ounces strung. I use what is close to a continental grip on the forehand side, and an eastern grip for the backhand side (one-handed). I play serve-and-volley style, so points are short. I have not had any wrist or elbow problems for about 40 years.

Larger racquets apply torque when you hit off-center.

In other words, everything you have been told is wrong.

Look at how Evert hits the ball in these video clips:

 

[Booli]

This is the most important thing that solved my ulnar wrist ache (under the pinky). I was muscling the ball because I was "loading my wrist" during my forehand drop. Changed my drop style to make sure racquet faced the ground when I executed baseline groundstrokes. It's a technique problem if you've ruled out strength problems and tried out more flexible rackets.

Here's a great video summarizing that:

Thank you for the video. I use the Halep style forehand take-back etc from this video. A soft tissue specialist that I saw earlier today (very experienced & knowledgeable bloke) has told me that I don't have a wrist injury. It's my forearm muscles that are tense & shortened. When I use them, because they are tight & therefore shortened, they pull more on the tendon attachment just by the pointy wrist bone, hence the pain. But the site of pain is not the cause. And I haven't torn the tendon or anything. So I have stretches to do now to stretch out the forearm muscles. He thinks I probably did it hefting manure almost daily over the fence with a fork (don't ask!) - and tennis makes it worse, but it's almost certainly not the cause. So I can strap up with tape to the elbow and continue to play. He also said not to change any equipment etc until I have done the stretches for 2 weeks and see how I get on. I can update in a week or so if anyone is interested

 

[Aladdin]

He thinks I probably did it hefting manure almost daily over the fence with a fork (don't ask!) - and tennis makes it worse, but it's almost certainly not the cause. So I can strap up with tape to the elbow and continue to play. He also said not to change any equipment etc until I have done the stretches for 2 weeks and see how I get on. I can update in a week or so if anyone is interested

You got this on lock then! I wish you the quickest recovery so you can heft tennis balls over a fence. An update would be awesome for future readers.

 

[Tommy Haas]

Thank you for the video. I use the Halep style forehand take-back etc from this video. A soft tissue specialist that I saw earlier today (very experienced & knowledgeable bloke) has told me that I don't have a wrist injury. It's my forearm muscles that are tense & shortened. When I use them, because they are tight & therefore shortened, they pull more on the tendon attachment just by the pointy wrist bone, hence the pain. But the site of pain is not the cause. And I haven't torn the tendon or anything. So I have stretches to do now to stretch out the forearm muscles. He thinks I probably did it hefting manure almost daily over the fence with a fork (don't ask!) - and tennis makes it worse, but it's almost certainly not the cause. So I can strap up with tape to the elbow and continue to play. He also said not to change any equipment etc until I have done the stretches for 2 weeks and see how I get on. I can update in a week or so if anyone is interested

Did you go see Doc Martin?

 

[Crocodile]

Go heavier for sure and stay away from smaller grips. Go traditionally weighted racquet, not polarisised.

 

[Dartagnan64]

Larger racquets apply torque when you hit off-center.

All rackets apply torque when hit off center. And "sweetspot" should replace "Center" since that's the area of stringbed where torsional forces are minimal and maximizes energy into the ball. The larger the sweetspot the larger the "comfort zone" of the racket.

Yes if you hit the frame of an OS racket it will apply more torsional force than the frame of a 65 inch woodie. But if you hit the frame of an OS racket, you would have whiffed with the woodie.

The secret is to maximize sweetspot hits regardless of racket size. Having a bigger sweetspot and keeping your head still will be the best solutions to the problem of off center hits. Not pulling out a Kramer woodie.

 

[Wise one]

All rackets apply torque when hit off center. And "sweetspot" should replace "Center" since that's the area of stringbed where torsional forces are minimal and maximizes energy into the ball. The larger the sweetspot the larger the "comfort zone" of the racket.

Yes if you hit the frame of an OS racket it will apply more torsional force than the frame of a 65 inch woodie. But if you hit the frame of an OS racket, you would have whiffed with the woodie.

The secret is to maximize sweetspot hits regardless of racket size. Having a bigger sweetspot and keeping your head still will be the best solutions to the problem of off center hits. Not pulling out a Kramer woodie.

Yes, that's correct, but a heavier racquet tightly strung (with gut, of course) is actually very forgiving. If you don't use crazy swings you can hit the ball in the 'sweet spot' more often than you think. The traditional swing is traditional for many good reasons.

Just the other day I was hitting with a guy who made an approach shot to me, and I passed him with a carefully placed, crosscourt forehand that clipped the line. I did not try to blast it, just hit the target, and I did. Keep calm and carry on!

 

[bageldog]

I'm a former college player and use a pure drive lite. I do add a shock shield grip and another few grams of blue tac to the handle. Some of them have a gram or two of lead around the hoop, but others don't. Final weight is around 320 grams, 8-9 headlight
I had all kinds of arm pains with heavier rackets (pk ki5 PSE, redondo, ai98), they all went away when I went lighter. Ive played against top 500 in the world men with this setup or the pure aero light similar specs, so unless you're playing Serena, you'll be fine going back to your pure drive light (but do add the handle weight). Trust me you don't need some big heavy club, that will just case you to muscle it under pressure, which is a disaster for arm issues.

 

[Toyo]

This is the most important thing that solved my ulnar wrist ache (under the pinky). I was muscling the ball because I was "loading my wrist" during my forehand drop. Changed my drop style to make sure racquet faced the ground when I executed baseline groundstrokes. It's a technique problem if you've ruled out strength problems and tried out more flexible rackets.

Here's a great video summarizing that:

I think Tomaz makes the best instructional videos. Thanks for sharing!

 

[Wise one]

I think Tomaz makes the best instructional videos. Thanks for sharing!

It's a good thing Chris Evert never saw them.

 

[abhimawa]

Good! Wish you speedy recovery ma'am

Thank you for the video. I use the Halep style forehand take-back etc from this video. A soft tissue specialist that I saw earlier today (very experienced & knowledgeable bloke) has told me that I don't have a wrist injury. It's my forearm muscles that are tense & shortened. When I use them, because they are tight & therefore shortened, they pull more on the tendon attachment just by the pointy wrist bone, hence the pain. But the site of pain is not the cause. And I haven't torn the tendon or anything. So I have stretches to do now to stretch out the forearm muscles. He thinks I probably did it hefting manure almost daily over the fence with a fork (don't ask!) - and tennis makes it worse, but it's almost certainly not the cause. So I can strap up with tape to the elbow and continue to play. He also said not to change any equipment etc until I have done the stretches for 2 weeks and see how I get on. I can update in a week or so if anyone is interested

 

[zalive]

Heavier is better, but only if it racquets swings light for its specs. This depends on weight distribution.

The greatest weigh distribution racquet is custom polarized setup, with big recoil weight, which is especially done by placing lead at the upper hoop and near the butt cap, however this has to be done in right proportions to ensure racquet swings effortlessly. If done this way, nothing beats this for the arm comfort.

 

[bageldog]

I found really polarized rackets can swing pretty wonky, any tips?

 

[zalive]

I found really polarized rackets can swing pretty wonky, any tips?

Yep.
Either placing more lead at 12 o'clock till it starts to swing lighter, or placing lead at the top of the handle - one of the two should usually help. Find the right direction (at the tip or at the top of the handle), then search for the right quantity. Prerequisite is that static weight should not already too much. In which case sometimes no easy help as platforms stock weight distribution sometimes prevents making a great polarized setup.

There's no universal recipe as it all depends on stock weight distribution, which can ve obstacle in certain cases which would require surgical solitions like dismantling and possivly remoulding the handle, with removing its stock weights (iron or lead inside the handle). However, using light platforms can really bring great results.

 

[kailash]

Hello everyone, I am new here and I have a few questions...

I have played with PD for 3+ years (previously PD Lite). I am in my 50s, and play competitive and social doubles (mixed and ladies), I have had coaching usually twice a week for several years. I am around a 4.0/4.5 rating. I am female, just under 5ft 4in and a size 10, small frame, 9 stone in weight. The racquets are strung with Babolat Excel, currently at 57. I have a double-handed backhand. I have been working to impart more topspin on both ground strokes for some time now...tennis is sooo hard, eh?

I developed TE (Golfer's actually) after about a year or so of changing to PD. I have never worn an elbow brace. I have had physio / ultrasound on it. The thing that improved TE was having strings loosened to about 54/55. It never went completely but was better. However, I have since developed an intermittent wrist issue. It is on the right side of my wrist (palm down) just under the pointy bone - it may be the ECU tendon. First time I had pain (December 2016) was when driving. I had physio, strapped up with kinesiology tape and it got no worse when playing tennis. It cleared up, then flared up again in April when stroking the dog(!) and flared again recently when cleaning the gutters out. I have never iced it because I don't like icing (I don't know why) but I think I will have to start. It doesn't usually get worse after playing. Initially it didn't hurt when playing any tennis but it has done this time around. The only time it feels sore when playing now is if I catch a forehand late and try to whip up the back of the ball. It can feel sore at other times off-court too.

I have read that I should be increasing racquet weight, and flexibility to prevent arm problems in the future. It makes sense for TE but is it the same principle for wrist issues? I am not 6ft tall and 12 stone with wrists to match so I wonder how much (more) weight I could 'heft' into a topspin forehand, or playing a volley for that matter. However, I am currently using Clinibands and 'stress balls' to strengthen my wrists.
And is there a top weight of racquet that a person of my size should play with? I never had elbow or wrist problems with the PD Lites: I had upper arm issues but that could have been poor service technique. My coach suggested I change to heavier racquets as I wasn't getting any help from the light ones...I assume he meant power.

Apologies for the long post but I thought more detail would help

It is not about just the weight; racquets like PD, PD Lite or any light racquet with RA around 70 with stiff strings are recipe for arm injuries (TE, GE, wrist problems...) Just a matter of time; only exceptions are the people with really strong arms.

To come out of any arm injuries, and stay healthy:
1) Rest, and lots of rest; with needed medical treatment.
2 a) Get a ProKennex 5G/7G, Q5 295, Q Tour, Volkl racquets (with RA less than 65) or Wilson Blade 104 b) Use a hybrid string (multi/gut crossing a soft poly or vice versa) or just full bed of multi or (syn) gut.
3) Get something like theraband flex bar and start exercising using that.

 

[Shroud]

It is not about just the weight; racquets like PD, PD Lite or any light racquet with RA around 70 with stiff strings are recipe for arm injuries (TE, GE, wrist problems...) Just a matter of time; only exceptions are the people with really strong arms.

To come out of any arm injuries, and stay healthy:
1) Rest, and lots of rest; with needed medical treatment.
2 a) Get a ProKennex 5G/7G, Q5 295, Q Tour, Volkl racquets (with RA less than 65) or Wilson Blade 104 b) Use a hybrid string (multi/gut crossing a soft poly or vice versa) or just full bed of multi or (syn) gut.
3) Get something like theraband flex bar and start exercising using that.

Its the common wisdom for sure.

But i am a living breathing counter example. Depending where you look the Profile i use is somewhere between 75 & 90 ra Iirc. Its certainly the stiffest racquet out there or at least in the top 2 all time. Yet i string it with kevlar/poly at 86/86 lbs and my arm is fine. No issues. But i have it weighted to around 14oz and a high swing weight. Based on your post i should have an exploded arm. Yet i dont

Sure i could say i was strong but truth is i have lost lots of muscle mass and am not that strong.

It was the pog and PS85 that hurt my elbow and faulty technique combined with over use.

But now with much higher swing weights i can seem to hit with any old board and be fine.

 

[Shroud]

I'm a former college player and use a pure drive lite. I do add a shock shield grip and another few grams of blue tac to the handle. Some of them have a gram or two of lead around the hoop, but others don't. Final weight is around 320 grams, 8-9 headlight
I had all kinds of arm pains with heavier rackets (pk ki5 PSE, redondo, ai98), they all went away when I went lighter. Ive played against top 500 in the world men with this setup or the pure aero light similar specs, so unless you're playing Serena, you'll be fine going back to your pure drive light (but do add the handle weight). Trust me you don't need some big heavy club, that will just case you to muscle it under pressure, which is a disaster for arm issues.

Its true that it doesnt have to be heavy. If i understood the post you added around 30g or so to the handle. Its where the weight goes thats important. In the handle like that it should affect the recoil weight and a high recoil weight typically leads to arm bliss. You could have the same weight or heavier stick but not have it be as comfy.

 

[zalive]

I'm a former college player and use a pure drive lite. I do add a shock shield grip and another few grams of blue tac to the handle. Some of them have a gram or two of lead around the hoop, but others don't. Final weight is around 320 grams, 8-9 headlight
I had all kinds of arm pains with heavier rackets (pk ki5 PSE, redondo, ai98), they all went away when I went lighter. Ive played against top 500 in the world men with this setup or the pure aero light similar specs, so unless you're playing Serena, you'll be fine going back to your pure drive light (but do add the handle weight). Trust me you don't need some big heavy club, that will just case you to muscle it under pressure, which is a disaster for arm issues.

Its true that it doesnt have to be heavy. If i understood the post you added around 30g or so to the handle. Its where the weight goes thats important. In the handle like that it should affect the recoil weight and a high recoil weight typically leads to arm bliss. You could have the same weight or heavier stick but not have it be as comfy.

Yeah... @bageldog by adding weight to the handle you actually increased the RW; and by using something like shock shield you increased the MgR/I too. On a light racquet like PD it usually both does just good things, speeding the racquet up and making it more inert for less recoil shock. Adding lead at the tip of some racquets is most probably fine tuning you did on racquets on which you felt it feels alright. It's not just increasing SW where it eventually lacks, it's also tuning the swing. Anyway I believe by doing this you really made some better racquets than regular PDs.

 

[am1899]

Put some Blue Tak in the handle.

I recently switched to the Pure Aero, and shortly thereafter, I noticed some elbow pain starting to take shape. After a little experimentation, (for now) I've settled on 6 grams of Blue Tak in the handle, and 2 grams total of lead tape distributed at the 3 and 9 o'clock hoop positions (which isn't all that much when you think about it). But what a difference it has made in feel! The racquet is much more solid and stable at impact...it's truly night and day. My arm discomfort is steadily diminishing.

Anyway, adding weight is so inexpensive and easy to do. I encourage you to do so before ditching your current frames. If adding weight doesn't help...THEN, time to demo.

p.s. Remeber - start small w/ adding weight - it is easy to add too much, and cause additional stress for your arm and shoulder (ask me how I know).

 

[Booli]

Thank you all for your continued input.

I did post a week ago about it being very likely an issue with my forearm muscles being too tight and putting strain on the tendon attachment at the wrist, hence the pain. Also, straining the tendon at the elbow too, hence some TE, or GE. The forearm problem is an RSI caused by something non-tennis related.
I have been stretching out my forearm once or twice a day, just 3 reps = 1 minute at a time for a week, and i have been able to play pain-free with a strip of kinesiology tape along my arm. I will continue with the stretches and hope to be able to go tape-free soon too. I have not changed anything with my racquets or strings so far

 

[vectorthurm]

I think Tomaz makes the best instructional videos. Thanks for sharing!

Totally agreed!!