My _____ racquet hurts my arm.

[Johnny-Cage]

String stiff rackets with soft multifilaments. Technifibre biphase is good. Feels soft.

 

[grolson1993]

Head YTPMP, strung it around 48-50 lbs with a hybrid of blackwidow and a syn gut, hurts my shoulder after hitting just over an hour. Switching to a mantis tour 315, hopefully its a little better

 

[DevilDog]

Hey! You have the same stringer as I do. I think there are still models of racquet out there that have been hurting people's arms, but have not been identified as such. This may take a while. Just consider it pre-emptive quality control, or the design room floor.

Have you considered your stringer could be causing the problem?

 

[NE1for10is?]

Actually, I think most arm problems these days have more to do with the use of polyester strings than the racquets. People get arm problems, but like the power and spin and ignore the obvious fact that poly is really stiff and jarring.

 

[Funbun]

Actually, I think most arm problems these days have more to do with the use of polyester strings than the racquets. People get arm problems, but like the power and spin and ignore the obvious fact that poly is really stiff and jarring.

Please, what about the entire ATP tour? In fact, quite a number of them use full poly, and most of their injuries, if any, have nothing to do with the arm.

It's all about technique. A decently heavy racquet will absorb most of the shock coming from the ball anyway. It doesn't matter how stiff the racquet is; if your wrist and arm is loose enough, you'll let whatever racquet take the impact with its weight. The strings are a part of the racquet; the string doesn't matter much, unless it's like kevlar or completely unmalleable. As long as the string is flexible enough to transmit the shock to the racquet, there should be no harm done to any part of your body.

Of course, there's the exception of lightweight and stiff racquets, but I'm certain nobody is dumb enough to try to hurt themselves.

 

[Muppet]

Have you considered your stringer could be causing the problem?

You're joking, right? My stringer and my arm are fine. Thanks for your concern.

 

[Muppet]

Head YTPMP, strung it around 48-50 lbs with a hybrid of blackwidow and a syn gut, hurts my shoulder after hitting just over an hour. Switching to a mantis tour 315, hopefully its a little better

The Youteks have a bad name for shock. If the Mantis doesn't work out, consider not using poly.

What bothers me about the new IG design is that instead of removing the offending design (d30), they masked the shock problem with IG (whatever that turns out to be). It's like taking a pill that has a side effect and rather than replacing it with a more tolerable pill, a second pill is added to the first to treat the side effect.

 

[Power Player]

The youteks do not all have a shock problem. This is ridiculous..lol.

 

[BreakPoint]

I understand that some sticks are just manufactured with hurting specifications, but please guys. Many of these racquets are made for players with good technique. If you're hurting yourself, it's mostly because you're swinging incorrectly.

If otherwise, do yourself a favor, spend an extra 6 bucks and lead up your racquet.

Huh? Then why do some racquets hurt you more than others even though you're using the exact same technique? If you have poor technique, shouldn't ALL racquets hurt you, and if you have good technique, shouldn't NO racquets hurt you? But that's clearly not the case. Therefore, some racquets can clearly hurt you regardless of now good your technique is.

 

[BlueB]

The strings are a part of the racquet; the string doesn't matter much, unless it's like kevlar or completely unmalleable. As long as the string is flexible enough to transmit the shock to the racquet, there should be no harm done to any part of your body.

These are some of the most contradictory sentences I heard on these boards, recently. Especialy the second one...

 

[DevilDog]

You're joking, right? My stringer and my arm are fine. Thanks for your concern.

No, I am trying to open your eyes.

The frame is sold as just that, a frame. Once you put strings in it, the problem is now yours. You have made the decision on whether the racquet will play soft on your arm or hard on your arm.

 

[Muppet]

No, I am trying to open your eyes.

The frame is sold as just that, a frame. Once you put strings in it, the problem is now yours. You have made the decision on whether the racquet will play soft on your arm or hard on your arm.

I see what you're saying now. But at medium tension, with the same strings, in different racquets, some designs are less comfortable to play with than others. Some frames will still not play well after you've set up the racquet with the best string setup you can play comfortably with. For some racquets and the given player, this balance cannot be struck.

edit: made it more readable

 

[Funbun]

Huh? Then why do some racquets hurt you more than others even though you're using the exact same technique? If you have poor technique, shouldn't ALL racquets hurt you, and if you have good technique, shouldn't NO racquets hurt you? But that's clearly not the case. Therefore, some racquets can clearly hurt you regardless of now good your technique is.

Duh, I just stated there's the exception of stiff and light racquets...

And no, some racquets, like grannie sticks, and absorb a lot of the shock regardless of how tight one grips the handle.

If a decently well-designed retail racquet is hurting you more than another, then your technique is poor in general.

A lot of people's technique adapts to their racquet over time. I've seen some people arming the ball slightly in attempt to get more force on the ball. Then, they play with my racquet, and they simply can't hit at all, let alone hold my racquet for more than 5 minutes.


My intended point is: if your technique is optimal, then virtually no decently-made racquet should hurt you. Superior technique = superior racquet adaptation.

 

[NE1for10is?]

Please, what about the entire ATP tour? In fact, quite a number of them use full poly, and most of their injuries, if any, have nothing to do with the arm.

It's all about technique. A decently heavy racquet will absorb most of the shock coming from the ball anyway. It doesn't matter how stiff the racquet is; if your wrist and arm is loose enough, you'll let whatever racquet take the impact with its weight. The strings are a part of the racquet; the string doesn't matter much, unless it's like kevlar or completely unmalleable. As long as the string is flexible enough to transmit the shock to the racquet, there should be no harm done to any part of your body.

Of course, there's the exception of lightweight and stiff racquets, but I'm certain nobody is dumb enough to try to hurt themselves.

Because:

1. They're mostly in their teens and twenties and not as prone to injury as older players, not to mention that they have better technique.

2. Poly gets stiff and boardy after a few hours of play and most non-pros don't have the money or recources to replace it very often, whereas the pros replace their poly every couple games so it remains relatively soft.

 

[BreakPoint]

Duh, I just stated there's the exception of stiff and light racquets...

And no, some racquets, like grannie sticks, and absorb a lot of the shock regardless of how tight one grips the handle.

If a decently well-designed retail racquet is hurting you more than another, then your technique is poor in general.

A lot of people's technique adapts to their racquet over time. I've seen some people arming the ball slightly in attempt to get more force on the ball. Then, they play with my racquet, and they simply can't hit at all, let alone hold my racquet for more than 5 minutes.


My intended point is: if your technique is optimal, then virtually no decently-made racquet should hurt you. Superior technique = superior racquet adaptation.

Totally false. Even pros with optimal technique get tennis elbow and they have racquets that are precisely customized to their exact liking.

I have excellent technique. I used racquets for decades that never gave me a hint of tennis elbow. I switched to another racquet and it quickly gave me tennis elbow. Same technique, no changes. Went to a different racquet and the tennis elbow went away. Same technique, no changes.

 

[BreakPoint]

Please, what about the entire ATP tour? In fact, quite a number of them use full poly, and most of their injuries, if any, have nothing to do with the arm.

It's all about technique. A decently heavy racquet will absorb most of the shock coming from the ball anyway. It doesn't matter how stiff the racquet is; if your wrist and arm is loose enough, you'll let whatever racquet take the impact with its weight. The strings are a part of the racquet; the string doesn't matter much, unless it's like kevlar or completely unmalleable. As long as the string is flexible enough to transmit the shock to the racquet, there should be no harm done to any part of your body.

Of course, there's the exception of lightweight and stiff racquets, but I'm certain nobody is dumb enough to try to hurt themselves.

It would be easier to name pros who have never had arm injuries than name ones who have.

Querry, Nishikori, Roddick, Sampras, Krajicek, Gasquet, Baker, etc. have all had elbow injuries.

Del Potro, Murray, Agassi, Fish, Monfils, and many, many others have all had wrist injuries.

 

[Power Player]

I have excellent technique. I used racquets for decades that never gave me a hint of tennis elbow. I switched to another racquet and it quickly gave me tennis elbow. Same technique, no changes. Went to a different racquet and the tennis elbow went away. Same technique, no changes.

Video please. Or testimony from anyone here who has hit with you.

I bet there is none. You are just a super anonymous person on here who talks like he is great, when you could easily be absolutely terrible. To self diagnose and say you have "excellent" technique just shows the ego we are dealing with.

 

[BreakPoint]

Video please. Or testimony from anyone here who has hit with you.

I bet there is none. You are just a super anonymous person on here who talks like he is great, when you could easily be absolutely terrible. To self diagnose and say you have "excellent" technique just shows the ego we are dealing with.

If I didn't have good technique, I would have gotten tennis elbow with EVERY racquet, wouldn't I? Yet, only certain racquets have.

Oh, and people are always asking me to teach them how to hit my strokes.

 

[Power Player]

Lets see them then..or why have you never hit with anyone from this site after 30,000 posts?

 

[Funbun]

It would be easier to name pros who have never had arm injuries than name ones who have.

Querry, Nishikori, Roddick, Sampras, Krajicek, Gasquet, Baker, etc. have all had elbow injuries.

Del Potro, Murray, Agassi, Fish, Monfils, and many, many others have all had wrist injuries.

I can certainly confirm that some of these were not exclusively due to racquet or technique problems.

Either way, they've recovered and fixed up. Big deal. Murray lowered his swingweight significantly, but he still retains his backhand technique.

Roddick had a grand number of injuries; hamstring pulls, knee problems. The only one that is technique related is probably the shoulder injury; and that was a minor setback. His neck injury had nothing to do with tennis.

Leander Paes had only one wrist injury his entire career. Yet he's been using a racquet with a recorded RDC flex of 70 his entire career. Wuhhh?


Funny, because many of these guys are doing just fine now on the tour. I'm sure even pros might aggravate their bodies sometimes; arming the ball a bit too much, etc. None of these are lasting injuries. They fixed up and they are playing fine now.

Totally false. Even pros with optimal technique get tennis elbow and they have racquets that are precisely customized to their exact liking.

I have excellent technique. I used racquets for decades that never gave me a hint of tennis elbow. I switched to another racquet and it quickly gave me tennis elbow. Same technique, no changes. Went to a different racquet and the tennis elbow went away. Same technique, no changes.

Of course, even pros can get tennis elbow. But it's not lasting. They just fix up a bit of their technique and they're back to playing the greatest tennis ever. I'm sure not even the pros' technique is absolutely, 100% perfect. Of course their racquets are adapted for them.

Even so, they're playing a whole lot more than we do, and that naturally opens up to more possibilities for injury. Considering how often and intense they play compared to us, it's surprising that they're not whining and crying from weekly arm/wrist/shoulder injuries.

And please, no self-bias unless you have proof. If you're going to make that argument, I could do the same thing: I'm Funbun, I'm a singles player going into college, I regularly play against 5.0's and 5.5's, I teach kids, I hit heavy forehands, backhands, serves, etc. I've also used a variety of racquets, with full poly, yet I haven't gotten hurt, ever, since the 4 years I've been playing. Maybe if I play daily, about 4 hours a day, including workouts, I'd probably bound to get hurt sometime, but wait, I'm not a pro!

Because:

1. They're mostly in their teens and twenties and not as prone to injury as older players, not to mention that they have better technique.

2. Poly gets stiff and boardy after a few hours of play and most non-pros don't have the money or recources to replace it very often, whereas the pros replace their poly every couple games so it remains relatively soft.

I completely agree with 1. I would personally attest that number 2 has not occurred to me. I've been playing full poly all during this summer, with only about 3 stringjobs, and I don't feel boardiness or stiffness. It remains pretty normal and springy as far as I can feel during practice. Maybe it depends on the poly? Maybe it's the technique? I have no clue.

 

[Power Player]

Funbun, you have been playing 4 years and are a 5.0?

 

[tlm]

Funbun, you have been playing 4 years and are a 5.0?

Ya he is a legend in his own mind, the only person in the world to get to 5.0 level in 4 years.

 

[Funbun]

Funbun, you have been playing 4 years and are a 5.0?

When did I say that? Jeez....

 

[Michelle1965]

Babolat Zylon 360 plus-sore forearm, would have lead to tennis elbow, played with gut.

Prince Chang Graphite-sore bicep, tricep, etc. No more racquets over 27.25 for me.

 

[Power Player]

When did I say that? Jeez....

I'm Funbun, I'm a singles player going into college, I regularly play against 5.0's and 5.5's, I teach kids, I hit heavy forehands, backhands, serves, etc. I've also used a variety of racquets, with full poly, yet I haven't gotten hurt, ever, since the 4 years I've been playing. Maybe if I play daily, about 4 hours a day, including workouts, I'd probably bound to get hurt sometime, but wait, I'm not a pro!


Thats how it read to me. Im just asking. Have you only been playing 4 years?

 

[Funbun]

I'm Funbun, I'm a singles player going into college, I regularly play against 5.0's and 5.5's, I teach kids, I hit heavy forehands, backhands, serves, etc. I've also used a variety of racquets, with full poly, yet I haven't gotten hurt, ever, since the 4 years I've been playing. Maybe if I play daily, about 4 hours a day, including workouts, I'd probably bound to get hurt sometime, but wait, I'm not a pro!


Thats how it read to me. Im just asking. Have you only been playing 4 years?

I never said I was a 5.0. I certainly practice with them routinely nowadays (if you consider state-ranked juniors-turned college players 5.0's). I've only seriously played tennis for 4 years, but I played when I was younger, albeit naively. I've learned a lot just by studying Youtube videos, shadow swinging, etc. Senior year of high school, everything just clicked and made sense, getting me a position of an alternate (junior year) in my school to 1st singles in one year.

I'm not superb, certainly not. I'd be obliged to post a video of myself sometime, but only until I become extremely disciplined and consistent.

Ya he is a legend in his own mind, the only person in the world to get to 5.0 level in 4 years.

That was rude and unnecessary. I'm still pretty bad compared to the other singles players in my county; I'm not a legend, I'm a toilet-licker who just started licking other things for a change.

 

[Power Player]

That's a fair response. I have read other posts you have made where it read like you were a higher level player, but you are a young guy with the passion for the game and are playing a lot so that's good stuff.

 

[Funbun]

That's a fair response. I have read other posts you have made where it read like you were a higher level player, but you are a young guy with the passion for the game and are playing a lot so that's good stuff.

Why thank you! I certainly hope to become a higher level player.

If you don't mind if I ask, how about you?

 

[Power Player]

I don't play usta but I play an league of 4.0-5.0 rated players. So I'm somewhere in there.

 

[Pacific lefty]

Used Wilson k3 apparently the most flexible ever with stiffness under 50 and developed severe shoulder impingement and tendonitis.

 

[corbind]

Used Wilson k3 apparently the most flexible ever with stiffness under 50 and developed severe shoulder impingement and tendonitis.

What is your opinion on what about the racquet caused that?

 

[sansaephanh]

dont worry everyone is a F***ING jerk online.

 

[Pacific lefty]

I think it was due to overly light,head heavy racquet with big swingweight. It is a power racquet and since I already have a big swing,I think I put too much muscle into the ball and that caused the injury on my serve (along with slightly bad technique). I have changed racquets since to Pacific but not convinced that is better. It certainly gives more control and is way better at the net, but the off centre shots are not good...

 

[Michelle1965]

Funbun, you have been playing 4 years and are a 5.0?

Not as uncommon as you would think. I can think of two state league players I know that started as 3.0 and moved up .5 each year to 4.5. I don't feel comfortable posting their names.

 

[BreakPoint]

Not as uncommon as you would think. I can think of two state league players I know that started as 3.0 and moved up .5 each year to 4.5. I don't feel comfortable posting their names.

Yeah, but the great majority of people can play tennis their entire lives and never make it up to the 5.0 level.

 

[Michelle1965]

Yeah, but the great majority of people can play tennis their entire lives and never make it up to the 5.0 level.

Yep, and some are great at most sports besides tennis. I started playing with my 19 yo nephew who played varsity HS football & basketball and can hit an overhead over the fence but due to technique will be a miracle if he makes it to 3.5:

 

[TennisPro66]

Pro Injuries

It would be easier to name pros who have never had arm injuries than name ones who have.

Querry, Nishikori, Roddick, Sampras, Krajicek, Gasquet, Baker, etc. have all had elbow injuries.

Del Potro, Murray, Agassi, Fish, Monfils, and many, many others have all had wrist injuries.

More than 100 ATP players have had an arm, wrist, shoulder of elbow injury that has forced them to withdraw from a tournament or quit in mid-match, according to the figures reported on TennisInsight.com that occured between Sept. 27, 2009 through Nov. 21, 2011. It's no doubt a lot more since some of the causes of injuries listed are "unknown," according to the website.
http://www.tennisinsight.com/injuries.php

Azarenka, Clisters, Roddick are recent adds from shoulder injury

 

[TennisPro66]

In terms of other causes, there is nothing else touching your arm but the racket so other factors like strings, overuse, off center hits increase racket shock, but at the end of the day it's still racket shock that causes the injury. When it comes to kids safety, there should be a standard of safety and a warning accompanying side effects of any product used by kids. That's why I am seeking your support to petition the ITF on injury awareness.

 

[Muppet]

In terms of other causes, there is nothing else touching your arm but the racket so other factors like strings, overuse, off center hits increase racket shock, but at the end of the day it's still racket shock that causes the injury. When it comes to kids safety, there should be a standard of safety and a warning accompanying side effects of any product used by kids. That's why I am seeking your support to petition the ITF on injury awareness.

I've never seen a safety caution on baseball and softball bats. My belief is that it is the usage of too heavy of a racquet that is causing shoulder injuries to kids. It should be the parents' responsibilities to take notice if their youngster is having a hard time swinging his/her racquet. My father came to my little league games to see how I was doing. If I was struggling, he would have gotten me a different bat before I had an injury.

Shock can be greatly decreased by the use of softer and lower powered synthetic strings at lower tensions. And please stop putting a damper on my thread with requests for petitions.

 

[Muppet]

Bump.

As we construct this thread, it can be very useful to racquet designers what hasn't worked for us, the end consumers.

Please leave the exact model of racquet you used and what specific injury resulted from using it. By "injury" I'm including any persistent soreness to more serious problems requiring surgery.

Thank you

 

[TomT]

Interesting thread. I don't have an informed opinion, but there do seem to be lots of variables involved. My guess is that technique is the most important.

Here's the specs for the racquet I just hit with about 30 minutes ago:

Racquet Name: Prince Precision Response 710
Head Size: 107 sq. in. / 690 sq. cm.
Length: 27.00 inches / 68.58 cm
Strung Weight: 11.60 oz / 329 g
Balance: 4pts HL
Swing Weight: 324
Beam Width: 23.0mm
Tip/Shaft: 23.0mm / 23.0mm
Composition: 100% Graphite
Power Level: Low-Medium
Stiffness: 64
String Pattern: 18 Mains/20 Crosses
Main Skip: 8T,10T,8H,10H
String Tension: about 60, I'd guess
Grip is 4 1/2

I get absolutely no negative feedback (vibration) from this racquet as long as my footwork, preparation (early high backswing, nice and loose and let my torso movement provide the power), and stroke execution are good -- and I can hit really hard with this thing (well, really hard for me ), lots of pop, and impart lots of spin if I want to also.

The thing is, I'm 65 and I get lazy sometimes.

So, I agree that, although there are many variables involved it's technique, not the racquet, that is the most important.

But then, that PPR 710 is what's called a granny racquet, isn't it?

I should be receiving delivery of a new Babolat Y 105 strung at 54 with synth gut 16 soon. It will be interesting to see how that compares.

 

[Mick3391]

With this thread, I'm trying to hold the racquet brands responsible for designs that injure their customers. It will become apparent which racquet models use faulty designs. Please feel free to use this thread to complain about racquets that you have used that gave you pain. Please state the specific model and specific type of pain. Thank you.

Why don't you take some personal responsibility and either A. Work out your arm so you don't injure it or B. Quit Tennis.

What a little whining weasel trying to make money because you have a wimply little arm. You probably don't, but want to ruin others to benefit yourself.

This is modern America, "Heh, I found a way to make money, I'll say the racquets hurt my arm". Ever think about NOT PLAYING? Does Wilson or Head MAKE YOU PLAY? People like you don't belong in society, my arms, for that matter I pulled both plantaris muscles in my calves, had to see the doctor, had to take pain pills, but I TAKE RESPONSIBILITY, no one made me play Tennis.

And you probably vote.

I feel so sorry for people like you on judgement day.

 

[Mick3391]

I'm sure there were more, but these come to mind:

Babolat Pure Drive
Babolat Pure Control
Dunlop 500 Tour
Prince Shark
Tecnifibre 290 XL
Tecnifbre 320 VO2
Volkl V-engine 8
Wilson Ncode Surge
Yonex V-Con 17
Yonex RDS001 mp

Why are you guys answering this guy? Don't complain if in a few years you can't get a good racquet because the FG has deemed them "Possibly harmful to your arm".

Ignorant Wimps and whusses.

 

[Mick3391]

With this thread, I'm trying to hold the racquet brands responsible for designs that injure their customers. It will become apparent which racquet models use faulty designs. Please feel free to use this thread to complain about racquets that you have used that gave you pain. Please state the specific model and specific type of pain. Thank you.

You poor, poor man. I feel so sorry for you, which brand made you play anyways? Did Wilson hold a gun to your head and make you play? Or was it Head?

I know you have no decision making ability, so I certainly hope you win millions of dollars and ruin our game.

 

[TomT]

Why are you guys answering this guy? Don't complain if in a few years you can't get a good racquet because the FG has deemed them "Possibly harmful to your arm".

Ignorant Wimps and whusses.

Ok, just wait a minute now. I basically agree with what you're saying to Muppet, but I thought my post was pretty good.

Bottom line, imho ... it isn't the racquet. Period.

 

[Mick3391]

Ok, just wait a minute now. I basically agree with what you're saying to Muppet, but I thought my post was pretty good.

Bottom line, imho ... it isn't the racquet. Period.

No I'm not calling others that, sorry about that, I just mean like it's everyone playing into this guys hands.

I'm a pretty even keel guy but this kind of thing PISSES ME OFF. This kind of nonsense is why you can't "Bump" on bumper cars at Disneyland, why we need a warning the HOT COFFEE IS HOT, why we can't do this or that, some weasal hurts themselves then instead of taking personal responsibility "I have heard of Tennis Elbow, perhaps I shouldn't play", no, they play anyways then sue the Racquet Manufacturer, the prices go up, the playability goes down, you'll see soon, "This racquet illegal for those under 18 years of age".

Sorry for my overreaction I just HATE people like this, they ruin things for everyone else and they DON'T CARE.

 

[TomT]

No I'm not calling others that, sorry about that, I just mean like it's everyone playing into this guys hands.

I'm a pretty even keel guy but this kind of thing PISSES ME OFF. This kind of nonsense is why you can't "Bump" on bumper cars at Disneyland, why we need a warning the HOT COFFEE IS HOT, why we can't do this or that, some weasal hurts themselves then instead of taking personal responsibility "I have heard of Tennis Elbow, perhaps I shouldn't play", no, they play anyways then sue the Racquet Manufacturer, the prices go up, the playability goes down, you'll see soon, "This racquet illegal for those under 18 years of age".

Sorry for my overreaction I just HATE people like this, they ruin things for everyone else and they DON'T CARE.

It's Ok, I understood your posts. I was just trying to lighten things up. Your point, which I agree with, is taken. You did notice that my post does contradict Muppet's claim that the racquets are the problem. I agree with you and others who put the responsibility on the decision, and abilities, of the player.

Good technique. That's the key. I can play with any racquet, because I can adjust to any racquet's unique characteristics. So can any player with decent mechanics. However, I will say that some racquets just feel sooo nice to me, with much less effort.

Somewhere back in the thread Cobind made a nice list of variables to take into account. But he didn't weight them. Imo, as I suppose yours, it's technique that must be weighted most heavily by far.

 

[The Djoker]

*badminton*

 

[TimothyO]

No I'm not calling others that, sorry about that, I just mean like it's everyone playing into this guys hands.

I'm a pretty even keel guy but this kind of thing PISSES ME OFF. This kind of nonsense is why you can't "Bump" on bumper cars at Disneyland, why we need a warning the HOT COFFEE IS HOT, why we can't do this or that, some weasal hurts themselves then instead of taking personal responsibility "I have heard of Tennis Elbow, perhaps I shouldn't play", no, they play anyways then sue the Racquet Manufacturer, the prices go up, the playability goes down, you'll see soon, "This racquet illegal for those under 18 years of age".

Sorry for my overreaction I just HATE people like this, they ruin things for everyone else and they DON'T CARE.

Just a note...the hot coffee thing stems from the infamous McDonald's incident in which a woman was injured when she spilled McD's hot coffee on her lap. What wasn't widely reported is that the coffee in question wasn't at normal coffee temp. That McD's maintained the coffee at scalding temps so that if lines got long and the coffee sat unattended they wouldn't have to pour a new cup to replace one that got too cold. Unfortunately she got her cup immediately at that extreme temp. So the injury was caused by an attempt to shave pennies off of operating costs by maintaining product at extreme temps. A friend who owns a couple fo McD's in Atlanta says that a happy byproduct of the case is that McDs now has a better reputation for its coffee's taste now that it no longer scalds it.

On topic: after getting TE from a super stiff, light, HH noob frame when I started playing and getting some serious hand pain from Wilson's new Ampli Shock technology it would be nice if new players were given a heads up on frames and arm health.

At our club the folks I see with elbow braces, magnets, and wrist wraps usually use very stiff, powerful "rec player racquets". These cause problems in two ways. First, the shock from light, stiff, HH frames is just bad for the arm, full stop.

Second, it's nearly impossible to develop proper full, smooth tennis strokes with such powerful frames often strung with powerful multi strings. Thus these rec players arm, or even wrist, the ball instead of using their entire body to swing.

The upside to these frames is they sell well. Folks pick them up in the store and they say, "Oooooh, that's so light and fast, much better than the wooden monster I had as a kid.". On court they love the power during the demo period. Tap the ball and it effortlessly zooms!

And within 6 months they're wearing an elbow brace and tapping the ball like a badminton shuttlecock.

I think the industry needs to do a better job educating its customers but as I mentioned in another thread retailers are NOT interested in that. Their objective is maximizing churn...the rate at which retail square footage generates revenue. Detailed conversations about player needs don't support that objective.

However, in the case of Wilson's Ampli Shock, I wa very dismayed to learn that Wildon is putting freakin metal in their grips! At our friendly local tennis shop we opened the butt caps on some Wislon Ampli Shock frames and, sure enough, you can see the machined ends of metal bars in the handles. I've dumped the PS 95 but still have residual stiffness some mornings. Never had that problem before. And having educated myself on racquet tech there's no chance I would have bought a frame with metal shanks under the grip. I'm a total racquet tech geek and yet I wasn't able to find any mention of metal shanks when researching Wilson's Ampli Shock prior to purchase.

So the OP has a point. The industry needs to do a better job educating customers so we can make informed choices instead of learning about their products only after an injury occurs.

 

[TimothyO]

It's Ok, I understood your posts. I was just trying to lighten things up. Your point, which I agree with, is taken. You did notice that my post does contradict Muppet's claim that the racquets are the problem. I agree with you and others who put the responsibility on the decision, and abilities, of the player.

Good technique. That's the key. I can play with any racquet, because I can adjust to any racquet's unique characteristics. So can any player with decent mechanics. However, I will say that some racquets just feel sooo nice to me, with much less effort.

Somewhere back in the thread Cobind made a nice list of variables to take into account. But he didn't weight them. Imo, as I suppose yours, it's technique that must be weighted most heavily by far.

Can't have good technique if your frame causes you to spray balls when using good technique.

Too many frames and even strings cause rec players to spray balls when using full, proper strokes. With these frames getting a full shoulder turn and swinging with your torso will launch the ball into the next state. So these frames actually CAUSE poor form in many cases...but they sell well becuase they "feel so effortless".