New Racquet - triceps tendinitis

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jdog_1

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Hi, I'm new to the forum and am writing out of desperation. I have had triceps tendinitis for months now. I've done the standard things,(months of rest, ice, etc since my wife is a physical therapist) and tennis is the only thing that flares up my elbow. I can lift weights comfortably.

I wonder if my racquet could be a cause. I use the old Head Titanium Midsize TiClassic. Any thoughts? I know about the racquetresearch.com website.

I've come to the forum to try to seek out fellow sufferers. When all the rest and ice aren't working, I need to find other solutions.

Thanks,
JD
 
Tell us the strings you use and the tension. That could be part of your problem.

Also, have you had any instruction? Incorrect form can exacerbate arm problems. If you haven't had a pro take a look at what you're doing on court, you should look into that. You may be hitting tight, muscling the ball, trying to serve down onto the court, etc., all things that can cause problems.

As for treatment, anti-inflammatory medication (e.g., ibuprofen), ice, and rest is the right approach, but if you go out and do the same thing and re-injure yourself, it ain't going to get better...there are also exercises you can do to strengthen your muscles, and gear (arm-bands) that can help reduce stress on you arm.
 
Look into arm-friendly PK rackets and like Redflea said, get checked out by a pro.
 
Thanks for the responses. I have worked with several different pros and know the basic issues re: swing; namely, follow through all the way on my western fh, stay loose, don't grip it hard, no stopping short.

Re: strings, being a heavy topspinner, I break alot of strings and have been using Gamma Zo Life (sometimes Zo Sweet) at the midpoint recommended tension level. I admit that I'm not much of a gear-hound (hence the very old racquet, I also have an old ProStaff in my bag) so any recommendations re: racquets, how to string them, what to string them with would be helpful. I am partial to the old-school racquets and wondering whether that has exacerbated the issue.

Anyone had luck with specific braces/elbow thingies?

Thanks again.
 
IMO, most (all??) problems associated with playing tennis is due to wrong forms/habbit. The racquet or string may contribute very little to the problem. I suggest that you consult a tennis teacher or pro for your forms. you can also take vedio of yourself to see where the problem is.
 
Miss hitting can cause all kinds of injuries, especially with a racquet that is too heavy for someone, regardless of the flex. I'm not saying you miss hit a lot, but unless you are a very good ball striker, I would avoid midsized frames in general and go to something larger. Also, since you say you hit with a lot of topspin, you would find many topspin players like you are using larger headed frames.
 
wait wait. do you have a one handed backhand? or a two handed?

and are you right handed or left handed?

and which elbow is the tendinitis on?

i might be able to take and educated guess here at your prob. if you answer these.
 
I'm righthanded. I have triceps tendinitis in my playing arm; I have a one-hand eastern backhand and pretty severe western forehand.

Specs on the racquet from a google search (this is a pretty old racquet)

Head size: 98 sq. in. / 632 sq. cm.
Balance: 5pts Head Light
Length: 27 inches / 69 cm
Swingweight: 318
Weight: 11.6oz / 329g
Stiffness: 65 (0-100)
Power Level: Low
Construction: 21 mm Straight Beam
Swing Speed: Fast
String Pattern: 18 Mains / 20 Crosses
Composition: Graphite / Titanium
 
well i dont know about triceps tendinitis, but if it hurts in your elbow when you play tennis, and according to what you told me:

well then i would say take a look at your backhands, because that could be the source of your problem.

faulty technique on that backhand can tear a little ligament muscle in you elbow which is the tennis elbow people call. which could be agravated by inflamation.

you would need physical therapy (like warm up on that arm bicycle thing, use therabands, do friction massage, stuff with weights, etc). and you will need a pro to correct the faulty technique. the slightest of unorthodox motion can do that.

and when you return to play, use those tennis elbow braces so that you dissipate power on your muscles no your elbow, which should help until its 100%.

if this is not the case, then well, its still good advice if anyone visiting this thread needs it!
 
Racquet does not look like the problem at all (though the titanium may make it light and hence unstable, but the weight looks good). Try dropping your string tension to midpoint - 2 lbs and then midpoint - 4 lbs. Also check that grip size is not too small or too big for you - small is especially bad. Do both the finger test as well as the measurement test.
 
That doesn't sound like a problem racquet generally...unless the weight is a bit high and you're not preparing early enough and end up having to muscle things around (but you say you've looked into that). I don't see anything in the basic specs that should be an issue.

Have you also reviewed your serve w/your pro? I've created as many arm problems for myself in the past w/messy service form as w/ground strokes.

You may need go to a softer string, but bottom line is that you may have to take off for a few months to really let yourself heal. Stop playing completely, start a careful regimen of strengthening exercises. A friend of mine managed to hack up his arm a year or two ago and he couldn't play for about 4 or 5 months. Assuming you're not in your 20's, and things take a lot longer to heal as you age, and if you keep coming back too soon, you end up with a chronic condition that is painful and more difficult to fix later....
 
Thanks for all the responses. What I suspected, the racquet is probably not a major contributor (unforgiving strings might be a slight problem). I basically need to shut it down. I've tried that twice with 1 month stints but I guess more time is required (wished I hadn't paid in full for that league through May!).
 
Go see an Orthopaedic,with all respect to your wife i think he has a much better chance of helping.
I find it amazing you waitd so long
 
I have found that rarely is the racquet a cause of an injury. While some racquets might be more forgiving than others, technique and overuse are the causes. It's how you hit, not what you hit with...
 
I think the Head Ti racquets in general are not great on the arm. I hit with the Ti Heat for a while and it was a killer, and I have heard of similar issues with some of the other Head Ti racquets. I would recommend taking a break for a few months, and when you get back to it, try something like the PK Ki 5 or the Dunlop 200G, or maybe the Prince TT Warrior (which has the advantage of being cheap).
 
jdog_1 said:
Thanks for all the responses. What I suspected, the racquet is probably not a major contributor (unforgiving strings might be a slight problem). I basically need to shut it down. I've tried that twice with 1 month stints but I guess more time is required (wished I hadn't paid in full for that league through May!).
Click to expand...

<sigh> I feel your pain. Or should say I have felt your pain. :)

Taking time off is part of it, also remember there are exercises you can start doing as well while you're giving your arm a rest from tennis that will help avoid recurrences.

Things like:

http://www.physsportsmed.com/issues/1996/05_96/nirscpa.htm

Some interesting reading on treatment options here...:

http://www.aafp.org/afp/20020501/tips/10.html

Good luck...the time will pass pretty quickly, and heck, it's winter. At least this isn't going on during peak tennis season! :)
 
I think it's the racquet, why don't you use another one for a while and see if the same thing happens?
 
If you really think it's the racquet it might be time to look at the PK 5G or PK 7G. Both are known for their comfort and are by no means mediocre frames. BTW, was the Ti classic supposed to be the Ti version of the pt 280??
 
If he really has tennis elbow, keeping playing with any racquet is bad advice...give it a rest. When it's time to come back, trying a few different racquets isn't a bad idea...
 
jdog_1 said:
I'm righthanded. I have triceps tendinitis in my playing arm; I have a one-hand eastern backhand and pretty severe western forehand.

Specs on the racquet from a google search (this is a pretty old racquet)

Head size: 98 sq. in. / 632 sq. cm.
Balance: 5pts Head Light
Length: 27 inches / 69 cm
Swingweight: 318
Weight: 11.6oz / 329g
Stiffness: 65 (0-100)
Power Level: Low
Construction: 21 mm Straight Beam
Swing Speed: Fast
String Pattern: 18 Mains / 20 Crosses
Composition: Graphite / Titanium
Click to expand...

Ti Classic swings heavier than the official spec. suggests. My Ti Classics are only 3pts head light and the swing weight feels close to 325.

This frame came from the PT 280 mold, but is stiffer and a little lighter than 280. FXP Prestige MP plays like Ti Classic.
 
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