Oh no.....

[PinkTennisNinja]

So is my 1hbh causing my forearm to hurt? I know I swing it funny (or so I've been told) but it's consistent and I like it haha. The soreness actually started after I played singles (1st time in months). Also I had just gotten my racquet re-strung and my stringer changed the strings on me (I was using a hybrid of topspin and syn. gut and he just used syn. gut). I felt the change in the strings. And I googled it and I'm worried it might be tennis elbow....

Here's the questions:

Do I have the beginnings of tennis elbow?
a. if so what can I do to prevent it?
Is it my backhand causing the soreness?
Is it the new strings?


Dear Lawd,

I'm only 23 please don't take me out of the game because of tennis elbow yet.

Thanks!

 

[vkamphonephong]

If it's just a regular muscle sore, it might be normal. You haven't been playing for a month? Or at least singles. But if you were out of the game for a month and didn't do any exercise in between, it might just be a regular muscle sore. I would think this is normal, but don't take my word for it.

 

[PinkTennisNinja]

If it's just a regular muscle sore, it might be normal. You haven't been playing for a month? Or at least singles. But if you were out of the game for a month and didn't do any exercise in between, it might just be a regular muscle sore. I would think this is normal, but don't take my word for it.

No I play all the time but mostly doubles. This was just my first singles match in months.

 

[Cindysphinx]

If it continues, you might find a good pro and have him take a look at your stroke mechanics. If you have a technique problem, it won't get better until you change things.

I was having a bit of TE, and a pro told me to make my FH swing more compact. That, in addition to a better shoulder turn, seems to have resolved the problem.

 

[charliefedererer]

No I play all the time but mostly doubles. This was just my first singles match in months.

More serving and longer rallys in singles will put more stress on your forearm muscles, and their point of attatchment via the non-elastic tendons at your elbow.

Many posters here have found the Tyler Twist Flexbar exercises to be easy to do and take up little of their time and no special preparation. You can get in set even watching TV or taking a minute break from paperwork: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zB3TVb8a5mk

 

[fuzz nation]

Do some research for preventive measures against TE - I'm a believer in strengthening exercises to help avoid irritation. Plenty of material and links around here already including that one from our pal charliefedererer.

Also, you've got a racquet that's somewhat stiff and also rather light. While I'm sure it's a snappy performer in a doubles setting, it's not surprising that a sudden dose of singles with the extra helping of strokes gave your elbow a little extra punishment. Maybe the new syn. gut setup is a heavier gauge, higher tension... who knows really? Overall though, it's probably going to be inherently softer than any poly (I think you mentioned the Topspin brand) you put in that frame. Stay away from that harsh stuff (poly and kevlar) if you want to stack the odds more in favor of a healthy arm.

 

[PinkTennisNinja]

Do some research for preventive measures against TE - I'm a believer in strengthening exercises to help avoid irritation. Plenty of material and links around here already including that one from our pal charliefedererer.

Also, you've got a racquet that's somewhat stiff and also rather light. While I'm sure it's a snappy performer in a doubles setting, it's not surprising that a sudden dose of singles with the extra helping of strokes gave your elbow a little extra punishment. Maybe the new syn. gut setup is a heavier gauge, higher tension... who knows really? Overall though, it's probably going to be inherently softer than any poly (I think you mentioned the Topspin brand) you put in that frame. Stay away from that harsh stuff (poly and kevlar) if you want to stack the odds more in favor of a healthy arm.

Yeah I plan on definitely checking out the link from charliefedererer

And yeah the racquet I have IMO works very well in doubles. I went from a 118 sq in head to a 105 and that was the best jump I've made so far. I have more power and I'm able to be quicker at the net. And my racquet was strung with a hybrid of syn. gut and topspin (but I don't believe it's the Topspin brand I think it was Prince topspin with duraflex maybe) at 54 lbs. He changed it to only syn. gut at 57 lbs (not sure on his reasoning). Since I don't plan on playing singles much (since I much prefer doubles) I won't go buy another racquet for singles. However I think I might get my strings redone. Any suggestions on the strings I should use?

 

[fuzz nation]

Sorry for not checking back sooner.

The general tennis elbow issue is a tricky thing to nail down. I've seen a bit of elbow soreness in the past myself, but only here and there. Nothing like a full blown case of TE where it's impossible to even pick up a cup of coffee. If your soreness becomes progressively worse, you'd be smart to take very deliberate steps to stop it.

There's probably plenty of well-founded advice around here concerning treatment for TE related symptoms. Massage therapy, taking an anti-inflammatory, strengthening exercises... stuff like that. I'll leave that research up to you.

My recommendation for stringing your racquet, aside from avoiding the harsher poly and kevlar, is to stick with a soft setup that still feels good for you. I've always enjoyed the more crisp, snappy feeling feedback I get with a thin 17 gauge synthetic gut. While multifibers can be inherently softer on the arm, I'm not wild about them because they can get to feeling too darned mushy for me. If it feels as though I'm hitting the ball with a pillow on a stick, that lack of feel and feedback can kill my control and confidence. Thinner syn. gut can be inherently softer than a thicker option, yet still give me decent performance.

The only syn. gut I'm not wild about (off the top of my head) is Prince Syn. Gut with Duraflex. I'm pretty sure that the Duraflex is actually an added ribbon of poly or something more harsh like that which is added to the top layer of the string. For me, it's just clunky and hard. Their original syn. gut is still a winner, but there are other fine alternatives around, too.

If you can afford to try it and want the most arm-friendly string option around, that should be natural gut.