Pain under biceps after serving

MMa23

New User
Hi,

I have done extensive research and looked at old threads about my issue.

I basically have pain under my biceps after I hit serves. I can hit groundstrokes with no pain at all but once I try to serve it tightens up and hurts.

The pain is very apparent when I bring my arm all the way up (like after doing a full bicep curl). From my research, I have it to either be a rotator cuff problem or biceps tendinitis.

Anyone else have this problem and fixed it?

Thanks
 

SystemicAnomaly

Bionic Poster
What do you mean by "under my biceps"? Are you referring to the location indicated below as the distal biceps tendon?

Long%20Head%20Biceps%20Tendon.jpg
 

SystemicAnomaly

Bionic Poster

MMa23

New User
No, I am 24 years old.

I do not do any strenuous exercise other than tennis.

It only feels funny after I hit really hard serves and kick serves.

I have started to do stretching and rotator cuff strengthening exercises and it feels 10x better.

I also do not warm up at all before playing tennis.
 

SystemicAnomaly

Bionic Poster
Not doing any heavy lifting for work or other?

Note that static stretching just prior to tennis or other exercise is not usually the best idea. Do those types of stretches after tennis or 30-60 minutes or more prior to tennis. Dynamic stretching and warming up are a much better idea just prior to tennis. As part of your warmup, perform some shadow swings. This should include some shadow serves to warm up your arm, shoulder and core. Arm & fingers should be fairly relaxed when doing this -- do not tense up any more than absolutely necessary.

I don't believe that biceps injuries all that common -- certainly not as common as other injuries of the arm such as TE, GE, wrist or shoulder/rotator problems. Note that the triceps are used more forcefully for a tennis overhead than are the biceps. The biceps are used for for bending the elbow and for supination (when the elbow is bent).

Can only speculate what might be happening with you biceps tendon. Are you trying to "muscle" your serves? You might be tensing the biceps and other muscles too much in an attempt to hard serves (or more kick). Keep the arm as relaxed as possible. You should be able to generate power or racket head speed with your fingers and arm fairly relaxed -- just let them tighten up naturally on their own.

I wonder if you might be rushing thru the trophy phase of your serve. Some ppl move thru this phase much too quickly to get to the racket drop (scratch position). Note that there should not be a pause at the racket drop while waiting for the ball toss. If you have a pause at that point, you may be rushing thru the trophy phase.

Are your biceps naturally tight? If they are, and you are hyperextending your arm on your serve, you might be stressing the distal biceps tendon. Your arm/elbow should be comfortably straight at contact (not hyperextended).

Any unusual or forced/explosive supination in your service motion?

Poly strings? Is your racket arm-UNfriendly?
 

LeeD

Bionic Poster
Not warming up before tennis.

Possibly, you're snapping your elbow straight during your serve swing, something not recommended.
One cure for this is to pretrophy with your racketarm straight, then bend it for trophy, and swing normal. For some reason, they helps alleviate the hard straightening of your elbow during your upwards service swing.
Another cure would be the Navritilova high hand trophy position. For some reason, this keeps your elbow from snapping straight also.
 

SystemicAnomaly

Bionic Poster
^ Good feedback. I might also suggest starting the serving (racket) arm already in either the trophy position or the racket drop position to see if the biceps tendon pain occurs. This experiment can possibly help to isolate the action that is producing the pain.

Also, what racket, string and string tension are you using?
 

MMa23

New User
Thanks for replies!

I am using the Wilson Blade 98 w/ Wilson NXT strings @ 45 lbs of tension.

It is arm friendly and feels good.

When I first started having these problems I was using the Babolat Pure Strike Tour with poly strings @ 58 tension.

I no longer have that racquet or use it.
 

MMa23

New User
I don't really understand what that means "snapping the elbow straight" during the serve.

I have switched to a different service motion, more like gasquet's and I have seemed to have no problem with it for 2 hours of play. We will see this week if it is a problem
 

MMa23

New User
If anyone is having this problem and comes across this problem here is the solution:

Take some time off and strengthen your rotator cuff muscles.

Also get more flexible, you are probably really stiff. I am doing a lot of stretches especially for the biceps and shoulder. The pain is gone.

Cheer!
 

cheesehead

New User
I don't really understand what that means "snapping the elbow straight" during the serve.

I have switched to a different service motion, more like gasquet's and I have seemed to have no problem with it for 2 hours of play. We will see this week if it is a problem
Using the Sampras bent elbow pronation on follow through I think also helps. My experience it helps to unload the arm and shoulder on follow through as well as adding a little extra kick and spin on the serve
 

SystemicAnomaly

Bionic Poster
Using the Sampras bent elbow pronation on follow through I think also helps. My experience it helps to unload the arm and shoulder on follow through as well as adding a little extra kick and spin on the serve
The OP was a short-timer here. Not been seen on TT in about 9 years.

But your feedback might very well be useful for others who are still around.
 
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