I recently bought a Ki 5 after a demo, and strung it with my usual Yonex 850 Pro spin at 62, which is mid range on this racquet. The problem is of the four times I have hit with it twice, and especially tonight, I was having some serious shoulder pain. (I have an impingement history). I have been playing with a Yonex mp 3i for the past couple of years which I have found very shoulder friendly, but thought the Ki 5 would be even more so. Am I going through an adjustment period to the higher swingweight 315 to 327? OR is the Ki 5 just elbow friendly but not shoulder friendly? Any thoughts PK users or anyone else?
PK Ki 5 shoulder problems????
- Thread starter backcourt
- Start date
louis netman
Hall of Fame
Shoulder problems are usually initiated by swing weights that are too high. It may take some time to adjust. Don't try to force your strokes or your serve too much. Just let it flow. Shock dampening in regard to the PK kinetic system is specifically designed to aleviate TE and wrist problems that come from excessive vibration and shock. Shoulder problems are rarely exacerbated by this type of shock. If the shoulder problem persists, you may need a lighter swingweight...
Agree with louis. I had my first shoulder trouble after switching frames from one that was about 10.8oz to one that was about 12oz. My service motion is what did it. I was just used to the lighter swingweight and overworked my shoulder. My advice is to stop playing at the first sign of pain. I pushed it one day and have been recovering for months. It took two weeks before I could play at all and a couple more before I could think about serving again. I am about 98% now, but still have to be very careful with my service motion and make sure not to let the ball get behind me on the toss.
robkat
Semi-Pro
I have had some shoulder tenderness/soreness. After experimentation with different frames, I determined the combination of swingweight and racquet weight was the cause of the shoulder soreness. It didn't matter if the frame was a PK kinetic frame, Which bothered my shoudler. I found out through much experimentation that my max SW limit was 315 with a static weight of about 11.6 oz. I also figured out that I could go lower on the SW and go a bit higher on the racquet static weight or , go higher on static weight and use a lower SW. I would recommend you do some experimenting with different swingweights and static weights and find out what works out best for your shoulder.
Thanks for your responses. I will lay low for a few days then give it another shot before giving up on the KI 5. It seems to be the backhand that causes my problem, especially when hitting a backhand volley from the backcourt, while just hitting, more than the serve. Perhaps my swingweight also maxes out around 315. However, when I went the other way a couple of years ago and played with a lighter 10.8 Head Ti Fire Tour, which had a stiffness of about 68, that really bothered my shoulder. My reason for switching to the KI 5 was for its bigger head and sweetspot. Didn't demo the RDX 500 mp due to some reviews indicating its not a great volleying racquet. BUt now its 315 swingweight sounds pretty good.
I've been using the 5g (not Ki 5) with lead to 12.5 oz and noticed that early in the season or if my serve mechanics break down I can really stress my shoulder. I think the other posters are dead on. If I concentrate on a fluid serve motion of constantly keeping the raquet head moving instead of letting it stop and then accelerating hard, my shoulder feels much better.
misterg
Rookie
I'm a little late, but howewer here is my esperience... I had elbow problems playing with a Yonex 500, then I switched to the Pro kennex 5g and in 3-5 months my elbow problems disappeared. Then after about a year of playing with the pk 5g i had sholuder fatigue first, and sorrenes next... I'm sure it was the racquet because problems gone when I got the Babolat pure drive. But I don'i like this racquet because of it's poor feel, so I tried a lot of other racquest but after a week or twon schoulder problems are reappering. So, now I stick with the Pure Drive, at wery low tension 23-24 gut and gut... No schoulder problem anymore. This is my esperience, and yes I'm a very tiny man (188 cm and 70 kg)...
misterg
Rookie
I was playing with the old Yonex RD 500 long (and later with the Yonex 1500 lultimum TI long)... and both of these racquets are very, ver stiff and instable and I do not raccomand It if you have elbow and/or scholuder problems. I also tried the new RDX 500 but i found also too stiff and "heavy" for my. So I stay with the Pure Drive and I realy do not have schoulder problems at all! But in order to avoid elbow problems I play ONLY with natural gur or synthetic gut (Powergy, Sensation etc.) at may 23-25 kg. I also found that too light (and head heawy) racquets are very bad for my schoulder beacause enable you to swing too fast and "muscle" the ball (I played with the Heat Ti fire, Wilson Triad 95, Head instinct wich all of them caused me big schoulder fatigue that leads to schoulder problems). So I stay with the PD and I'm very carefull with strings.
Marius_Hancu
Talk Tennis Guru
I think this advice could help you too, thus I am copying myself liberally from other threads
you must reduce the strain on your shoulder. in order to do that:
throw the ball more in front of you
imagine that your racket is in a socket in your palm and that its handle must be (in the trophy position) in a straight line continuation of the forearm; it must drop just slightly during the attack of the ball but NOT EARLIER
flex your knees, rotate your hips and upper body
your right elbow must be above your shoulder
the angle upper arm - torso must be about 110 degrees in your trophy position
check Sampras and Federer power/trophy/archer's positions in the Sticky thread in the Tip forum (my Serve Power and Placement posting)
you must reduce the strain on your shoulder. in order to do that:
throw the ball more in front of you
imagine that your racket is in a socket in your palm and that its handle must be (in the trophy position) in a straight line continuation of the forearm; it must drop just slightly during the attack of the ball but NOT EARLIER
flex your knees, rotate your hips and upper body
your right elbow must be above your shoulder
the angle upper arm - torso must be about 110 degrees in your trophy position
check Sampras and Federer power/trophy/archer's positions in the Sticky thread in the Tip forum (my Serve Power and Placement posting)
Marius_Hancu
Talk Tennis Guru
backcourt said:
I'd say continue using what's has been working for you, esp with your history. But also check your technique. I think you're "shouldering" the serve.
Thanks Marius: I played a couple of times over the weekend with my old stick and didn't have the shoulder pain. I have decided to stick with it, only problem is its discontiued. Due primarily to lower back concerns, I have been trying to place my toss well in front of me for the last three years. For some reason, it is on the backhand, not the serve, where I was getting pain with the KI 5. Otherwise, its a really nice all court racquet with a much larger sweetspot. I also wonder if a larger head, 100 vs. my 3i 95, puts more strain on the shoulder.
