stephenpinkus
Rookie
My buddy is having shoulder issues. Mid 70s, played at Duke, now a 4 and on a good day 4.5. Uses Wilson Clash stung with synthetic. Previously used Volkl VFeel V1 OS. Any recommendations for shoulder friendly racquets?
Shoulder Issue
- Thread starter stephenpinkus
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I would also second a lighter-spec ProKennex, as well as the softest, most shock-absorbent string bed possible, ie. either a full bed of natural gut, or if cost is an issue, polyolefin-based multi, namely IsoSpeed Classic, either hybrided with gut, or full-bed on its own -- strung at the lowest tension he can still control.
As for a specific ProKennex frame to look at, I would actually suggest not going quite as extreme as the Q+30, rather the Q+20, which at 275g is still 20g lighter than the regular Clash, so it will be considerably easier to heave overhead, the 110" head hopefully won't feel too huge and will do a better job of cushioning the ball impact, and the 320 strung swing weight shouldn't be too unbearable (while also offering good plow-through).
Beyond the gear, there is likely some lifestyle and general wellness stuff he could put in place, but only certain 70-yo's are open to that kind of thing (I'd call them a minority where I live), so band-aid'ing symptoms may be as far as you can go on that front...
Hopefully, some of that helps him get back to playing as pain-free as possible.
As for a specific ProKennex frame to look at, I would actually suggest not going quite as extreme as the Q+30, rather the Q+20, which at 275g is still 20g lighter than the regular Clash, so it will be considerably easier to heave overhead, the 110" head hopefully won't feel too huge and will do a better job of cushioning the ball impact, and the 320 strung swing weight shouldn't be too unbearable (while also offering good plow-through).
Beyond the gear, there is likely some lifestyle and general wellness stuff he could put in place, but only certain 70-yo's are open to that kind of thing (I'd call them a minority where I live), so band-aid'ing symptoms may be as far as you can go on that front...
Hopefully, some of that helps him get back to playing as pain-free as possible.
Steve Huff
G.O.A.T.
Agree with above. Heavier may be good for the elbow, but lighter is better for the shoulder. Pro Kennex does have a great dampening system.
Steve Huff
G.O.A.T.
Both seem pretty high for someone with shoulder problems. There are a lot of lighter rackets that are still playable.
Ombudsman
Rookie
Cheers @Steve Huff
I’m playing the Clash 98 after the Pure Strike (I’m sure lifestyle choices factored in too) sent me to PT and a cortisone shot - it feels pretty good - although I’m not yet serving.
Was considering options in the PK line that would be elbow friendly as well.
I’m playing the Clash 98 after the Pure Strike (I’m sure lifestyle choices factored in too) sent me to PT and a cortisone shot - it feels pretty good - although I’m not yet serving.
Was considering options in the PK line that would be elbow friendly as well.
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WYK
Legend
I've been using the Clash 98 and finding it pretty nice. I think the Ki5 and Ki10 are softer on the arm, tho. They both feel great, too. The Ki5 having very nice control.
But, like you said, the SW can be a bit high on the Ki10 unless you can find the 290 version.
The Ki10 290 allowed a friend of mine to play tennis after his injury.
It prolly won't help, but I often go back to my RQIS 1 Tour when my arm hurts, or in winter. It's just nothing but butter, and the whole thing is a sweet spot.
Mebbe the Percept 100 can help? I dunno.
Dartagnan64
G.O.A.T.
Go OS and softer strings. The Phantom 107G I'm using at 50 lbs Head Velocity is pretty comfy on all fronts.
Tronco20
Rookie
I'm having shoulder surgery tomorrow and have a history of shoulder problems. Have tried all kinds of racquets. My takeaway:
- forget about vibrations - none of that affects the shoulder, it's just too far away
- the key is to find a racquet that takes off as much physical strain of the shoulder as possible. For me stiffer racquets, lower static weight, manageable swingweight. Lead around 11-1 o'clock helps with making a lighter stiff racquet have enough plow/stability.
Pure Control 95/Prince Tour 95 customised to 350gr static weight killed my shoulder. Thanks to Pure Drive/Pure Strike (325gr static and swingweight) I could keep on playing for 4 more years without surgery. As I've been playing intensively these last 4 years, the surgery was inevitable.
My luck was I've never had elbow/wrist issues. Don't know what a guy with issues with all three could use
- forget about vibrations - none of that affects the shoulder, it's just too far away
- the key is to find a racquet that takes off as much physical strain of the shoulder as possible. For me stiffer racquets, lower static weight, manageable swingweight. Lead around 11-1 o'clock helps with making a lighter stiff racquet have enough plow/stability.
Pure Control 95/Prince Tour 95 customised to 350gr static weight killed my shoulder. Thanks to Pure Drive/Pure Strike (325gr static and swingweight) I could keep on playing for 4 more years without surgery. As I've been playing intensively these last 4 years, the surgery was inevitable.
My luck was I've never had elbow/wrist issues. Don't know what a guy with issues with all three could use
Tronco20
Rookie
Thank you! (I'm still waiting, the surgery should take place within an hour
)Hope you can keep on playing as long as possible. Make sure your racquet is easy to swing and gives as much energy to the ball as possible and manageable, so that your arm doesn't have to muscle the strokes (as it does with heavy "wet noodles" racquets, at least in my case it was so)
Cheers
stapletonj
Hall of Fame
don't forget, natural gut is your friend!
Steve Huff
G.O.A.T.
When I used the Ki 10 PSE, my arm never bothered me. I'm just saying that it's noticeably stiffer in feel compared to the Ki 5. The RQIS 1 Tour is indeed, a sweet feeling, solid racket, but it's weight may be what it aggravating your shoulder. The Ki Q+ 5 is the lightest 5 series, at 11.1 oz, but it doesn't really feel heavy, so that's probably the one I'd recommend. The "Classic" Ki 5's are around 11. 7 oz, so might be a bit too much.
Rosstour
Talk Tennis Guru
The Clash (v1) is the racquet I chose in response to having shoulder issues (partially torn, full thickness tear RC). I don't think you're going to find a better answer without extensive customization
WYK
Legend
Oh, this RQIS is not stock
Will It Pallet?
And why the hell does Wilson need to come up with so many different damn hairpin shapes?!? long ago they bought a German racquet company for their tech. One of the things they did was mold the graphite of the hairpin to the grip size. The profile, hammer, steam and other lines all had...
tt.tennis-warehouse.com
And I do certainly suggest a Ki5! Great sticks!
My Ki10 290 feels more comfortable than my Clash 98 does, and the RQIS is far more buttery compared to both. It's not even close.
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fuzz nation
G.O.A.T.
Agree that shoulder strain is often relieved by going to a lighter racquet, while elbow irritation can often be reduced or avoided with choosing a softer string option in just about any racquet.
I'm currently using the Prince Phantom 97 and I had the Volkl C10 in the bag for some years before that. I personally get enough elbow comfort with a full bed of synthetic gut. A flexible 12+ oz. racquet is my personal normal, but sometimes a lighter rig really gets my attention.
I've never been much of a fan of Babolat racquets, but one of their frames that I keep in my loaner bag is their Pure Drive 107. I have this one strung with Prince Premier Control at rather moderate tension - maybe 54 lbs. - and whenever I hit a few balls with this frame, I'm pleasantly surprised with how civilized it plays.
Another relatively light racquet that I think has a LOT going for it is the Prince O3 Red - the current version of this frame is the O3 Legacy 105.
