Soft polys for tennis elbow

BaselinerEY

New User
Any tennis elbow sufferers have any experience using soft polys? I recently developed tennis elbow and started using Tecnifibre Multifeel 1.25 mm to get me through it. It's a decent string but frays and doesn't appear to have a fraction of the durability the Solinco Hyper G and Revolution (both 1.25 mm) I used to play with have.

I have a set of Ytex Quadro Twist and Tecnibre Razor Soft (staying with the 1.25 mm gauge) but am loath to string my frames because stringing where I live is expensive if you want fast and convenient service.

I use a dampener and moderately stiff Tecnifibre TFight 300 in the ISO and RS versions.

I would appreciate any feedback on the strings above and other anecdotes about managing tennis elbow with soft polys. Thanks in advance!
 

legcramp

Professional
Ytex Quadro Twist you have is the same stiffness as ISOSPEED Cream according to the TW string comparison tool at 178 stiffness for the 16L version vs 1.28mm Cream. I would try that in a fullbed and see how it feels.
 

sajlent555

Rookie
I think you should try with less stiffer racket. And then maybe try soft poly like MSV Swift or maybe Tecnifibre Triax and see what happens.

Even softest poly in stiff racket can cause some pain to your sensitive arm.
 

GGWAW

Rookie
I had similar problem; 2 options I have tried

If budget is not an issue / you don’t break in less than 10h gut/poly should be the way to go - You keep amazing spin, great power and excellent touch (this is what I use ; the price is ok as it is much cheaper than physio ;-) )

2n option might be Luxilon Element
 

adamau5

New User
well versed in this. If you have TE issues, just accept poly isnt ok... maybe just maybe you could get a flexy racquet with a soft poly like ghostwire and get away with it. Personally, i have 4 bats strung, 2 with a head velocity / ghostwire hybrid which i use 80% of the time, and then a gut GW hybrid for summer matches. I also have a full bed gw for when i just feel over powered - but it hurts me long term.
 

Pumpkin

Professional
I never got tennis elbow until I used natural gut, which seemed weird. But it turned out to be poor technique on serve. I wasn't pronating and I was practicing a lot of serves. Once I started pronating the problem went away.

So you have to be careful to identify whether an injury is being caused by the equipment or poor technique.
 

mauricem

Semi-Pro
If you're playing against hard hitters with a light frame adding some lead tape can definitley help soak up some of the inertia before it reaches your elbow. The main things to get right would be firstly technique, hitting the ball late with a OHBH would be one of the prime causes IME. Next use a moderatley flexy frame something around or below RA62 that weighs or is weighted up to at least 320ish. Strings as above, poly works great as a hybrid, just dont string too tight eg under 60 and cut them out before they go brittle, maybe every 3 months for twice a week rec players?
 

MaxSwing

New User
My two cents is that for a lower skill customer who wanted something like this I ended up with a hybrid of MSV Swift in crosses with a basic synthetic gut in the mains. Been a few months so far and they said it felt better on their arm.
 

Arzivu

Semi-Pro
If you like the feel of the multifeel, you can try it on a thicker gauge (1,30 or even 1,35 mm) as a full bed or put it on a hybrid with ghostwire crosses. I have tried it myself and it is a nice combination; excellent comfort, good snapback with little movement in the mains, adequate spin and decent durability.
 

junior74

Bionic Poster
The softest poly I have tried, is Gosen Sidewinder. Very comfortable.

I often recommend Monogut Zyex as cross, since it is soft and super slick, allowing for string movement (which makes the bed feel less stiff).

As some say, you should perhaps look into a more flexible racquet.
 

Trip

Legend
@BaselinerEY - First off, I'd be leery of trying Razor Soft -- it's by no means soft (I'm on the playtest, so I can confirm with firsthand experience). I also am a YTEX ambassador, and while Quadro Twist is a step in the right direction, there are even softer polys out there which may serve your arm even better for the time being.

Here's a workflow outline, from most poly-like to least. Between each step, make sure to drop tension, then gauge, then both, to the absolute lowest levels you can control, before proceeding to the next string type:
  1. Full-bed of the gentlest poly possible -- examples:
    Shaped: Signum Pro Thunderstorm 1.24 (USRSA 158 lbs/in)
    Round: Yonex Poly Tour Air, IsoSpeed Cream, MSV Swift
  2. Hybrid of multi/poly "multiester" string in the mains, with soft/slick poly cross:
    Main: Tecnifibre RPX (stiffest/crispest), Triax (slightly softer), HDMX (softest), Wilson NXT Control, Yonex Rexis Speed
    Cross: Air, Cream or Swift
  3. Full-Synthetic/Soft-Poly Hybrid - Mains: Slick syn gut, TF Multifeel, Tourna Quasi Gut Armor, etc.
  4. Gut/Soft-Poly Hybrid
  5. Ashaway Kevlar / MonoGut ZX Hybrid
  6. Full-Bed Synthetic, or Synthetic/Synthetic Hybrid
  7. Natural Gut/Synthetic Hybrid
  8. Full bed natural gut.
For more string guidance, see thread's such as @g4driver's "Kobayashi Maru String Scenario" (a must-read) and "Accepting that you cannot use poly strings", among others.

If you feel you've run out of options but absolutely must keep poly as part of the equation for whatever reason, I would look at a frame switch, either to a ProKennex or a super flexy and/or at least partially-muted conventional frame like a Prince Phantom, Yonex VCore Pro, Volkl C10, etc.

Hope that helps. Any questions, feel free.
 

tele

Hall of Fame
I haven’t broken any yet and I’ve payed at least 10 hours on each frame. However, the strings are frayed and look like they can go at any minute.
you would need to cut out poly around 10 hrs anyway, especially with an active elbow injury. if you just want a longer lasting string, i would opt for a more durable multi, perhaps velocity or nxt control. multifeel has good spin for a non poly, but is particularly bad about fraying.
 

berkyboy

Rookie
@BaselinerEY - First off, I'd be leery of trying Razor Soft -- it's by no means soft (I'm on the playtest, so I can confirm with firsthand experience). I also am a YTEX ambassador, and while Quadro Twist is a step in the right direction, there are even softer polys out there which may serve your arm even better for the time being.

Here's a workflow outline, from most poly-like to least. Between each step, make sure to drop tension, then gauge, then both, to the absolute lowest levels you can control, before proceeding to the next string type:
  1. Full-bed of the gentlest poly possible -- examples:
    Shaped: Signum Pro Thunderstorm 1.24 (USRSA 158 lbs/in)
    Round: Yonex Poly Tour Air, IsoSpeed Cream, MSV Swift
  2. Hybrid of multi/poly "multiester" string in the mains, with soft/slick poly cross:
    Main: Tecnifibre RPX (stiffest/crispest), Triax (slightly softer), HDMX (softest), Wilson NXT Control, Yonex Rexis Speed
    Cross: Air, Cream or Swift
  3. Full-Synthetic/Soft-Poly Hybrid - Mains: Slick syn gut, TF Multifeel, Tourna Quasi Gut Armor, etc.
  4. Gut/Soft-Poly Hybrid
  5. Ashaway Kevlar / MonoGut ZX Hybrid
  6. Full-Bed Synthetic, or Synthetic/Synthetic Hybrid
  7. Natural Gut/Synthetic Hybrid
  8. Full bed natural gut.
For more string guidance, see thread's such as @g4driver's "Kobayashi Maru String Scenario" (a must-read) and "Accepting that you cannot use poly strings", among others.

If you feel you've run out of options but absolutely must keep poly as part of the equation for whatever reason, I would look at a frame switch, either to a ProKennex or a super flexy and/or at least partially-muted conventional frame like a Prince Phantom, Yonex VCore Pro, Volkl C10, etc.

Hope that helps. Any questions, feel free.
Air, cream,swift,thunderstorm.....which has most real world power?
 

PRS

Professional
doesn't appear to have a fraction of the durability

I haven’t broken any yet and I’ve payed at least 10 hours on each frame. However, the strings are frayed and look like they can go at any minute.
This is likely why you're having issues. Poly strings really shouldn't be played past the 10-ish hour mark, as they go dead and start sending more shock up your arm. While recovering, I'd definitely stay away from poly completely. But if you're playing and in no pain, feel free to try something softer like what some have suggested. The problem is, you'll want to cut it out around the 10 hour mark to prevent the issues from coming back.

Instead, if you're looking for more than the 10-ish hours your getting out of Multifeel, I'd recommend just getting a thick (15L) multi, or even one of Tecnifibre's multi-poly fusion strings like Triax or HDMX (can still be in the thickest gauge available), as it's much safer to play with a multi until it breaks than it is poly.
 

heavyD

Professional
I find a noticeable difference between Hyper-G and Hyper-G Soft. The soft version also has more pop. No guarantee that any soft poly will play nice with your elbow as I'm not having great success with most poly's outside of Hyper-G Soft.
 

K1Y

Professional
head lynx is also very nice and comfortable. Think its a step up from iso cream and pt air
 

socallefty

G.O.A.T.
a decent string but frays and doesn't appear to have a fraction of the durability the Solinco Hyper G and Revolution (both 1.25 mm) I used to play with have.
Scary when someone starts talking about durability of poly while mentioning they got tennis elbow. I hope you know you are supposed to cut out poly around 10-20 hours when it goes dead - long before you feel any discomfort in your arm.
 

fuzz nation

G.O.A.T.
Any tennis elbow sufferers have any experience using soft polys? I recently developed tennis elbow and started using Tecnifibre Multifeel 1.25 mm to get me through it. It's a decent string but frays and doesn't appear to have a fraction of the durability the Solinco Hyper G and Revolution (both 1.25 mm) I used to play with have.

I have a set of Ytex Quadro Twist and Tecnibre Razor Soft (staying with the 1.25 mm gauge) but am loath to string my frames because stringing where I live is expensive if you want fast and convenient service.

I use a dampener and moderately stiff Tecnifibre TFight 300 in the ISO and RS versions.

I would appreciate any feedback on the strings above and other anecdotes about managing tennis elbow with soft polys. Thanks in advance!
If you have tennis elbow going on in any capacity, I say don't think about managing it. Don't be subtle when addressing a grumpy arm. You want to reverse it, get rid of tennis elbow forever. Looking for a "soft poly" alternative is not a significant string change. Maybe consider that stuff down the road - months down the road - but right now you need to grab this situation by the scruff and steer it more deliberately in a better direction. Switch to a softer string type.

Multi is certainly softer, but I rarely use it myself. I'm not wild about what I get for the money - and some of them can be really expensive. I keep reels of Prince Premier Control on hand for anybody who asks me for a multi. It's cheaper than some of the "premium" multis, it retains tension rather well, and I've used it to help several local players with sore arms through recent years. In those cases, it's worked great.

Moderately soft syn. gut will give you a less harsh string bed than poly. It's relatively low price makes it a bit easier to replace, even if you don't get much more service life from it compared with a multi. I can slug for a couple of hours with this string every day when I'm busy teaching/coaching in the warmer months and have no troubles at all.

About five years ago, I tried a reputedly "softer" poly in my Volkl C10's - some of the most arm-friendly racquets Volkl has ever made - with tension down in the low 40's. It was as though the string attacked my arm. I only hit with the poly for a couple of sessions of about 15 minutes each and my arm was annihilated. Went back to syn. gut after being completely out of action for several weeks and was 100% going forward.

So don't get hung up on switching racquets right away unless you really need something more flexible to give you better consistency. Stiff racquets that play with too much explosive power can seem like they need to be strung with poly to get them under control. But switching racquets while your arm isn't right will probably mean more mis-hits, etc. as you adjust to it. That can lead to more discomfort, even with soft string in that new racquet. Keep the frame you're familiar with and give it softer strings... if you're not going to take a break to let your arm mend.
 

ChanterRacquet

Professional
I’m only getting 2-3 hours out of a fullbed of 16g multifeel (that’s playing it all the way down to the core). Tried a hybrid with forten sweet syn gut crosses which is lasting a little bit longer but I noticed elbow tenderness which had me look up the stiffness: 189 compared to MF’s 155; that’s higher than the softer polys. So I’m moving on, going to try Wilson’s syn gut power with stiffness only 156, might as well try fullbed.

Got some Prince PC and NXT Duramax coming also.

Anyways, all these recs for hybrids with soft poly crosses are well meaning, but yo, when a syn gut is too stiff, it’s time to move on. I’d love to get 10 hours out of multifeel! That’d be golden. Alas, consistency means I rip through the same cross in no time, every time.
 

TennisJrDad

Professional
Have you tried RPM Soft 130?



I’m only getting 2-3 hours out of a fullbed of 16g multifeel (that’s playing it all the way down to the core). Tried a hybrid with forten sweet syn gut crosses which is lasting a little bit longer but I noticed elbow tenderness which had me look up the stiffness: 189 compared to MF’s 155; that’s higher than the softer polys. So I’m moving on, going to try Wilson’s syn gut power with stiffness only 156, might as well try fullbed.

Got some Prince PC and NXT Duramax coming also.

Anyways, all these recs for hybrids with soft poly crosses are well meaning, but yo, when a syn gut is too stiff, it’s time to move on. I’d love to get 10 hours out of multifeel! That’d be golden. Alas, consistency means I rip through the same cross in no time, every time.
 

Fighting phoenix

Professional
Any tennis elbow sufferers have any experience using soft polys? I recently developed tennis elbow and started using Tecnifibre Multifeel 1.25 mm to get me through it. It's a decent string but frays and doesn't appear to have a fraction of the durability the Solinco Hyper G and Revolution (both 1.25 mm) I used to play with have.

I have a set of Ytex Quadro Twist and Tecnibre Razor Soft (staying with the 1.25 mm gauge) but am loath to string my frames because stringing where I live is expensive if you want fast and convenient service.

I use a dampener and moderately stiff Tecnifibre TFight 300 in the ISO and RS versions.

I would appreciate any feedback on the strings above and other anecdotes about managing tennis elbow with soft polys. Thanks in advance!
Good messages below, and will say the Quadro twist is fairly soft, razor soft really isn’t. One thing I did was get a cheap used stringing machine and started stringing myself - allowed me to experiment much more with the hybrid and softer options described below and ultimately a really fun hobby!
 

TennisJrDad

Professional
@BPlain Here you go

TT.png


If you wouldn’t mind checking, what does RP say about RPM Soft 1.30 vs. Head Velocity 1.30?
 

Trip

Legend
@ChanterRacquet - I would give the following a look (per USRSA numbers):

StringMaterial
Caliper Gauge​
Dynamic Stiffness​
24-Hour Tension Loss​
Gosen AK Pro CX 16Nylon & Polyamide
1.3​
171​
11.97​
Tecnifibre HDMX 15LMultifilament Poly-Fusion
1.37​
162​
8.88​
Tecnifibre HDMX 16Multifilament Poly-Fusion
1.3​
150​
9.26​
Tecnifibre HDMX 17Multifilament Poly-Fusion
1.26​
137​
10.16​
Tourna Quasi Gut Armor 16Nylon & Polyurethane
1.29​
166​
12.37​
Volkl Power Fiber Pro 16Polyamide with Co-polymer coating
1.3​
142​
11.56​

You should be able to get much better longevity out of AK Pro CX, HDMX, QGA and/or PFP. HDMX and PFP have a partial poly construction, but they're still pretty darn soft and forgiving, also controlled. Best of luck.
 

what_army

Professional
I liked head sonic pro (white). I compared it to cream and topspin cyber blue and it’s softer than both. Very little coil memory off the reel, it felt like a syngut but with less power and more control.
I tried the 1.25 and it was good for 6h, after that the mains were deeply notched and the crosses thinned out and it lost a lot of tension.
Now I’ve bought a 1.30 reel which I’ll be trying soon.
 

ChanterRacquet

Professional
Have you tried RPM Soft 130?
As luck would have it, I forgot I scored some on sale a while back. Cursory search indicates some think it is just rebranded Origin but having not too long ago tried Origin (local shop has a bunch in stock still), RPM soft feels more velvety on the stringer and not as stiff as Origin (coil memory is irritating though). So, cut out the multifeel/fsweet hybrid and put in a fullbed rpm soft and we’ll see how she goes!

My only reservation currently is how much plastic Babolat wastes in their packaging. Holy crap!
 
Agree with stringer feel; Soft plays similarly to Origin but perhaps slides a bit better, maybe due to the velvety coating?
(I miss the Origin colours though.)
 

1bbarry

New User
As luck would have it, I forgot I scored some on sale a while back. Cursory search indicates some think it is just rebranded Origin but having not too long ago tried Origin (local shop has a bunch in stock still), RPM soft feels more velvety on the stringer and not as stiff as Origin (coil memory is irritating though). So, cut out the multifeel/fsweet hybrid and put in a fullbed rpm soft and we’ll see how she goes!

My only reservation currently is how much plastic Babolat wastes in their packaging. Holy crap!
RPM is ok, but it is tough on elbow. I got golfers elbow (inside of arm) from the RPM at 53lb's full bed. It hit well but was a bit harsh on body. Switched a year ago to head hawk touch 55lb and the arm problem went away. Amazing.
 

tennislover2

New User
Poly recommendations
-----
Yonex poly tour air
Volkyl Cyclone tour (string tighter)
Tourna big hitter black ( string slightly tighter)
Ytek quadro twist (string slightly tighter). The ball sits up a bit on slice FYI

Low powered multifilament
----
Head Rip control
 

ChanterRacquet

Professional
I got tennis elbow playing Cyclone Tour (one of the softest polys), but I played it for a long time before cutting out as it’s very resilient. Anyways, I now have a subconscious bias against the gray color because I played the red color for a long while and I didn’t get TE until I switched to gray cause I finally bought a reel and it was only available in gray. Now I wonder….what if I just stuck with red?
 

Pumpkin

Professional
I got tennis elbow playing Cyclone Tour (one of the softest polys), but I played it for a long time before cutting out as it’s very resilient. Anyways, I now have a subconscious bias against the gray color because I played the red color for a long while and I didn’t get TE until I switched to gray cause I finally bought a reel and it was only available in gray. Now I wonder….what if I just stuck with red?
In my experience softer polys are worse for your arm than regular polys. My theory is that regular polys may be more elastic.

I don't think the colour of a string would make any difference. If they've added a colouring then it shouldn't matter which colour it is.
 

KungfuTennis

Semi-Pro
In my experience softer polys are worse for your arm than regular polys. My theory is that regular polys may be more elastic.

I don't think the colour of a string would make any difference. If they've added a colouring then it shouldn't matter which colour it is.
Color matters quite a bit in my experience, some strings feels WAY different depending on the dye, Gosen Polylon is a good example.
 
I got tennis elbow playing Cyclone Tour (one of the softest polys), but I played it for a long time before cutting out as it’s very resilient. Anyways, I now have a subconscious bias against the gray color because I played the red color for a long while and I didn’t get TE until I switched to gray cause I finally bought a reel and it was only available in gray. Now I wonder….what if I just stuck with red?
Just to thicken the plot somewhat, I've played extensively with both colours and I'd swear that the red is either slightly softer or perhaps doesn't hold tension quite as well.:unsure:
 

g4driver

Legend
I got tennis elbow playing Cyclone Tour (one of the softest polys), but I played it for a long time before cutting out as it’s very resilient. Anyways, I now have a subconscious bias against the gray color because I played the red color for a long while and I didn’t get TE until I switched to gray cause I finally bought a reel and it was only available in gray. Now I wonder….what if I just stuck with red?
what frame you are using? And how long did you hit with it after the main strings stuck out of place?
 
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