Sorry, but another "do I have tennis elbow?" thread.

[Cloud Atlas]

Hi there. I've done some searches, but nothing that really describes what I'm looking for. I have some elbow pain for the first time ever really. It's on the outside of my elbow, pretty much on the outside of the join I guess. It's very minor pain at the moment, and feels more like an ache than a sharp pain.
To describe when it hurts, if you can imagine lifting your arm up and pointing you elbow to the sky, and then lifting up your arm to reach for the sky too, that's when it hurts. I realize that this is very similar to a serving action, but I've never had this problem before. Is this tennis elbow?
Also, would switching to a double-handed backhand help for now? I'm not really convinced it's my backhand causing the pain though. If it is my serve, and there any remedies. Maybe I'm holding the grip too tight?
Thanks to all who have experience in this issue and reply.

 

[charliefedererer]

Have you been playing or practicing your serve more than usual? Have you been practicing a new kind of serve, like a kick serve?
Have you been working out more than usual?
Do you have a regular off court work out regimen?
When you say the pain is on the outside of the elbow, is that with your palm up, or palm down?

 

[Cloud Atlas]

Haven't been serving any more than usual I don't think. Swapped from a Wilson nCode nPro to a Fischer mpro number 1 98 recently. It's a bit heavier, but a lot more flexy. I mean pain on the outside with my palm facing up.

 

[charliefedererer]

Yeah, this sounds like an early form of tennis elbow.

It's better to rest the arm now, rather than letting the inflammation increase, and then having a worse case that will take a long time to improve.

Aside from rest, try icing the elbow.
To help prevent a recurrence, try doing the exercises from the following video once the pain subsides: www.asmi.org/SportsMed/media/thrower10.swf

You also may be interested in this thread if you have access to gym equipment: http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showthread.php?t=32204
I have been doing triceps pushdowns for years, and have been fortunate to escape elbow problems (knock on wood).

The Thera-Band Flexbar, which was just recently introduced, shows some promise: http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showthread.php?t=289140

That Fischer Mpro sounds sweet. Reading about it reminds me of the old Dunlop Max 200g.

 

[adams_1]

Please, sir, visit a doctor and get a correct diagnosis.

 

[Cloud Atlas]

Thanks for the responses. I think I've narrowed the pain down to my serve. Is it possible to get TE from serving? Could it be the heavier racquet that's causing serving problems? Any particular serving technique that is easier on the elbow?
I bring my right leg up in line with my left when I serve and then push up towards the ball. I try for the full motion (in terms of racket down, pointing to back fence, and then trophy position), but it's probably a little abbreviated if I'm totally honest. I also serve a lot of kickers. Any more advice?

 

[wyutani]

tennis elbow is mainly errors in technique.

 

[Cloud Atlas]

tennis elbow is mainly errors in technique.

I know this is usually the case and could be with me. But I thought my technique was pretty sound and I've never had TE before. Just funny that it would hit me all of a sudden. Oh well, I keep looking for answers! Maybe I'll check in with a professional coach and go to a physio.

 

[jimanuel12]

it is not in the technique according to "Guts and Glory" tennis

Hi there. I've done some searches, but nothing that really describes what I'm looking for. I have some elbow pain for the first time ever really. It's on the outside of my elbow, pretty much on the outside of the join I guess. It's very minor pain at the moment, and feels more like an ache than a sharp pain.
To describe when it hurts, if you can imagine lifting your arm up and pointing you elbow to the sky, and then lifting up your arm to reach for the sky too, that's when it hurts. I realize that this is very similar to a serving action, but I've never had this problem before. Is this tennis elbow?
Also, would switching to a double-handed backhand help for now? I'm not really convinced it's my backhand causing the pain though. If it is my serve, and there any remedies. Maybe I'm holding the grip too tight?
Thanks to all who have experience in this issue and reply.

i am sorry folks, but i have played tennis my entire adult life, only had TE one time in over 40 years and that was about 30 years ago.
i did not get TE again until i changed to a heavy head, light weight tennis racket (the wilson hyper hammer 5.3 os - the worst racket ever for TE).
i have read and read, i did not change my technique, just my racket and my TE has killed me all summer.
i have missed the entire summer because i changed rackets.
my feeelings are:

us a heavy racket - light head - over 11oz
loose string tension
flexable frame - less than 69

i guess maybe sometimes if you have changed your technique, it could be that, but more often than not - IT IS THE RACKET.

 

[charliefedererer]

Thanks for the responses. I think I've narrowed the pain down to my serve. Is it possible to get TE from serving? Could it be the heavier racquet that's causing serving problems? Any particular serving technique that is easier on the elbow?
I bring my right leg up in line with my left when I serve and then push up towards the ball. I try for the full motion (in terms of racket down, pointing to back fence, and then trophy position), but it's probably a little abbreviated if I'm totally honest. I also serve a lot of kickers. Any more advice?

Tennis elbow definitely can be caused from serving.
All serves, including and especially kickers, involve pronation to get that topspin action on the ball.
It may just be that the musculature in your forearm is not developed enough to handle a lot of serving with a slightly heavier racquet. Hence the recommendation to do some forearm exercises to strengthen the forearm after the pain goes away. Certainly getting some help with a physiotherapist could give you specific recommendations.
But perhaps you are inadvertainly getting more wrist roll over (rather than just pure pronation) than before (especially with a slightly heavier racquet), so getting a lesson would be a good idea.

But above all, for now, rest the arm until the pain goes away. Otherwise you risk making the inflammation worse and worse, and the recovery longer and longer.

 

[jimanuel12]

Rest the arm

Hi there. I've done some searches, but nothing that really describes what I'm looking for. I have some elbow pain for the first time ever really. It's on the outside of my elbow, pretty much on the outside of the join I guess. It's very minor pain at the moment, and feels more like an ache than a sharp pain.
To describe when it hurts, if you can imagine lifting your arm up and pointing you elbow to the sky, and then lifting up your arm to reach for the sky too, that's when it hurts. I realize that this is very similar to a serving action, but I've never had this problem before. Is this tennis elbow?
Also, would switching to a double-handed backhand help for now? I'm not really convinced it's my backhand causing the pain though. If it is my serve, and there any remedies. Maybe I'm holding the grip too tight?
Thanks to all who have experience in this issue and reply.

i forgot to add "rest the arm"
you may need to ice the arm and rest.
i did not ice my arm and kept on playing this summer and then had to sit out all of the rest of the summer due to TE.
good luck with the arm.

 

[Cloud Atlas]

Well, it's definitely my serve. Is there any way to alter my service motion to be less stressful on my elbow? Does anyone know? Less kickers? More kickers? Looser grip?
Thanks again to all who reply.

 

[charliefedererer]

^^^It's just hard to know what changes to make without ever having seen you serve.

It's possible your service motion is fine.

But the likelehood is that you are coming over on your wrist too much, rather than pronating the wrist: http://www.fuzzyyellowballs.com/vid...he-arm-moves-from-the-racket-drop-to-contact/

And it may be very possible that you are making the common mistake of standing way too erect when you go into your trophy position. You should look like Marat Safin in this video (with the pushing forward of your front hip allowing you to easily maintain your balance as you get into this core windup and knee bend):
http://www.fuzzyyellowballs.com/vid...technique/leading-with-your-hip-when-serving/
It is only by getting to this low position in your trophy pose that you can use your whole body (leg pushoff, core rotation) to power the serve, and not just have to depend trying to strain your arm to get more speed on your serve.

The other problem I often see is that players do not go to a full racquet drop with their racquet pointed down at the ground before starting their forward swing. Again, this limits the windup, and in the zeal to gain racquet speed, puts the stress on the forearm (and hence elbow strain) rather than relying more on the shoulder muscles: http://www.fuzzyyellowballs.com/vid...ique/trophy-pose-to-racket-drop-when-serving/

I hope this helps.