Strings recommendation for Tennis Elbow

[Luismp8a]

Hey everyone, I developed TE after playing with a Head Graphene 360 Speed Pro with a full bed Hyper G 16 at 53 pounds.
I changed to Volkl Cyclone 17 at 49 pounds, this was way more comfortable but I still get some soreness when I play with it.
My main problem was that I was hitting late, specially with my 1HB, Hyper G really punished me.
Now I'm very committed to get rid of my tennis elbow, I think the racquet is not that bad in terms of stiffness (62 RA), but considering is an 18x20 I should drop more tension. I want to try multis an my options are: (all in 1.30 gauge)
Tier One Triumph
Polyfibre Xplode
Polyfibre Gutex
I was also considering a Hybrid of Triumph with Ghostwire, I'd like to know which of these options will be the most durable. Maybe Ghostwire in the mains and Triumph crosses?

Edit: I don't have access nor money to natural gut. That's why durability is an important thing for me. Also I don't live in the USA, right now I only have access to Polyfibre and Tier One strings.

 

[smboogie]

Ditch the full poly bed and try a nice multi in a hybrid setup. I'm currently playing HyperG / Wilson Sensation Comfort and really like the feel & comfort, but I recently tried a poly/gut hybrid and now want to switch to it.

In my experience the more durable strings tend to be stiffer/harsher so look towards a softer string choice with multi's or natural gut. IMHO strings are the disposable aspect of tennis and getting a good string that will allow you to keep playing is a better solution than being out due to elbow issues for months. If you want to get rid of tennis elbow, rest has to be part of the solution. Most I know that get tennis elbow start by taking a week off, then doing some light strength exercises (no tennis). When they do come back on court (typically 1 month off) it is soft hitting and they are using natural gut to build back up.

Good Luck

 

[recreationalplayer]

Gamma Live Wire Professional, Tecnifibre X One Biphase, Technifibre Triax, Yonex Rexis

 

[sheaunien]

lay off on that elbow and get some rest.
After elbow heal or feel better. Restring with multifilament or synthetic gut string.

 

[eah123]

I don’t think any multi can be considered durable compared to copoly. But if you have tennis elbow, you will be hitting less hard anyway. If you have 2 racquets or more, I suggest stringing one with multi/poly hybrid and one multi full bed. On a given day if your arm feels sore, play with the full multi racquet. On days your arm feels good play with the hybrid racquet and switch to the full multi as soon as you have any discomfort.

 

[n8dawg6]

ive got the same racquet. head velocity is a good multi in it at 53 lbs. i still prefer poly, but the multi is easy on the joints. now, if i could just find a pair of shoes ...

 

[Crashbaby]

Adding to the above posts: get a flex bar, they are great for rehab and as a preventative/arm conditioner. Well worth the small spend. Under no circumstances go with total rest, if you don’t do rehab exercises, the TE may take a long long time to resolve and may very well return immediately upon playing again.

 

[Luismp8a]

Adding to the above posts: get a flex bar, they are great for rehab and as a preventative/arm conditioner. Well worth the small spend. Under no circumstances go with total rest, if you don’t do rehab exercises, the TE may take a long long time to resolve and may very well return immediately upon playing again.

Thanks, I have the green one and maybe I overdid it the first 3 days. My arm got sore, but now I'm only doing 2 sets of 6 reps with the green Flexbar.

 

[SinneGOAT]

Hey everyone, I developed TE after playing with a Head Graphene 360 Speed Pro with a full bed Hyper G 16 at 53 pounds.
I changed to Volkl Cyclone 17 at 49 pounds, this was way more comfortable but I still get some soreness when I play with it.
My main problem was that I was hitting late, specially with my 1HB, Hyper G really punished me.
Now I'm very committed to get rid of my tennis elbow, I think the racquet is not that bad in terms of stiffness (62 RA), but considering is an 18x20 I should drop more tension. I want to try multis an my options are: (all in 1.30 gauge)
Tier One Triumph
Polyfibre Xplode
Polyfibre Gutex
I was also considering a Hybrid of Triumph with Ghostwire, I'd like to know which of these options will be the most durable. Maybe Ghostwire in the mains and Triumph crosses?

Edit: I don't have access nor money to natural gut. That's why durability is an important thing for me. Also I don't live in the USA, right now I only have access to Polyfibre and Tier One strings.

My personal choices for elbow pain, number 1 option is the multis listed as they have decent spin for a multi and are more controlled. Ghostwire is soft for a poly, and in an 18/20 you can go thin with the gauge.
1. Head velocity
2. Tecnifibre triax(little more expensive, better control+ spin)
3. Tier one ghostwire(personal choice, switched to it myself. Very soft poly, 18/20 can definitely do the 18/19 gauge, decent price)

 

[socallefty]

HyperG goes dead and feels harsh in about 15 hours - you have to cut it out then. HyperG Soft goes dead in about 20 hours. Stiffer polys like ALU Power go dead within 10 hours. Assuming you don’t break poly before it goes dead, you have to be willing to cut it out in this time frame of 10-20 hours. Otherwise, string with multi assuming you don’t break multi faster. Also, HyperG and HyperG Soft play well at low-mid forties tensions also.

 

[blai212]

HyperG goes dead and feels harsh in about 15 hours - you have to cut it out then. HyperG Soft goes dead in about 20 hours. Stiffer polys like ALU Power go dead within 10 hours. Assuming you don’t break poly before it goes dead, you have to be willing to cut it out in this time frame of 10-20 hours. Otherwise, string with multi assuming you don’t break multi faster. Also, HyperG and HyperG Soft play well at low-mid forties tensions also.

hmm that’s interesting...I would think that hyperG lasts longer than HGS...

 

[socallefty]

hmm that’s interesting...I would think that hyperG lasts longer than HGS...

I am not talking about tension loss which Is a different phenomenon that can cause loss of control or erratic control. I am talking about when the poly loses its resilience and the feel changes to a harsh feel that sends more vibrations to your arm. Since I have a 52-year old sensitive elbow, I feel the change to ‘harsh feel’ well before the tension goes down enough to affect control so that I can’t play well. I restring as soon as the poly feels harsh and it happens later for softer polys.

YMMV.

 

[blai212]

@socallefty have u tried dunlop black widow or volkl cyclone tour before? great strings, soft copolys, easy on the arm...can be used as mains in poly/poly hybrid to replace a gut/poly hybrid while still retaining the softness yet providing more spin/durability at a better price point

 

[socallefty]

@socallefty have u tried dunlop black widow or volkl cyclone tour before? great strings, soft copolys, easy on the arm...can be used as mains in poly/poly hybrid to replace a gut/poly hybrid while still retaining the softness yet providing more spin/durability at a better price point

I’ve tried VCT, but not Black Widow. VCT had less power, less spin and a smaller sweet spot at the same tension than HyperG. It also had more of a boardy feel than HyperG for me. For me, HyperG and HyperG Soft work way better for my game as I serve much better with them than VCT also mainly because of the higher spin. VCT went dead for me in 12 hours which is slightly less than HyperG and much quicker than HyperG Soft.

I play with VS17 mains/Poly crosses usually on a Pure Strike Tour and have tried RPM Blast, ALU Power, Tour Bite, Tour Bite Soft, Cyclone, Cyclone Tour, HyperG and HyperG Soft just in 2020. The only ones I liked playing matches with are ALU Power (dead in 8-10 hours), HyperG (12-15 hours) and HyperG Soft (18-20 hours). I used HyperG as my poly cross for about six months. My stringjob of choice since HG Soft was released three months ago has been VS17/HGS18 at 47/44 lbs. Actually, I‘m so happy with it that I haven’t experimented with any other poly crosses since. From a price/performance standpoint, I’m fine with getting 18-20 hours with it before the gut breaks as I usually will play singles matches only with the first 10 hours of a string job - after that, I use it only for doubles or drills.

 

[blai212]

I’ve tried VCT, but not Black Widow. VCT had less power, less spin and a smaller sweet spot at the same tension than HyperG. It also had more of a boardy feel than HyperG for me. For me, HyperG and HyperG Soft work way better for my game as I serve much better with them than VCT also mainly because of the higher spin. VCT went dead for me in 12 hours which is slightly less than HyperG and much quicker than HyperG Soft.

I play with VS17 mains/Poly crosses usually on a Pure Strike Tour and have tried RPM Blast, ALU Power, Tour Bite, Tour Bite Soft, Cyclone, Cyclone Tour, HyperG and HyperG Soft just in 2020. The only ones I liked playing matches with are ALU Power (dead in 8-10 hours), HyperG (12-15 hours) and HyperG Soft (18-20 hours). I used HyperG as my poly cross for about six months. My stringjob of choice since HG Soft was released three months ago has been VS17/HGS18 at 47/44 lbs. Actually, I‘m so happy with it that I haven’t experimented with any other poly crosses since. From a price/performance standpoint, I’m fine with getting 18-20 hours with it before the gut breaks as I usually will play singles matches only with the first 10 hours of a string job - after that, I use it only for doubles or drills.

VCT only works well as a main IMO and only as 16g since thinner gauge has atrocious tension maintenance. If you’re ever bored and want to try poly/poly hybrid that retains the softness of gut but spin/durability of poly, I’d try VCT 16g or BW 16g mains strung at 40lbs

 

[socallefty]

VCT only works well as a main IMO and only as 16g since thinner gauge has atrocious tension maintenance. If you’re ever bored and want to try poly/poly hybrid that retains the softness of gut but spin/durability of poly, I’d try VCT 16g or BW 16g mains strung at 40lbs

Thanks for the suggestion. I’ve tried full poly before at low-forties tension and while it plays well, I don’t like it as much as playing with VS mains. I don‘t have any incentive to go into the rabbit hole of poly/poly hybrids where the choices are endless.

I am not a gearhead - I play tennis only to win matches and want to improve only to beat better players. I’m not really interested in testing a lot of racquets or strings once I have a combination that works well for me. So, once I find a stringjob that helps me win with what I consider acceptable winning rates in singles and doesn’t injure me when I play 7-9 times per week, I am happy. Gut/poly hybrids allow me to play as much as I want without fear of arm issues - plus as a former full-bed VS gut user, I’m addicted to the feel of VS gut. The fact that gut breaks before or just around the time that most polys start feeling harsh and ‘dead’ is a side benefit for me in my opinion as it prevents the danger of me sticking with a poly string job too long. I won 1,050 singles matches in the last decade and I’m hoping that I can reach 1,000 in the current decade also - injury prevention is a key factor for that.

 

[Irvin]

Pros Pro KINGUT

 

[Arak]

Nxt power or Nxt soft are very arm friendly. String them at 24-25 kg.

 

[rosheem]

Weisscannon Explosiv is insanely soft and elbow-friendly, although you mentioned you may not have access to many brands where you live. Not the most durable string, but it would let you play right through a TE flare-up.

 

[mike schiffer]

stop the poly..... people who dont suffer from polys dont get it.... it absolutely cripples people with arm issues......wake up!!!!! Ok on the other hand....I found recently that a triad racquet and a prince syn gut got me out of the cycle of injury and pain...but no poly!!

 

[Stratotanker]

When I think 1HBH and tennis elbow, strings are a huge factor of course, but I also wonder a bit about technique. If your 1HBH is a bit arm-driven, and you're pivoting at the elbow instead of pulling through from the shoulder, I think that's really a problem for the TE. Just throwing it out there, I'm not sure of your game or technique, but that sort of grabbed my attention when you mention 1HBH, being late, and TE.

 

[n8dawg6]

HyperG goes dead and feels harsh in about 15 hours - you have to cut it out then. HyperG Soft goes dead in about 20 hours. Stiffer polys like ALU Power go dead within 10 hours. Assuming you don’t break poly before it goes dead, you have to be willing to cut it out in this time frame of 10-20 hours. Otherwise, string with multi assuming you don’t break multi faster. Also, HyperG and HyperG Soft play well at low-mid forties tensions also.

thats the truth. cant have poly too tight and you gotta cut it out when it loses its resiliency.

 

[WYK]

18X20? If you want to stick with that and poly, you'll likely have to go to 18g.
Maybe consider That 59RA Prince 18X20 etc.
I had to play using a Clash for months before I could go back to a different stick.
I ended up switching to 18g poly as well. I also wear an arm brace now.

 

[Lorenn]

Edit: I don't have access nor money to natural gut. That's why durability is an important thing for me. Also I don't live in the USA, right now I only have access to Polyfibre and Tier One strings.

Head Velocity or Techifibre Triax might be a good option. Velocity is affordable and works reasonably well. Techifibre is better, but expensive. Make sure you do exercises to strengthen the arm. Tyler twists work well. Icing helps as well.

 

[jalapeno74]

No poly at all - simple as that. Use a frame with low RA (like Prince Phantom series, Head Gravity etc.) and no poly at all. Natural, SynGut, Multis are all fine

 

[mike schiffer]

Thank you......no poly ...it's as simple as that......That gentleman who was up above still advocating for a thinner poly is now in an arm brace.....whats the definition of insanity?

 

[Ares2323]

Gosen sidewinder is softer than synthetic gut.I have also problems with my wrist and elbow. I can play also with head Lynx and volk v star.

 

[JustTennis76]

You could also try some strings that are in between poly and non-poly like Prince Premier Control, Head FXP. The other string I have found recently that seems to have remarkable control and feel is Yonex Multi Sensa. I didn't have any problems in my entire playing career and have used polys before but I am staying on the side of caution and using the strings I mentioned above with some poly crosses. It gives close to full bed poly control without sacrificing elbow. The other option is to go with gut/poly.

 

[socallefty]

I think that the problem with using poly is that most pro shops don’t teach players the two basics of using poly that are different from using softer strings.

- Poly plays well at lower tensions and it is possible to play well with polys on most racquets at low-high forties (lbs) tension. Most players are used to playing at mid-high fifties or low sixties with multi or gut and when their stringer first suggests poly, they ask for the same tension or maybe only a 10% reduction which is still going to give them a very stiff stringbed. I bet that the majority of poly users outside of this forum have never strung poly below 50 lbs and ever experienced a comfortable string bed with poly.
- Players are used to playing with soft strings for 3-4 months or till they break. They are not advised by their stringer that poly loses its resilience and goes dead anywhere between 10-20 hours with stiffer polys getting harsh in a few hours and softer polys taking longer. Most players don’t break poly and they keep playing with it for many months or at least till the tension drops so much that control gets very erratic - this is usually many hours after it has gone dead and started transmitting many harsh vibrations to their arm. If stringers advised players to cut out the poly and restring as soon as they feel some discomfort or a ‘harsh’ feel which will definitely happen within 10-20 hours, we wouldn’t have the epidemic of elbow injuries from poly.

In general, I would agree that poly should be used mainly by players who will break it relatively soon as they are likely the ones who have the swing speed to get the ‘SnapBack’ effect that gives extra spin. But, if others want to use it due to the extra control or lesser depth it provides from its lower launch angle, it is likely ok as long as they string below 50 lbs and restring within 10-20 hours (depending on whether it is stiff or soft). But, please don’t use poly because it is ‘durable’ meaning that you never break it and use it for many months or because it doesn’t ‘move’ even after many weeks and then complain that poly strings always cause elbow problems for all older players - you are not using it right.

Also, unless you break multi/gut within 20 hours or do your own stringing, poly is probably not going to save you money if you use it right and restring every 10-20 hours. You will likely get twice the amount of hours with multi and thrice the amount of hours with gut without too much tension drop hampering performance. So, you have to compare the price of two poly string jobs against once with multi and three poly stringjobs against once with gut.

 

[notawindowcleaner]

I can definitely vouch for Tec X1B but I also felt like Tec HDX was a pretty decent and soft string. When I had TE and just HAD to use poly I used MSV Focus Hex Soft and Head Sonic Pro, though I preferred the Hex Soft.

 

[Dartagnan64]

My main problem was that I was hitting late, specially with my 1HB, Hyper G really punished me.

Late 1HBH's are the bane of elbows everywhere.

I'd suggest Triax or Velocity if you want muted multis that have decent spin potential.
Or move to a hybrid of gut/soft poly - ghostwire, YTPA, Cream get a lot of favorable softness grades.

 

[Folsom_Stringer_Musa]

3. Tier one ghostwire(personal choice, switched to it myself. Very soft poly, 18/20 can definitely do the 18/19 gauge, decent price)

I am seeing lot of very nice reviews of this string.
They also have very thin gauges (I am a big fan of 1.10mm-1.15mm) and color.
I am going to order today. Just $29 gives free shipping, why not.

 

[SinneGOAT]

I am seeing lot of very nice reviews of this string.
They also have very thin gauges (I am a big fan of 1.10mm-1.15mm) and color.
I am going to order today. Just $29 gives free shipping, why not.

It is very nice, what I like is it has great control even though it’s soft, but that could just be because I use an 18/20. Also amazing spin, I get some wicked shots with it.

 

[mctennis]

Get rid of the poly, rest your arm. Take up tennis in a month or two. Wait til spring. Still no poly's. Your arm will thank you.
Start using multi, syn gut, and eventually nat gut will figure into your mix. I know money is an issue but gut lasts me longer than any other string. In the long run it is less expensive because you get more hours out of a set of gut. Polys should be cut out a lot sooner than most people cut them out. Part of the reason so many people using polys get TE, sore wrists,and bad shoulders

 

[Happi]

@socallefty have u tried dunlop black widow or volkl cyclone tour before? great strings, soft copolys, easy on the arm...can be used as mains in poly/poly hybrid to replace a gut/poly hybrid while still retaining the softness yet providing more spin/durability at a better price point

Man, Black Widow is a really stiff string, killed my arm - Volkl Cyclone Tour on the other end is a very soft string. Strange you dont feel the difference.

TWU string database. Stiffness BW 217 - VCT 171 both 17g that match my experience too.

 

[blai212]

Man, Black Widow is a really stiff string, killed my arm - Volkl Cyclone Tour on the other end is a very soft string. Strange you dont feel the difference.

TWU string database. Stiffness BW 217 - VCT 171 both 17g that match my experience too.

Black Widow is as soft as they get but YMMV...I used it full bed long time ago but lately I’ve only been using it as mains with smooth round soft copoly cross with good tension maintenance...you probably shouldnt be using poly if BW is too stiff for u or maybe you strung it too tight? I find shaped poly crosses feel harsh for me

 

[Happi]

Black Widow is as soft as they get but YMMV...I used it full bed long time ago but lately I’ve only been using it as mains with smooth round soft copoly cross with good tension maintenance...you probably shouldnt be using poly if BW is too stiff for u or maybe you strung it too tight? I find shaped poly crosses feel harsh for me

No problems with poly’s but Black Widow is not a soft string, as the numbers from TWU also indicated.

 

[blai212]

I don’t remember exactly which string it was but I found large disparity between TW stiffness rating and the actual feel of the string

 

[bobleenov1963]

Natural Gut string will solve your tennis elbow problem.

 

[Happi]

I don’t remember exactly which string it was but I found large disparity between TW stiffness rating and the actual feel of the string

To me for the most part TWU numbers work pretty well for stiffness rating, tension loss numbers is another story.

I played with a lot of different polys also some stiff ones like Lux Ace and never had arm problems. I read some great reviews a few years back about Black Widow and bourght a reel of 17g, after a week of playing BW I got a severe TE and had to stop playing for 6 month, I could not even lift a glass of water. Perhaps they changed the formula or something, but this string should come with a TE warning label.

Took me some years to completely heal my arm, and I now always check TWU stiffness numbers before trying out a new string.

For OP if you go Tier One Ghostwire 19g and string loose it can be as comfy as a multi. Most polyfibre strings are soft, but downside are massive tension loss. GW holds tension well.

Cheers, H

 

[ron schaap]

Hey everyone, I developed TE after playing with a Head Graphene 360 Speed Pro with a full bed Hyper G 16 at 53 pounds.
I changed to Volkl Cyclone 17 at 49 pounds, this was way more comfortable but I still get some soreness when I play with it.
My main problem was that I was hitting late, specially with my 1HB, Hyper G really punished me.
Now I'm very committed to get rid of my tennis elbow, I think the racquet is not that bad in terms of stiffness (62 RA), but considering is an 18x20 I should drop more tension. I want to try multis an my options are: (all in 1.30 gauge)
Tier One Triumph
Polyfibre Xplode
Polyfibre Gutex
I was also considering a Hybrid of Triumph with Ghostwire, I'd like to know which of these options will be the most durable. Maybe Ghostwire in the mains and Triumph crosses?

Edit: I don't have access nor money to natural gut. That's why durability is an important thing for me. Also I don't live in the USA, right now I only have access to Polyfibre and Tier One strings.

Using a hard profiled poly in mains with soft multi or sgut in cross is receipt of short durability. better use sgut in mains and round poly in cross if you like those hybrids.

 

[PKorda]

Using a hard profiled poly in mains with soft multi or sgut in cross is receipt of short durability. better use sgut in mains and round poly in cross if you like those hybrids.

I think you have it backwards.