I probably should elaborate a little more for feedback purposes. My arthroscopic surgery was very successful. It just took a while to recover. I was 27 years old and was not even playing tennis really...had nothing to do with it. Just overuse from working out, working in construction and probably not listening to my body (I am 41 now so trying to remember). Anyway, when I went through physical therapy after the surgery, it started to subside but I was inded frustrated for weeks after the surgery because i thought i should recover faster. Had the same pain after as before, but, that was natural and eventually, the cleaned out elbow started to heal itself. Years later, I got into tennis again and could sort of agrivate it but again....playing with softer stick and strings, listening to my elbows, I could manage it and it would go away if it flared up. I eventually stopped worrying so much about it and continues a sensable workout that strengthened the forarm and did not "overwhelm it" for long periods of time.
I now work out regularly and am in great shape. 41, can do probably 30 pullups from a dead hang, 5' 11" 170. Having said that, I am the kind of person who can over do real quick. It has cost me a hip (bad genes and crazy tennis workout regimen over the years ran my right one into the ground). I can tell you this from what I know, people like me do not listen to their bodies enough. I have learned the hard way. Now, I rarely overtrain and when I feel like I am and things start to hurt, I rest!!!!!. This is the hardest lesson I have learned over the years and one I see more and more people my age who were good athletes when they were younger running into. Unfortunately, like the above poster, I think lots of joints get damaged when we are younger and don't necessarily feel the effects right away. Every one is different and your elbow has only so many swings in it per day or week, knees have only so many miles on them on hard courts or pavement, hips have only so many violent turns, etc..you get the point. Listen to your body and learn everything you can about training and playing smart..no matter what your age is.... hell, look at the young pro's. Their physio's are making money for helping them to "prevent" injury and in tennis, that ain't easy to do if you play at a level that is very competitive. I am convinced that for most people, it is a tougher sport than most for repetative use injuries.
I agree with the poster above too about typing and little things like that....they can really affect the elbows more than you think. I remember years after my surgery I took a sales job and used a cell phone constantly and typed a lot when I wasn't used to it. Drove my elbows crazy. Now, like the above poster, when my elbows get soar, I don't panic about it because I know it will subside with a little rest...a lot of it for a long time was mental I think because I was sooo fearful of tendonitis after my surgery (went through over a year of hell before it). Just try to be patient...your body wants to heal itself...give it a chance to.
