C.S.I. Reference Articles

Avoiding ‘Tennis Elbow’

“Steve, I would love to play but my elbow is killing me”. This may old excuse in getting out of a tennis match but elbow pain is the leading injury in Tennis today. Lateral epicondylitis, commonly known, as “Tennis elbow” is a condition that plagues players by the thousands. Knowing a few of the common risk factors can greatly decrease you chances of getting this annoying condition.

Improper grip size - If your grip is either to big or small you will put an abnormal amount of stress on your forearm. By gripping the racquet too tight the “flexors” of you forearm will fatigue, leading to an inflammation of the tendons.

Use of a Metal Racquet - Some of the older metal racquets did a poor job of reducing the vibration when the ball was struck. This vibration was transferred from the racquet to the hand, up the forearm to the joint of the elbow causing tissue damage.

Duration of average practice greater than two hours per day - Repetitive training causes early muscle fatigue and increases your risk of tendonitis. If you plan on practicing longer, mix up your play and add in a periodic stretching routine.

Tight Strings - Tight strings can increase the vibration to your forearm.

Incorrect backhand technique which includes snapping your wrist - Video tape your swing and sit back and evaluate it. If you are unsure of your technique have one of the Pro’s look at it for you.

These risk factors cause excessive strain to the muscles of your forearm and elbow. If the pain is more on the medial or inner portion of the elbow, it may be due to your serve. The service motion, is forceful with a heavy load applied to the flexors of the forearm during the acceleration phase of the serve. To avoid excessive stress to this area, stretch your forearms properly and reduce the amount of repetitive serves in practice. If the pain persists, seek a Sports Doctor immediately to reduce off court time.