Tennis Elbow
Tennis elbow is one of the most debilitating afflictions affecting racquet sport players. Below is a couple of articles offering help and advice on how you can potentially reduce the chances of developing the condition.
For players recovering from Tennis Elbow, follow the seven Golden Rules:
- Choose a racket frame with a reasonable flex. The less flex of the frame at ball impact, the more shock to your arm.
- Avoid ultra-light frames. Less mass means more shock.
- Choose a dense string pattern (18x20) as there are more strings to absorb shock.
- Choose a soft string to absorb shock and vibration. Natural Gut is ideal. Polyester strings should be avoided if possible. If you are using all polyester at least drop down to using a soft cross string – ideally natural gut.
- Drop high tensions whilst recovering.
- Use shock-absorbing grips. Dunlop’s I.S.I.S. (Impact Shock Isolation System) incorporates a handle that “floats in a polymer bath that absorbs most of the shock. Other companies have similar designs, notably Prince and Wilson.
- Use Vibration Dampeners to break up the vibration frequencies that can damage the arm tissues.
“My tennis elbow won’t go away”
(Letter to ACE recently)
I wonder if the Chief Medical Advisor to the LTA Dr Michael Turner has ever suffered from Tennis Elbow? Thousands of tennis (and squash) players up and down the country, including myself, have suffered from this painful and alarming condition. What can be done? Well, a lot more than Dr Turner suggests. Yes, it is regrettably true that anyone going to their doctor with a painful elbow will be advised to rest it for several weeks if not months. Most GP’s will understand the physiological side of things and will treat the conditions as overuse. They play safe by advising rest.
I wonder if the Chief Medical Advisor to the LTA Dr Michael Turner has ever suffered from Tennis Elbow? Thousands of tennis (and squash) players up and down the country, including myself, have suffered from this painful and alarming condition. What can be done? Well, a lot more than Dr Turner suggests. Yes, it is regrettably true that anyone going to their doctor with a painful elbow will be advised to rest it for several weeks if not months. Most GP’s will understand the physiological side of things and will treat the conditions as overuse. They play safe by advising rest.
Here are a few well-tried and reliable things to try before you throw yourself at the mercy of the orthopaedic surgeon. They work!!
SIX WAYS TO SAVE YOUR ELBOW By Liam Nolan, Technical Director, UK Racket Stringers Association and Master Racket Technician, USRSA.
1. RACKET FLEX - Have you got the right racket? Each tennis frame will flex a little or a lot. The less it flexes on contact with the ball, the more shock is driven into the elbow tissues. Look at the width of the racket “hoop” The narrower it is the better for your elbow. Tim Henman’s choice of racket flex is an ideal example.
2. STRING CHOICE – Natural gut string is an absolute saviour for players with Tennis Elbow. Yes, it is more expensive but the benefits are immense. Natural gut has the ability to absorb harmful shock whilst still delivering an unmatched power return to the ball. Stay well away from Polyester and Kevlar Hybrids. About 30% of Eastern European players spend 3 months or more each year, out of competition with Tennis Elbow, probably due to their use of cheap polyester strings.
3. STRING TENSION – Lower your tension. This will allow more of the impact shock to be absorbed and will deliver more power to your shot. Most of the top professionals shy away from high tensions. Tensions of around 53 lbs for a normal size frame (95 sq ins) are about right.
4. RACKET MASS – Avoid ultra lightweight rackets. The more mass you have available to meet the ball the less worry for your poor old elbow. If you cannot be parted from your lightweight racket, then ask a competent stringer to add lead weight to the frame around the 3 and 9 o’clock positions. Use a qualified stringer (preferably USRSA) for this work.
5. INCREASE GRIP SIZE – Use a towel or similar to get the biggest grip size feel that you can handle (sorry) and then use grips to adjust your racket. Do not use more that two grips as the natural feel of the bevels will be rounded off. A good stringer will be able to add heat shrink sleeves to build up the grip size and retain the bevels.
6. SOFT GRIP – Use a cushion grip, this will absorb lots of the shock.
7. ADDED WEIGHT – If there are any off-centre hits, then the sudden twist force can really inflame the condition. Application of lead tape at the 3 and 9 ‘ clock positions can help to counteract this torque. .
Steroidal injections are an absolute last resort and are NOT a solution to Tennis Elbow. They will allow a quicker recovery but are useless and potentially dangerous if the recovering player walks back into the same old trap. The above seven golden rules have got many young and seasoned players back onto court, they get far more out of their game, play better shots and are able to lift a pint glass afterwards without a grimace!!
Liam Nolan can be contacted at www.ukrsa.com
