Committed to Eliminating Tennis Elbow

Elbow, arm and shoulder pain can be caused by a number of factors in a physically demanding sport such as tennis. The ultimate goal is to understand the root cause, eliminate it and stop the pain. The process is fairly simple, but identifying the cause is not always easy.

That's where we come in. Guts and Glory Tennis specializes in assisting tennis players who are experiencing elbow pain identify the cause. Over the years we have worked with a large volume of customers who have experienced arm pain, usually tennis elbow or golfer's elbow, and have helped them identify and eliminate the pain. There is no deep, dark secret, just common sense coupled with years of observational experience. This experience combined with a rudimentary knowledge of the basic laws of physics and an in-depth knowledge of tennis equipment helps us to help our customers. This section of the web site details tennis elbow relief and highlights some myths and the basic cornerstones of our approach.

OUR BELIEF: When initial research on Tennis Elbow (TE) was conducted flaws in technique and mechanics were often cited as the cause of the discomfort. While serious flaws in technique continue to be a legitimate cause of TE, it is no longer the primary cause. The number of those suffering from TE over the past several years has risen dramatically. The cause is no longer primarily related to mechanics, but rather is related to equipment. Guts and Glory Tennis operates under the assumption that most cases of TE today are equipment related, our first cornerstone.

HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE: Over the past several years the major racquet manufacturers have worked hard to develop racquets that are both lighter and stiffer. They are marketed as "better" because of advanced technology. The hope is that an unsuspecting public will flock toward these lighter wondersticks and be in awe of the nanofibers, hypercarbon, intellifibers, hot melt technology, O Ports, etcetera. As racquets have grown lighter, longer and stiffer the number of tennis players suffering from arm and elbow pain has also risen. Not a coincidence.

Strings are also another piece of equipment that have changed over the past several years. Stiffer polyester based strings are all the range with the pros using strings like Luxilon ALU. Meanwhile the public court masses are following the lead and using these strings themselves in search of more power, spin and control. Stiffer strings such as these allow the player to generate more spin and find added control for their new overpowered frames. Yet at the same time, the stringbed stiffness is increased and the strings are now also contributing to TE.

GGT ACTION: Interview the player suffering from TE to determine the probable cause(s). Ascertain if there has been a recent change in stroke technique or equipment. Carefully examine specifications of equipment to determine if an equipment change/alteration may be able to help eliminate the pain.

MYTH #2: Lighter racquets are better and healthier than heavier racquets.

OUR BELIEF: Absolutely, positively NOT TRUE!!! While a lighter racquet may be easier to swing, they are generally not as healthy as heavier racquets. Each time a tennis ball strikes the string bed a collision occurs which creates energy and shock. Forces of physics are alive an running rampant. At the moment of impact/collision the energy has to go somewhere. In the past, heavier racquets have essentially served as shock absorbers, taking the brunt of the collision before the shock could be transmitted to the player's arm. With the advent of lighter weight racquets, the shock is no longer absorbed by the racquet, but rather transmitted directly to the player's body. While some players experience no immediate pain with this added shock, others are quite sensitive to it and their bodies respond with pain. Note: the long term effects of playing with lighter racquets are not yet known.

GGT ACTION: Heavier racquets are healthier racquets. While an equipment change is not always necessary, it oftentimes is the best way to address TE. We carry demo racquets that have proven to be healthy and invite our customers to give them a try for an extended period. Lighter weight racquets are most often hollow.  We believe filled racquets are healthier options.  The best filled racquets on the market today come from Donnay Tennis and we frequently recommend these frames for players suffering from sensitive elbows.  We know from experience that am 11.5 - 12oz racquet can be easily handled by children in their teens and adults alike. In fact the extra mass of the racquet is not only healthier, but can generate heavier and more penetrating strokes off the ground and at the net. Some added weight and a dampening material can often make a world of difference in terms of arm health.  There was a day when coaches would preach to their students, "Let the Racquet Do the Work!"

The following racquet specifications can put a racquet in the DANGER ZONE for contributing to TE. Let us check the specifications of your racquet (or check for yourself) to see if it is a racquet that falls in the DANGER ZONE.

1. Weight - Racquets less than 11oz. (Healthwise the ideal weight would be in the 11.5 - 12oz + range)

2. Balance - Racquets that are weighted head heavy are more prone to causing TE

3. Stiffness - Racquets with a stiffness/flex rating of 67 or higher can contribute to TE

4. Length - Racquets longer than 27" can also contribute to TE

If your racquet falls into one or more of the above categories and you are experiencing tennis elbow, we encourage you to talk with a tennis equipment professional to see if modifications using lead tape/weight can be made to help make your racquet a healthier racquet. At the end of this article we will include a list of racquet brands and models that have been found to contribute to arm/elbow pain in an unmodified form for our stringing and customization customers.

MYTH #3: I should use the same string the top touring professionals are using.

OUR BELIEF: It is essential to evaluate your style of play as well as the specifications of your frame before jumping into the world of poly based strings. Federer, Nadal, and a high percentage of top tier professional players use a poly-based strings such as Luxilon BB ALU and others. Before deciding this is the string you want in your racquet you should know the following. Luxilon is a great string in the context it is used by professionals. That is the racquets are restrung just a few hours before every match and in many instances are only used for 8 games. Luxilon ALU clearly helps to deliver the added spin and control that these top players are craving. But Luxilon is a very firm/stiff string compared to traditional synthetic guts and natural gut. It also tends to last much longer before snapping. Herein lies the problem.

Some poly based strings, like Luxilon ALU, have a tendency to drop tension quickly. After just a few hours on the court the limited dampening properties of these strings are exhausted and additional shock is transmitted directly to the body. Oftentimes, club level players do not notice the playability loss (the pros sure do!) and continue playing on the string well past its effective string life, sometimes until they break. Playing with a stiff, dead string is one of the more prominent causes of TE.

GGT ACTION: We are proud to have been the first U.S. based company to seek out and import newer generation poly based strings into the marketplace. These newer and softer poly based strings provide many of the advantages in terms of added spin and control that professionals are now using, but they also hold their properties longer and are more gentle on the body for the club level and recreational players. Let us consult with you to determine if a poly based string or poly based  hybrid might be appropriate for your game. Being the first to playtest and introduce these strings, our knowledge and experience in working with them can not be surpassed. Consult with us and we will help you select a string and stringing method that is healthy and arm-friendly for you and your equipment.

WeissCANNON Scorpion - One of the most powerful poly based strings on the market today. Powerful and comfortable. Is great as a hybrid.

MSV Focus Hex +38 - 38% softer than the MSV Focus Hex which is generally not a string associated with arm pain.  The +38 is a great poly-based option!

WeissCANNON UltraCable - A sharp profiled square string rated #1 spin producing string in the world.  Spin production plus comfort make this string a huge winner!

WeissCANNON Red Ghost - Brand new offering from WeissCANNON. Awesome and totally unique color and ridiculously good all-around performance with extreme comfort for a poly based offering. 

NOTE: Co-poly strings and hybrids are not always compatible with all styles of play and frames. Be sure to check with your USRSA stringing professional to determine the advantages and disadvantages of using these strings in your frame.

While this section of this essay has drifted toward a discussion of poly based string products, in reality it is a rare instance were we recommend a poly based string to those suffering from TE. In general we advise our customers seeking pain relief to use natural gut or a multifilament option. Below is a list of multifilament strings that we recommend and use for our local customers who are suffering from TE.

OUR BELIEF: Many in our industry mistakenly believe that a grip size being larger or smaller than the recommended can lead to elbow issues. We do not subscribe to this theory. We believe that players should use whatever grip size is most comfortable for them to use. Some players prefer to use smaller grips for extra whip and torque, while others prefer to use a larger grip. From an elbow health perspective there is no reason to believe that a grip that is smaller or larger than suggest will cause any elbow pain.

The following are excepts from a news release issued by the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine. It is also found in the Sept/Oct 2007 issue of USTA Magazine, pg. 8.

"A grip that is either too big or too small for the player's hand is not a factor in whether or not a player may develop tennis elbow."

"Clinicians who treat patients with tennis elbow often tell them to try a different grip size in order to eliminate muscle fatigue...our study demonstrates that those recommendations have no scientific basis."

GGT ACTION: We recommend whatever grip size feels most comfortable and allows optimal on-court performance. We use the standard recommended grip size as a starting point when advising customers on this issue. We do believe that grip size can have some impact on wrist and forearm pain, but this is not a constant and tends to vary according to playing style and how tightly the racquet is held during play.

(List is not exhaustive, represents what we have observed directly and has not been updated in over 5 years)

RACQUET BRAND	MODEL
Babolat	Aeropro Control and Control +
Babolat	Aeropro Drive and Drive+
Babolat	Pure Control and Pure Control+
Babolat	Pure Drive, Pure Drive + - All versions except the Zylon
Dunlop	300G
Dunlop	600G Ice
Dunlop	900G OS
Dunlop	Inferno 104
Dunlop	Lady G
Dunlop	MFil 400, 500, 600 & 700 + MFil Lady G
Dunlop	MaxPly McEnroe
Fischer	GDS Rally
Head	Airflow 3, 5 and 7
Head	Flexpoint 10
Head	Flexpoint 6
Head	i.S6
Head	Liquidmetal 4
Head	Ti.S1, Ti.S2, Ti.S4, Ti.S5, Ti.S6, Ti.S7
Prince	More Game, More Power
Prince	O3 Pink
Prince	O3 Red
Prince	O3 Silver
Prince	Shark MP and OS
Prince	Speedport - Silver, Black and White
Prince	TT Bandit
Prince	TT Grande
Prince	TT Hornet
Prince	TT Scream
Prince	Turbo Beast MP version Only
Slazenger	Pro X1
Volkl	Catapult 1 (All versions)
Volkl	Catalpult 2
Volkl	Catapult 3
Volkl	DNX 3
Volkl	DNX 8
Volkl	Tour 8
Wilson	H2, H4 & H5
Wilson	HH 5.3 MP & OS
Wilson	HH 2.7
Wilson	Hyper Pro Staff 6.1
Wilson	Hyper Pro Staff Surge
Wilson	Hyper Sledge Hammer
Wilson	n4OS
Wilson	nPro 98
Wilson	nPro Open and nPro Open X
Wilson	nSix Two 113
Wilson	Triad 2.0, 3.0, 5.0
Yonex	MP7
Yonex	Vcon 15 & 17

NOTE: Racquets listed here have contributed to elbow pain for some of our customers. Because the racquet is listed here, does not necessarily mean it will contribute to pain for all users. This list is not exhaustive as it only represents the racquets used by our customers who have suffered from arm/elbow pain. We will keep this list updated as new racquets contributing to arm pain are brought to our attention. In many cases we have been able to modify the above racquets so our customers would not need to purchase a new racquet.

RECOMMENDED RACQUETS:
We are often asked to recommend racquets that are arm-friendly.  Ideally it is best to find a racquet with the specifications we listed above AND that will match/compliment/enhance your style of play.  Many times we find ourselves recommending racquets from the Donnay line of racquets.  Donnay uses a proprietary dampening material known as "Xenecore" in all parts of the frame.  This company SPECIALIZES in creating racquets focusing on delivering world-class performance in a package that makes use of the most advanced shock dampening technology available.  This is their specialty and they are good at it.  They also offer one of the best customer satisfaction guarantees in the market.  If there ever was a no brainer for a frame that will help combat tennis elbow, a Donnay with Xenecore is the one!

 

If you are suffering from tennis elbow and continue to play we strongly recommend that you use an antiinflamatory such as Aleve, (consult your physician before taking any medication.) The Aleve will last many hours. Take it before your match.

The TheraBand FlexBar is a product that is sometimes helpful for those who are suffering from tennis elbow.  This is a product recommended and used by Physical Therapists for treating a preventing tennis elbow.

Finally we are strong advocates of natural healing and have had a great deal of success with acupuncture as a treatment for tennis elbow. 

If you are interested in consulting with us about your personal situation, we are happy to help.  We have created an online classroom that we treat as a directed study to help assess your pain and whether or not we believe equipment changes or modifications might be helpful to you.  We will spend time reviewing your data and making specific recommendations specifically for YOU!  

The class is called "Tennis Elbow Evaluation:  Individual Study" Follow the link to read more and enroll if you are interested.