If you have ever had it, you know that tennis elbow injury (epicondylitis) can be incredibly painful!
Tennis elbow is a form of tendonitis, a swelling of tendons that connect the muscles of your lower arm to the part of the elbow bone known as the epicondyle. It is a self-limiting condition, which simply means that it gets better without treatment if you give it time and rest to heal. It can last for weeks, months and sometimes more than a year, because tendons heal slowly.
For many of us, putting down our racquets for this length of time is not an option that we are willing to entertain. So, in order to help keep you on the court during the recovery period, we've put together the following list of tips to reduce or even eliminate tennis elbow.
1. Adjust Racquet Tension
You may want to consider stringing your racquet at a lower tension. Your stringbed will then be able to take up more shock and vibration when making contact with the ball. Impact will feel more like a trampoline rather than a wooden board.
2. Switch Tennis Strings
Consider changing from using stiff polyester to less stiff and more forgiving synthetic gut, or even natural gut strings. Again, impact should feel more like a trampoline rather than a wooden board.
3. Correct Swing Technique
Review your swing and modify any parts of it that may be unnecessarily straining your wrist.
3a) Hit the ball in front of you
Review when your racquet is contacting the ball. Tennis elbow may be a symptom of not being ready, resulting in late contact.
3b) Follow through
A proper swing will include a rotation of the shoulders as you follow through the ball, finishing the motion naturally above your opposite shoulder.
Check to see if there is a large gap between your arm and your shoulder when you complete your swing. If this is the case, then you are likely tensing your arm to stop your swing, unnecessarily putting pressure on your arm and elbow.
3c) Check your grip
It is important to maintain a loose grip on your racquet during your swing. It may be helpful to practice holding your racquet with just two fingers (middle and ring fingers) and your thumb. Additionally, ensure that you bring your grip back by bending your wrist, and that when you contact the ball, the racquet is at 90 degrees with your arm, rather than being outstretched at 180 degrees.
4. Reassess Your Tennis Racquet
Perhaps your tennis racquet is not appropriate for your style of play. Heavy hitters can benefit from using a less powerful and more flexible racquet - see the article on choosing tennis racquets. Also if your racquet has an 18 x 20 closed pattern, you could consider switching to a racquet with a more forgiving 16 x 19 or even the most forgiving 16 x 15 pattern.
5. Ice, Creams and Painkillers
Not ice creams and painkillers - although you may wish to consider experimenting - but rather icing your arm, applying topical creams and gels, and/or taking painkillers.
There are many topical creams, gels and sprays, but the most common include: diclofenac (Voltaren), ibuprofen (Nurofen), ketoprofen (Orudis), indomethacin (Indocin), and piroxicam (Feldene).
Painkillers, such as paracetamol, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen may also help ease the pain and inflammation of tennis elbow.
6. Stretching and Exercises
Rest and time are the two best friends of your tennis elbow injury. During your recovery you may consider pain relief therapies including: warm-ups, stretches, strengthening exercises, and friction massages to break up scar tissues at the lateral epicondyle (pointed bone on the outside of the elbow).
Excellent informative videos, which include demonstrations of appropriate self treatments, stretches, exercises, have been compiled by: Doctor Jo and Bob and Brad.
7. Utilize Elbow Braces
Elbow braces can really help improve comfort, maintain a full range of motion, reducing swelling and control the ache. My personal favourite elbow brace is the Arm Bandit; however, there are various types of braces with differing features, so I encourage you to find the one that suits you best. Check out the Tennis Tribe review of the Best Elbow Braces.
8. See a Specialist
If your case is severe and none of the above recommendations appear to be working for you, then speak to your doctor or physiotherapist to come up with alternative treatments, such as physiotherapy, cortisone injections or surgery.
If you have any additional tips or tricks that help you deal with tennis elbow, please post them in our comment section.
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