Choosing a Tennis Racquet that Fits Can Help Prevent Tennis Injuries

With the UCLA Farmer's Classic in full effect this week, we got a healthy dose of tennis fever here at the Bauerfeind Performance Center. I thought it would be a great time to discuss how to choose a tennis racquet. My clients often ask me about how to choose a tennis racquet best suited for their needs, especially if they have been injured during tennis. Retailers carry a variety of different brands, all claiming that their technology is superior to others. In a saturated market, how does one go about choosing a tennis racquet that best suits your needs?
Tennis players place a high emphasis on, "feel" of their racquet during play. While it is important to become comfortable with the way you feel the racquet in your hand, there is more to choosing a tennis racquet than just taking a few practice swings with every racket in the store. There are several important variables to consider when choosing a tennis raquet. The right combination of size and balance of the racquet, string type and tension can ensure sustained play without causing tennis injuries.
Start by realistically evaluating your skill level before choosing a tennis racquet. While we all like to imagine that with a little practice and maybe the right racquet, we can also play like Rafael Nadal or Serena Williams. If we choose their tennis racquet, we will be one step closer to their level of play, right? Wrong. The number one mistake my clients make when choosing a tennis racquet is to base their choice on a tennis player they love. Consider your own strengths and weaknesses and base your choice on how you play now, not what you hope you play like in the future.
The first step in choosing a tennis racquet is to choose the size of your tennis racquet head. Elite players are capable of hitting the ball in the middle of the strings most of the time, so they do not, require a large head size. Less experienced players, or players prone to tennis elbow, will benefit from a racquet with a larger head size. This type of racquet has a larger sweet spot and provides the benefit of reducing the shock transmitted to your body.
Tennis racquet head size is also linked to weight distribution or balance of the racquet. Exceptions exist, but generally speaking, a racquet with a larger head size will be a head-heavy racquet while the smaller racquet will be head-light. Head-heavy racquets are better for the less experienced players because their weight helps generate more power on impact. Head-light racquets are more desirable for experienced players who have good strength and biomechanics so that they can utilize their own power and retain more control over the ball.
Three main types of strings to consider are, in order to increase stiffness, natural gut, nylon and polyester. Stiff strings transmit more vibration to hands and arms, so tennis players prone to upper extremity injuries are better off using natural gut or multifilament strings that help dampen vibrations in the strings. Many players like polyester strings because they are stiffer and players feel they can hit the ball harder with them. However, I have had many patients who simply change their strings to natural gut from polyester and this alone allowed them to break their cycle of recurring bouts of tennis elbow.
Finally, consider the string tension when choosing a tennis racquet. You should check the appropriate tension range corresponding to your particular racquet. However, you can still customize a tennis racket to your unique needs. Lower tension gives the player a bit more power but less control, while higher tension gives a slightly better control but less power. Here again, I make recommendations based on skill level. Less experienced players do not have the skills to control their racquets well and generally will benefit from slightly increased power. The reverse is true for the more experienced players.
Overall, the point I want to make here is that the racquet brand you select is less important than the type of racquet you choose and how you choose to string it. Modern frames are made of graphite and each manufacturer will have slightly different angles that they use to differentiate themselves from competition, but the differences can be debated and really subject to individual preferences. What each manufacturer will have in common is that they have different head size racquets, racquet balance, and stringing options to choose from that will allow you to adjust the points outlined above.
Here at the Bauerfeind Performance Center we carry Wilson tennis racquets and strings. Not only can we help you with choosing a tennis racquet, that's the exact fit, but we can even string it for you on-site and get you the correct grips and shoes to minimize your risk of tennis injuries and raise your potential.

Article Summary:
Choosing a Tennis Racquet that’s the right head size and string for your skill level can boost your performance on the court and help prevent tennis injuries. If you’ve already experienced a condition like Tennis Elbow, you can help alleviate your symptoms by choosing the right tennis racquet.

Resource Box:
Trina Rowe is Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT), a Sports Clinical Specialist (SCS) and a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS). Trina is part of the physical therapy staff at the Santa Monica, CA Bauerfeind Performance Center. If you are in the Los Angeles area, you can visit the Bauerfeind Performance Center to receive expert advice on choosing a tennis racquet that’s right for you. Visit the Bauerfeind Performance Center Website for more information at http://raisingyourpotential.com.

Your Best Treatment for Tennis Elbow Pain

Tennis Elbow is a common sports injury---even among non-players.  It causes pain that limits your ability to play sports, or even do normal daily activities in some cases.  Despite the fact that Tennis Elbow is a common problem, very few of my clients really understand what it is or what the proper sports therapy is for this condition.

            Tennis elbow, known properly as lateral epicondylitis, is inflammation and pain of the lateral forearm near the elbow. In some cases, tearing of the muscle actually occurs from a sports injury. Lateral epicondylitis usually results from overuse of the extensor muscles that insert onto the lateral epicondyle.  A commonly implicated muscle is the extensor carpi radialis.       

            Despite the location of the pain being at the elbow, lateral epicondylitis is mostly influenced by what is going on at the wrist. The muscles that attach to the lateral epicondyle extend the wrist (like on a backswing in tennis) and assist with turning of the hand (like when turning a door knob).  They also function to stabilize the wrist during times when and external force is acting on the wrist but the wrist itself is not moving. 

            The first sports therapy treatment for Tennis Elbow pain you should perform is to rest the muscles of your forearm and ice the area to decrease inflammation. Identify the activity that brought the elbow pain on (it is usually a sports injury caused from a repetitive motion like a tennis swing---hence the name), and avoid that activity until the pain resolves.

The next treatment for Tennis Elbow you should perform is to stretch the muscles—gently. Extend your arm straight out in front of you and bend your wrist so that your fingers point straight down. Use your opposite hand to apply pressure and push the fingers of your extended arm toward your body. Hold for 30 seconds x 3 on each side. Don’t be overly aggressive the sports therapy in the beginning or you may further damage tissue that is already irritated.

            Long-term sports therapy of this issue is important to prevent return of  Tennis Elbow pain. Strengthening of forearm muscles can increase their tolerance to activity and make them less susceptible to sports injury. Consider wrist extension curls with a 1-2# weight or theraband resistance.

A Bauerfeind brace like the Epitrain can be another effective sports therapy treatment for Tennis Elbow.  The brace will support the joint and minimize impact of forces on the joint.  Also look at your swing form if you notice recurrent bouts of  elbow pain. It may be worthwhile to consult with a tennis pro who can evaluate your technique and suggest modifications that will improve your swing mechanics.

            Finally, don’t neglect the important role that your equipment plays in managing lateral epicondylitis and avoiding sports injury. I recommend that my patients who play tennis modify their racquet type, string type and string tension to decrease the amount of force transferred from the racquet to the arm.  Racquets with vibration dampening technology built in are a good foundation piece. Combine that with either natural gut or multifilament synthetic strings strung at the lower end of the tension range of your racquet to minimize impact forces on the arm and reduce the risk of sports injury. Avoid polyester strings at all costs if you are injured because though they perform well they are bad news for people with Tennis Elbow or shoulder pain.

For best results, take a multifaceted approach with treatment for tennis elbow.  Rest is important but you shouldn’t expect the problem to go a way permanently if you don’t treat the underlying causes of this sports injury. When in doubt, seek advice from a medical professional trained in sports therapy.

Article Summary: Dr. Trina Rowe describes the causes and symptoms of Tennis Elbow to help you reduce the risk of this common sports injury.  With proper sports therapy, medical aids and improved sports equipment, you can alleviate this painful condition.

Resource Box:
Trina Rowe is Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT), a Sports Clinical Specialist (SCS) and a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS). Trina is part of the physical therapy staff at the Santa Monica, CA Bauerfeind Performance Center.  Bauerfeind provides advanced sportstherapy and sports injury treatment for active clients in the Los Angeles area. Visit the Bauerfeind Performance Center Website for more information at http://raisingyourpotential.com.