For us tennis players, there is nothing that takes the fun out of playing tennis like the dreaded “tennis elbow”. It hurts both your elbow AND performance, and can take weeks (if not longer) to heal.
If you haven’t had it yet, don’t think it won’t happen. Nearly half of all tennis players will get it at some point in their lives – and it might not even be from tennis.
Tennis elbow, or Lateral Epicondylitis, is an injury to the outer part of the elbow due to overuse. Common symptoms include persistent pain and tenderness in the elbow and weakened grip. It can happen to anyone, but tennis players – who, by nature of the sport, use the same kind of motion repetitively during games or practice – are more vulnerable.
Tennis elbow isn’t difficult to treat; most cases just require a few weeks of rest. But, because we use our elbows so much in our everyday lives (getting dressed, opening doors, cooking… even just using our phones) it makes recovery pretty challenging.
As with any kind of sickness or injury, prevention is always better than the cure. One of the biggest contributing factors to tennis elbow is playing with the wrong racquet. The wrong racquet will not only affect your game performance, but it can also put a major strain on your arm.
What To Look For in an Elbow-friendly Racquet
Every tennis player has a personal racquet preference. Some go for the powerful and heavy hard-hitting racquets, while others prefer racquets that give them more speed and flexibility.
There’s no one, single “best racquet,” even for those affected by tennis elbow. In general, however, there are a few things to consider when choosing the right racquet in regards to preventing tennis elbow:
- Weight – Many players think that using a lighter racquet would prevent tennis elbow, based on the logic that a lighter racquet puts less strain on your arms while playing. While this makes sense in theory, in reality, it’s the exact opposite. Heavier racquets, while more difficult to swing, are designed to absorb more of the force of the ball, so that your arm doesn’t take most of the impact. This doesn’t mean you should spring for the heaviest racquet on the market, though. Too heavy, and you will sacrifice your technique and speed. Too light, and the racquet won’t be stable or absorb the impact. Find the heaviest one that is still comfortable for you to use.
- Balance – Balance is the weight ratio between the head and the handle. The more weight in the handle, the easier and faster it is to move the racquet. Light racquet heads do have the downside of being more susceptible to vibration and shock. Get the ideal balance with a handle heavy enough for speed and stability, but with the strength of a larger head size.
- Length – Because longer racquets have a contact point that is farther away, they can put more stress on your arm and elbow. The standard racquet is around 27 inches in length.
- Flex – Flex measures the racquet’s flexibility or stiffness – basically, its ability to bend when it comes into contact with the ball. A more flexible racquet is easier able to absorb impact compared to a stiff one.
- Strings – Tension and string pattern play a role in how much shock your racquet can absorb. More open patterns are softer and can take in more force, while a dense pattern will be more likely to distribute the energy to your arm.
Whether you are already experiencing some symptoms or you just want to make sure you don’t get it in the future, you want a racquet engineered for preventing tennis elbow. We’ve detailed the three best options below:
Yonex Ltd Ed. EZone DR 98
Considered one of the best racquets on the market today, the Yonex DR 98 boasts the perfect blend of stability, control, and power. The Quake Shut Gel is a particularly impressive feature which helps filter out unwanted vibrations going from the racquet and into your wrist and hand.
Many players say that it’s at a comfortable weight and flexibility, which makes it easier on the arms than most of its competitors. The Yonex DR 98 has a 16×19 open string pattern and comes already pre-strung.
- Yonex is commemorating Naomi Osaka`s rise to World No. 1
- Head Size 98 sq. inches / 632 sq. cm.
- Strung Weight: 10.6 oz. / 300g Unstrung Weight: 10.0 oz. / 285g
- Length: 27 inches
- Weight: 11.4oz (strung)
- Flex Rating: 62
- Balance: 6 points head light
- String Pattern: 16×19
- Swing Weight: 324
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Prince Textreme Tour 95
The Prince Textreme Tour 95 is a racquet with a classic feel and great control. This is the racket of choice of many players who want a heftier feel than today’s popular lightweight frames. It has a stable base that allows you to make high-powered shots with each stroke while maintaining easy maneuverability and spin.
Some people say it packs a little less punch than other racquets, but it is incredibly arm-friendly and won’t put too much stress on your arm.
Many players turn to this racquet while recovering from tennis elbow, and some of them have never looked back.
- This racquet has been designed for supreme control and enhanced feel for players with long fast swings
- Head Size: 95 inches / 613cm
- Weight: 320g / 11.3 oz. unstrung
- Length: 27 inches
- Weight: 11.3oz (unstrung), 11.8oz (strung)
- Flex Rating: 60
- Balance: 12 points head light
- String Pattern: 16×19
- Swing Weight: 322
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Wilson Blade 98 Countervail
How do you make an already amazing racquet better? Ask Wilson. Their Blade 98 racquet was heavily praised by pro and amateur players alike for its aggressive, big hits and impressive stability on the court.
The Countervail model retains many of the features that made the Blade 98 an instant classic but with one significant improvement.
The Countervail technology was designed to reduce shock and cancel vibrations, protecting your wrist and elbow from injury even during intense volleys.
Players will enjoy the extremely precise head/handle balance and big 98-inch sweet spot.
Another plus?
The Wilson Blade 98 Countervail comes in three different string pattern options, allowing you more control over how you want to play.
- The Blade is designed for today’s big-hitting, aggressive game and is the top played franchise on Tour
- Head Size 98 sq. inches / 632 sq. cm.
- Balance: 3 Points Head Light / 33.27 cm
- Length: 27 inches
- Weight: 11.2oz (strung), 10.7oz (unstrung)
- Flex Rating: 62
- Balance: 6 points head light
- String Pattern: comes in 18×20, 16×19, and 18×16
- Swing Weight: 326
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Conclusion
In summary, a good racquet for tennis elbow will traditionally sacrifice some game performance for better shock absorption. However, the three racquets we profiled do their best to mitigate this.
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