Newsday.com just published an article entitled "Get to Know 11 Home Remedies for Tennis Elbow," and it is likely advice that you already know like "ice the area," take aspirin," "use compression," and "rest."
Tennis elbow or "Epicondylitis" is a painful condition that can cause pain, swelling and movement limitation on the outside, "lateral" or inside "medial" parts of the elbow. Lateral Epicondylitis as a result of playing tennis is usually associated with hitting backhands and Medial Epicondylitis is most often caused by forehands or serves.
I advocate both the prevention and address of this issue first through the development of more functional stroke mechanics, as the mechanism of injury is almost always the result of sudden deceleration of the arm from a disruption of internal shoulder rotation.
Sure, if you get stronger, you will withstand more arm abuse. Nevertheless, if you focus on learning efficient strokes that don't place tremendous stress on your arm, you will rid yourself of this problem safely and effectively.
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Steven Kaplan Steve Kaplan is the owner and managing director of Bethpage Park Tennis Center, as well as director emeritus of Lacoste Academy for New York City Parks Foundation, and executive director and founder of Serve &Return Inc. Steve has coached more than 1,100 nationally- ranked junior players, 16 New York State high school champions, two NCAA Division 1 Singles Champions, and numerous highly-ranked touring professionals. Many of the students Steve has closely mentored have gone to achieve great success as prominent members of the New York financial community, and in other prestigious professions. In 2017, Steve was awarded the Hy Zausner Lifetime Achievement Award by the USTA. He may be reached by e-mail at StevenJKaplan@aol.com. |