Advantage OUCH

In a study presented at the Association of Academic Physiatrists annual meeting, the rates and quality of the painful tendon condition "tennis elbow" were discussed. What factors lead to it? Have those factors changed with higher tech racquets? Why do tennis pros mostly not have these issues? Surveys were sent to tennis clubs and databases and of the 402 responders, 248 (61.7%) said they had received tennis elbow diagnoses. How much does age matter? The average ages: respondents, 38.7; diagnosed with tennis elbow, 41.6; never diagnosed with tennis elbow, 33.9. Also brought into question during the study: how many years had respondents been playing tennis and how often; whether or not they stretched before playing; equipment; gender; skill level; etc.

Bobby Song, MD, a physiatrist at Baylor College of Medicine, commented, “The most popular notion is that increased ‘stiffness’ of the equipment can increase the shock forces... While tennis elbow has long been thought to be a degenerative, overuse related condition, we found it curious that higher level tennis players tended to not be affected as much." By gathering this information, a physician may be able to suggest different techniques and/or equipment: "By potentially taking away the insulting factor through changes in form or equipment, the patient may be able to continue playing and not be forced to undergo invasive modalities or even take time off.”

Read the full press release on Newswise.