Injuries

[alankeogh]

Reading the section on the straight arm forehand, to me it seems these mechanics would put more stress on the elbow and hence increase injury, especially medial epicondylitis( so called golfers elbow). Any thoughts?

[GeoffWilliams]

More leverage means more injuries. Part of the game. Ice first, and then after a day or so heat/ice on and off, and elasto bands, flex bar for elbow/shoulder.

[DougEng]

Inconclusive?

Hi,

Geoff could be correct but my feeling is it's hard to say as there are quite a number of factors and given no research. There is a USTA Conference going on right now (today and yesterday) in Tampa on Injuries/Sports Medicine with a track on performance.

http://www.usta.com/tennisperformanceconference/

Leverage also depends on the where the forces are acting on. For example, if the arm is stretched more in front (better) or to the side (worst) would impact the body differently. And there's also velocity and frequency (given the equipment is the same). For example pitchers straighten their arms or squash players straighten their arm at ball impact, yet there's hardly any tennis elbow injuries (partly due to less force at impact).

Doug

[bottle]

So why not just say that long-armed forehands will lead to drone bombings of American cities unless you like them in which case you can blame short-armed forehands-- no one will know the difference.

[stevenmila]

epicondylitis

Medial epicondylitis - not exactly an elbow injury in the traumatic sense - this is an overuse, repetitive stress, poor biomechanics injury of the wrist muscles that attach to the inside of your elbow.

Seldom do we see injuries to the elbow, (can only speak on the non pro level) but frequently to the wrist joint and wrist/ forearm muscles - but it is true that we tend to see on the non- pro level forehand injuries that result in wrist joint pain and muscle pain that emanates from the inside elbow.
Steven