Pro style forehand injury

[klacr]

I just recently picked up a top level junior here in Miami, FL. She is 13 years old. We just taught her the pro style forehand and backhand. She's been getting some wrist pain, and I think it's from the whipping and snap back from the new forehand. I've followed the same pro style forehand from the one here on the site, and I taught it to one of my 17 year old boys and it worked like a charm. However I don't feel very comfortable about this wrist problem the 13 year old girl is getting. Any advice? I've been emphasizing more twist in her upper body and more leg drive to take away from the wrist and arm and that does seem to work a little, but the pain is still there. I've also tried telling her to get the wrist back earlier and strictly focus on pulling the racquet like a rope. That didn't work as well as the twist and leg drive.

Any other suggestions?

[GeoffWilliams]

Get her to use a flex bar.

[don_budge]

Wrist injury...rest and ibuprofen

It's no fun playing tennis with a sore wrist...go back to the old style and see if the pain goes away. At thirteen she may be too young for the "pro style" forehand.

Depending upon the severity of the pain and the duration...she might consider seeing a physiotherapist for exercises to strengthen her wrist. Be careful of wrist injuries particularly in young people.

[tennis_chiro]

13 year olds

At 13, your student's body is going through tremendous changes and may not be ready for any serious strength training, but she can certainly improve her situation with targeted exercises to protect her wrist. The Flex Bar is a great option, but specific exercises with very small weights can make a big difference, especially wrist flexion/extension/pronation and supination.

The ATP Type III forehand could put a lot of strain on a young wrist. Without the strength to control the racket, the range of motion might put the wrist under excessive strain.

First, I would focus on being sure she is swinging the head of the racket and not just her hand and dragging the racket through a whiplashing stretch/shorten cycle. By definition, if you swing the racket head, you do not create the extreme lag and whiplash.

Second, try throwing a 4 to 6 lb medicine ball in the forehand motion to get her to feel how to use the big muscles to a greater degree as opposed to utilising so much wrist flexion/extension and arm action to power the shot. This can take a lot of the strain off the arm and wrist, ... and it should.

Third, you can try Square Hit's "Wrist Assist" (I think I have the name right) or even Greg Norman's "Secret" to limit movement of the wrist. That kind of defeats the whole ssc thing, but I've found it to be helpful. If you want to "get medieval", try the Racket Bracket. That completely locks the wrist out.

Most of all, remember she is going through a lot of growth and growth centers are settling now. When she gets sore, be sure to use a lot of ice. Then rest. Then rehab. Sounds like you are really already doing versions of just what I am suggesting about getting the legs involved and swinging the head of the racket. Actually, there may be a little difference in my suggestion about swinging the racket head instead of the hand.

don