Tennis elbow is a health problem that afflicts sports enthusiasts everywhere and leaves little to the imagination. Taking care of your elbow when playing tennis requires proper warmups, stretching and the right equipment. A racket that is good for your elbow will have the right combination of flex, strings, grip size and weight.
Stiffness
A racket's stiffness is its propensity to flex or bend when impacted by a tennis ball. The flexing motion means that the energy of the ball and your stroke are being transferred into the body of the racket, causing it to bend. A stiff racket will not bend as much, therefore absorbing less of the impact of the ball and transferring more energy to your wrist and elbow. If you want a racket that is easier on your elbow, look for a more flexible racket.
String
Much in the same way that a racket's stiffness can affect the transfer of energy to your elbow, a racket's string tension can have the same effect. Three variables affect how your racket's string will impact your elbow. Denser string patterns will produce a tighter, stiffer feel. Racket's strung at high tensions will absorb less impact force, transferring the remainder to your elbow. Finally, the type of string will affect its comfort on your elbow. Cheap synthetic strings that are meant solely for durability purposes are less resilient. For the best string for your elbow, consider open string patterns, strung at lower tensions using natural or more resilient synthetic strings.
Grip Size
Impact forces are transmitted to your elbow through your wrist. Because of this relationship, the way your wrist contacts the racket is important. Grips that are too large or too small will place increased strain on the wrist. To find the right grip for you, measure your hand from the middle of your palm to the tip of your ring finger. This distance, in inches, is equal to your grip size. Also, consider rackets that use a shock absorbing or dampening feature in the racket's handle.
Weight
The weight of a racket can have negative impacts on your elbow. A lightweight racket will not withstand the force of a fast ball as well as a heavy racket. More important is how a racket's weight is distributed. Lighter rackets with heavy heads, also known as head-heavy rackets, will place increased torque on the wrist without the added benefits of an overall heavier racket. The best rackets for your elbow are those that are overall heavy and place most of the weight at the grip end of the racket. This weight distribution is most commonly referred to as being head-light.
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