Tennis Elbow: 4 Gear Changes to Try Before You Panic
Quick answer
If your elbow is starting to ache, four equipment changes can reduce the load on your arm before you do anything drastic: lower your string tension, move off stiff full polyester, check your grip size, and reassess whether your frame suits you. These are comfort changes, not a cure, and persistent or worsening pain needs a professional.
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A quick note
This is general coaching and equipment guidance, not medical advice. If your pain is sharp, persistent, or getting worse, see a physician or physical therapist before you keep playing.
Why your gear matters for your elbow
Tennis elbow is an overuse problem, and your equipment changes how much shock and load reaches your arm on every hit. The most common recipe for an aching elbow in a club player is stiff, dead polyester strung tight in a stiff frame, often with a grip that is the wrong size. Fixing those reduces the load while you address technique and strength.
The four gear changes, in order
- 1Lower your string tension. A looser string bed is softer on the arm. Drop a few pounds and feel the difference.
- 2Get off stiff full poly. Switch to a softer multifilament, or a hybrid, and restring more often so it never goes dead and harsh.
- 3Check your grip size. A grip that is too small makes you squeeze, which loads the forearm. An overgrip can fine-tune the size.
- 4Reassess the frame. A very stiff frame transmits more shock. An arm-friendlier frame can help, but try the cheaper string and grip fixes first.
Strings are the first and cheapest lever here, which is why understanding poly versus multi versus hybrid and when strings go dead matters so much for your arm.
Gear is half the picture
Equipment reduces load, but technique and strength prevent the problem from coming back. Muscling the ball and a weak forearm and shoulder make elbow trouble worse. Pair these gear changes with smoother mechanics and the off-court work in the 3-day gym plan.
The short version
Lower tension, get off stiff full poly, check grip size, then reassess the frame. Gear reduces load, but see a professional for pain that is sharp or persistent.
Frequently asked
What string is best for tennis elbow?
Generally a soft multifilament, or natural gut, at a lower tension, and restrung often so it does not go dead and harsh. Stiff full polyester at high tension is the most common arm-jarring setup to avoid.
Can changing my racquet help tennis elbow?
A less stiff, arm-friendlier frame can reduce shock, but try the cheaper changes first: lower tension, a softer string, and the right grip size. Equipment reduces load, but it is not a cure for an existing injury.
Should I keep playing with tennis elbow?
This is a medical question. Gear changes can reduce load, but sharp, persistent, or worsening pain needs a physician or physical therapist. Do not just play through it and hope it goes away.
Sources and further reading
Written by
Bolor Enkhbayar
Tennis coach and founder of CoachesNote
Bolor coaches serious juniors and adult competitors. She builds every weekly plan, reviews the video and match notes, and decides the next job, in person and remotely through CoachesNote.
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