How It All Started
I didn’t grow up playing tennis.
I actually started learning tennis because of my daughter. When she was around 9 years old, she began taking lessons, and like many parents, I would sit on the side watching. After a while, I started hitting with her so she could practice more outside of lessons.
At the beginning, it was just casual. But as she improved, I naturally wanted to keep up. I started practicing more seriously—especially my serve and forehand.
That’s when I started running into problems.
How I Ended Up with BOTH Tennis Elbow AND Golf Elbow
At first, it was just a slight discomfort on the outside of my elbow. I didn’t think much of it.
But over time, I started noticing something else: sometimes the inside of my elbow would hurt too.
That’s when I realized I wasn’t just dealing with tennis elbow (outside), but also some symptoms of golf elbow (inside).
Looking back, it was pretty obvious why.
Over-practicing serves (with bad mechanics)
One of the biggest mistakes I made was practicing serves too much, too early.
I didn’t have proper technique, but I kept hitting serves over and over, trying to “figure it out.”
What I was actually doing:
- using mostly my arm instead of my body
- forcing power instead of generating it naturally
- repeating the same incorrect motion hundreds of times
That repetitive stress went straight into my elbow.
Gripping the racket way too tight
Another thing I didn’t realize at the time was how tightly I was holding the racket.
I thought tighter grip = more control.
In reality:
- my forearm was constantly tense
- there was no relaxation in my swing
- every impact transferred more stress into the elbow
This contributed to both:
- tennis elbow (outer side)
- golf elbow (inner side)
Not using my body at all
Instead of using my legs, hips, and shoulders, I relied almost entirely on my arm.
No rotation. No flow.
Just arm.
Over time, that imbalance adds up. The elbow becomes the weakest link—and eventually, it starts to hurt.
The Biggest Mistake I Made
When the pain started, I did what a lot of people do:
I ignored it and kept playing.
I told myself: - “It’s not that bad” - “It’ll go away”
It didn’t.
It slowly got worse, to the point where even simple movements started to feel uncomfortable.
What Actually Helped Me Recover
Once I accepted that I needed to fix it properly, a few things made a real difference.
1. Rest (the thing I should have done earlier)
This was the hardest part mentally.
I didn’t want to stop playing, especially since I was practicing with my daughter regularly.
But once I reduced my hitting volume and avoided painful movements, I could feel the difference.
If I could go back, I would rest earlier instead of pushing through.
2. Icing regularly
I started icing my elbow consistently:
- 10–15 minutes after playing
- also on days when it felt sore
It helped reduce inflammation and made the recovery process more manageable.
3. Using an elbow band (more useful than I expected)
I bought an elbow band mainly to help while playing.
But it ended up helping in two ways:
- during play: reduced stress on the tendon
- during recovery: I used it to hold an ice pack in place. Believe me, it's pretty tiring if you have to hold the ice bag towards your elbow all the time.
That second use turned out to be surprisingly convenient.
👉 Suggested product: Elbow Band/Brace. It comes with a pair but actually only one is needed. I use the other one as a backup.
4. Fixing my technique (this was critical)
No amount of icing or rest would fully solve the problem if I kept using bad mechanics.
So I focused on:
- loosening my grip. One small tip: Taking off your thumb and/or your index fingers off the grip helps practicing.
- using more body rotation. Tip: always use your other hand to push your racket back.
- letting power come from movement, not force. Tip: always stop your racket on your other shoulder.
Once I made these changes, I could feel a clear reduction in stress on my elbow.
One Change That Made a Huge Difference: Strings
This was something I didn’t expect to matter as much as it did.
Originally, I was using polyester (poly) strings at around 50 lbs.
Poly strings are great for control and spin—but they are also:
- stiff
- less forgiving
- harder on the arm
For someone like me (recreational player, still learning technique), this wasn’t ideal.
Switching to softer strings
I decided to switch to multifilament strings and lower the tension slightly (around 48 lbs).
Here’s what I tried:
Tecnifibre X-One Biphase (best for me)
This was the biggest upgrade.
- very comfortable
- great feel
- noticeably easier on the arm
It’s more expensive, but honestly, it made the biggest difference for my elbow.
👉 Suggested Tecnifibre X-One Biphase
Wilson NXT
- also comfortable
- decent feel
- slightly less impressive than X-One for me
👉 Suggested Wilson NXT
Head Velocity MLT
- good budget option
- comfortable enough
- not as strong in performance
👉 Suggested Head Velocity MLT. I used Gauge 17 to get a bit more topspin.
What I learned about strings
- softer strings = less shock to the arm
- lower tension = more comfort
- poly strings are not beginner-friendly for the elbow
This change alone significantly reduced my elbow discomfort.
The Flexbar (Very Useful for Recovery)
Another thing that helped was the TheraBand FlexBar.
Why it works
It targets the exact muscles and tendons involved in tennis elbow and golf elbow.
Instead of just resting, you’re actively rebuilding strength.
The key exercises
The two exercises that are widely used:
- Tyler Twist (for tennis elbow)
- Reverse Tyler Twist (for golf elbow)
You can easily find demonstrations on YouTube.
These exercises became part of my regular routine.
👉 I used the Green TheraBand FlexBar. You may choose different colors depending on your own need.
What I Would Do Differently
If I could go back to when I first started playing:
- I would not overpractice serves early
- I would keep my grip relaxed from day one
- I would focus on body mechanics instead of power
- I would rest as soon as I felt pain
Final Thoughts
Tennis elbow AND golf elbow are very common, especially for players who:
- are learning the game
- practice frequently
- rely too much on their arm
The biggest lessons from my experience:
- don’t ignore early pain
- fix technique, not just symptoms
- use arm-friendly equipment
- strengthen your forearm properly
Related Tools on TennisHub
Disclaimer
This is based on personal experience and is not medical advice. If your pain persists, consider consulting a medical professional.
Some links may be affiliate links. I only recommend products I personally tried or found helpful.