To minimize tennis elbow symptoms, which racquet adjustment is recommended?

• A. Increase racquet grip size and limit the number of backhand strokes
• B. Stretch the shoulder and increase forearm pronation
• C. Hold racquet less tightly and limit the number of backhand strokes
• D. Stretch the wrist flexors & strengthen the forearm pronators

Answer: (C)

Relaxing how you hold the racquet and cutting back on backhand repetitions both reduce the load on the wrist extensor tendons that commonly cause tennis elbow. Gripping the racquet tightly requires the forearm extensors to work harder to stabilize the grip during each impact, which increases strain on the lateral epicondyle over time. By holding the racquet with a lighter grip, you lessen that contraction and the overall stress on the tendon. At the same time, limiting backhand strokes lowers repetitive loading, giving the tendon a chance to recover and inflammation to subside.

Other options don’t address the primary source of overload. Increasing grip size can actually change leverage in a way that may increase strain, not reduce it. Merely stretching the wrist flexors or strengthening forearm pronators doesn’t directly lessen the stress on the wrist extensor tendons that are implicated in tennis elbow, and focusing on shoulder stretches doesn’t target the tendon overload at the elbow.