To analyse a tennis match for elbow and wrist overload, observe stroke mechanics, shot selection and workload, then link them with any pain or stiffness during and after play. Focus on repeated high‑stress patterns, sudden technical changes and fatigue signs. Use simple video, basic numbers and safe, stepwise adjustments, not aggressive corrections.
Primary indicators of elbow and wrist overload
- Localised discomfort at the lateral elbow or dorsal wrist during or shortly after specific strokes.
- Progressive loss of control, depth or spin late in long rallies or intense games.
- Visible late preparation and rushed swings, especially on the backhand and high forehand.
- Excessive wrist flick instead of stable forearm rotation on groundstrokes and returns.
- Drop in serve speed or spin with increasing use of the arm instead of the whole body.
- Asymmetry between dominant and non‑dominant arm in strength, range or coordination.
- Recurring stiffness the next morning, suggesting overload rather than isolated soreness.
Pre-match profiling: player history, biomechanics and equipment
Use pre‑match profiling with any intermediate player who trains regularly and wants lesiones de codo y muñeca en tenis prevención without over-medicalising every ache. This method suits coaches, players and physios who can observe calmly and take notes.
Avoid doing a deep analysis alone if the player has intense, sudden pain, visible deformity, loss of strength or nerve‑type symptoms (numbness, tingling). In those cases, stop play and refer to a health professional before continuing with any structured observation or video‑based review.
Before the match, collect four simple blocks of information:
- History of pain and overload
- Ask which strokes trigger discomfort and when it appears: during play, right after, or the next day.
- Clarify if pain is sharp and localised (typical in epicondylar overload) or more diffuse and muscular.
- Typical playing style
- Note whether the player prefers heavy topspin, flat strokes, long rallies or quick points.
- Record backhand type (one‑handed or two‑handed) and grip styles, because these strongly affect elbow stress.
- Baseline biomechanics and conditioning
- Observe posture, shoulder range, trunk rotation and leg drive in a short warm‑up.
- Check simple tasks: plank, forearm rotation with a light racquet, controlled wrist flexion/extension.
- Equipment and set‑up
- Record racquet model, weight, balance and grip size, plus string type and tension.
- Note recent changes; sudden switches often appear in any análisis biomecánico tenis para prevenir lesiones as key overload triggers.
In-play observation: stroke patterns that stress the elbow
For in‑play observation you do not need lab technology. Use simple tools and a clear checklist so you can focus on patterns instead of tiny details.
- Basic tools and access
- Smartphone or basic camera with at least 60 fps; a small tripod is ideal but not mandatory.
- Free or low‑cost video app that allows slow motion and frame‑by‑frame viewing.
- Notebook or notes app to log situations where the player reports elbow or wrist sensations.
- Court positions for observation
- Baseline, behind the player: best for global stroke sequence, trunk use and follow‑through path.
- Side view: best for elbow extension timing, contact point and racket head speed changes.
- Diagonal view from the opposite side: helpful to cross‑check impressions from the first two angles.
- Key patterns to watch in real time
- Repeated late contact on high balls, forcing the player to hit mostly with forearm and wrist.
- Very stiff arm on the one‑handed backhand, with minimal body rotation and high grip tension.
- Emergency defensive swings where the elbow leads and the rest of the chain must catch up.
- Situations to tag for later review
- Long rallies ending with clear fatigue signs (slower recovery, heavier breathing, rushed preparation).
- Pressure points: break points, tie‑breaks, games with many second serves and returns.
- Moments when the player spontaneously touches or shakes the elbow or wrist.
In-play observation: wrist mechanics and high-risk shot types
Use this stepwise procedure to identify wrist‑dominant patterns and high‑risk shots in a safe, structured way. The goal is not to label injuries, but to detect modifiable overload sources linked to cómo evitar la epicondilitis y lesiones de muñeca en tenis.
- Establish a neutral reference in the warm‑up
Record 5-10 forehands, backhands and serves at comfortable intensity. This becomes your reference for normal wrist and forearm use.
- Look for a stable wrist with smooth forearm rotation and relaxed grip.
- Note any pre‑existing restrictions in range or obvious asymmetry.
- Analyse forehand wrist loading
During the match, focus on heavy topspin forehands and wide balls. These often reveal overload strategies.
- Check if the player overbends the wrist (excessive extension) just before contact.
- Observe whether the stroke finishes with a strong wrist snap instead of a body‑led follow‑through.
- Mark points where the forehand causes immediate «sting» in wrist or lateral elbow.
- Review backhand patterns under pressure
Watch the backhand when the player runs or defends, because these situations exaggerate poor mechanics.
- For a one‑handed backhand, see if the wrist collapses at impact or in early follow‑through.
- For a two‑handed backhand, look for the non‑dominant hand doing too much wrist flick.
- Tag backhands where the player loses control short cross‑court and complains of discomfort.
- Evaluate serve and kick‑serve mechanics
Serves combine speed and repetition, making them critical for both elbow and wrist stress.
- Check if the player uses trunk and legs or mainly arm and forearm to generate pace.
- On kick serves, observe if the wrist hyperextends on the drop and then snaps aggressively.
- Note any reduction in serve speed or spin accompanied by protective, softer swings.
- Identify high-risk emergency and touch shots
Drop shots, half‑volleys and last‑second changes of direction often overload the wrist.
- Watch for sudden decelerations right at contact, with the hand absorbing most of the shock.
- Log points where the player improvises with pure wrist and little body support.
- Link symptoms with mechanical patterns
Ask the player to rate discomfort (for example: none, mild, moderate) after each game where you notice suspect mechanics.
- Relate increases in symptoms to specific shot types or situations (e.g., repeated wide forehands).
- Flag combinations: heavy wrist use plus fatigue plus immediate or next‑day stiffness.
- Define safe priorities for future correction
Decide which patterns to address first, choosing changes that reduce load without confusing the player.
- Prioritise increasing body involvement, earlier preparation and more stable grip pressure.
- Reserve complex technical overhauls for structured practice, not mid‑competition.
- When in doubt, coordinate with a coach and, if needed, fisioterapia para dolor de codo y muñeca por tenis to keep adjustments safe.
Fast-track review mode
When time is short, use this condensed algorithm to scan a match safely:
- Watch 5-10 minutes from the end of a long set and note when the player first touches the elbow or wrist.
- Record only forehands, backhands and serves from those games and check for obvious wrist flicks and rushed swings.
- Ask the player which shot hurt most and in which exact situation, then confirm it on video.
- Pick one simple adjustment (more legs on serve, earlier preparation, softer grip) and test it in the next practice.
Quantitative signs: serve speed, spin, rally length and workload metrics
Use numbers to complement visual impressions. Even basic, non‑lab metrics provide enough information to guide safe decisions about load and prevention.
- Track total number of serves per set and flag unusual spikes compared with the player’s normal volume.
- Note average rally length in games where pain appears and see if overload correlates with long or very short, intense points.
- Measure serve speed occasionally (with a simple radar or club device) and detect clear drops that coincide with protective arm use.
- Count high‑intensity forehands and backhands (aggressive, with visible effort) in a game and mark when technique degrades after several in a row.
- Log how many back‑to‑back matches or training days occur without a full rest day.
- Monitor next‑day stiffness duration; if it persists beyond a normal warm‑up, treat the previous workload as excessive.
- Compare total weekly sessions with current conditioning; sudden jumps often precede overload more than single heavy days.
- Include off‑court work: note sessions of strength, cardio and the mejores ejercicios para fortalecer codo y muñeca en tenistas to balance racket workload.
Video analysis workflow: camera setup, key frames and annotation checklist
Video is powerful, but common mistakes can create confusion or false confidence. Use this list to avoid typical errors when analysing matches for elbow and wrist overload.
- Placing the camera too close, capturing only the arm and missing legs, trunk and timing.
- Filming at very low frame rate, which blurs contact and conceals rapid wrist movement.
- Changing camera angle constantly instead of keeping a stable main view plus one secondary angle.
- Zooming excessively so that the image shakes and reference points on the court disappear.
- Ignoring the scoreboard and context, which makes it hard to link mechanics with pressure situations.
- Focusing only on slow‑motion clips and forgetting to watch the full‑speed rhythm of the rally.
- Drawing conclusions from a single spectacular shot instead of a consistent pattern across several rallies.
- Attempting complex 3D análisis biomecánico tenis para prevenir lesiones with tools you do not fully understand.
- Implementing big technical changes based solely on video without checking comfort, pain response and player feedback.
Translating findings into interventions: load management and coaching cues
After identifying overload patterns, consider several intervention routes. Combine them according to the player’s age, competition level and pain intensity to keep all next steps safe and realistic.
- Technique and tactics first
For many players, small technical cues reduce stress without major lifestyle changes.
- Emphasise using legs and trunk to generate power instead of pure arm acceleration.
- Encourage earlier preparation so the player avoids last‑second wrist‑only corrections.
- Adjust tactics to shorten harmful patterns (e.g., fewer heavy cross‑court forehands when tired).
- Structured conditioning and prevention
Introduce a simple off‑court plan targeting the arm, but also the shoulder and trunk.
- Include the mejores ejercicios para fortalecer codo y muñeca en tenistas: isometric holds, controlled eccentrics and grip‑strength variations.
- Progress gradually, checking that added strength does not provoke new pain.
- Use this block as the core of lesiones de codo y muñeca en tenis prevención, not only as rehab.
- Medical and physiotherapy collaboration
When pain persists or impacts performance, integrate professional help instead of relying solely on coaching decisions.
- Share your match observations and videos with a clinician to support fisioterapia para dolor de codo y muñeca por tenis.
- Let the physio define safe load limits and red‑flag symptoms that require temporary rest.
- Re‑check technique after symptoms improve to avoid re‑creating the original overload.
- Equipment and scheduling adjustments
Sometimes small external changes significantly reduce stress without large technical overhauls.
- Review grip size, string type and tension with a qualified stringer, seeking a slightly more forgiving set‑up.
- Modify training schedule: reduce back‑to‑back intense sessions and add short recovery slots.
- Use these adjustments especially when the player cannot modify technique quickly (tight competition calendar).
Common practical concerns about diagnosing overloads
How do I know if it is overload and not just normal post-match soreness?
Overload tends to recur in the same area after similar workloads and often appears earlier in the session over time. Normal soreness usually spreads across several muscle groups and improves quickly with light movement and rest.
When should I stop the match because of elbow or wrist pain?
Stop immediately if pain is sharp and sudden, if you cannot grip the racquet properly, or if you feel weakness, locking or numbness. For progressive discomfort, reduce intensity and monitor; if it worsens despite easing off, stop and seek assessment.
Can I correct technique during a match to reduce pain safely?
Use only very simple cues mid‑match, such as loosening grip slightly or using more legs on serve. Leave big technical changes for practice sessions, where you can repeat, rest and adjust without competitive pressure.
How quickly should I expect improvement after changing workload or technique?
Milder overload often improves noticeably over several sessions with better load management. If pain does not change at all after a few weeks of careful adjustments, or if it worsens, consult a qualified health professional for a detailed evaluation.
Is video analysis useful if I do not have high-speed cameras?
Yes. Modern smartphones with basic slow motion are enough to detect major issues like excessive wrist flick or late preparation. The key is consistent angles, good lighting and a structured checklist, not expensive equipment.
How does prevention differ from rehabilitation for elbow and wrist issues?
Prevention focuses on balanced workload, sound mechanics and gradual progression even when you feel fine. Rehabilitation includes additional protective steps, closer monitoring of pain and sometimes temporary reduction in volume while technique and strength are rebuilt.
Do juniors need a different approach to monitoring overload?
Juniors often change technique, equipment and schedule quickly, so monitor growth spurts and training spikes closely. Use the same observation principles but be more conservative with workload and quicker to involve parents and health professionals when pain appears.