Why Do I Get Elbow Pain During Overhead Smashes In Tennis?

Elbow pain during overhead smashes in tennis often feels sharp, tight, or suddenly weak right as you snap through the ball because repeated overhead hitting can overload the tendons around the elbow.

You may notice the elbow feels normal while rallying, then suddenly hurts during an overhead smash when you reach high and drive through the ball. The pain often appears during the fastest part of the swing, especially when you fully extend the arm or grip the racket tightly through contact. Sometimes it feels like a sharp jab on one side of the elbow, while other times it feels more like a deep ache that lingers after the point.

Overhead smashes place a lot of repeated stress through the forearm tendons that help stabilize your wrist and elbow during powerful swings. If those areas stay tight or tired from repeated tennis sessions, the elbow may stop tolerating explosive overhead movements as well as it normally does. You might also notice the elbow stiffens later that evening or feels sore again when you pick up the racket the next day.

The Pain Hits Right As You Snap Through The Ball

You may feel a sudden grab or sharp pain during the fastest part of the overhead swing.

During an overhead smash, your forearm muscles tighten hard to stabilize the racket as you accelerate through contact. If the tendons around the outside or inside of the elbow are already irritated from repeated hitting, that quick snapping motion can trigger pain immediately. You may especially notice it on harder put-away shots where you swing more aggressively.

The Elbow Starts Feeling Heavy And Tight As Play Continues

You may notice the elbow feels more sensitive later in the match even if the first few overhead shots felt fine.

Repeated serves, smashes, and high-impact shots can leave the forearm muscles fatigued and tight, which changes how the elbow handles repeated swings. As the arm tires out, the elbow may start aching between points or feel weak when you try to generate power overhead. The area can also tighten after cooling down, making the next session feel rough again at first.

Why Your Elbow Could Be Taking Longer To Heal

Your elbow has a hard time healing when blood flow and circulation are limited.

Tendons, ligaments, and other soft tissues naturally receive less blood supply than many other parts of the body. Because of this, they often take longer to heal after repeated stress or injury, leaving you more vulnerable to lingering pain and a cycle of reinjury.

When circulation through the area remains limited, injured tissues have a harder time receiving the vital oxygen and nutrients they need to repair and heal. This can leave your elbow feeling stiff, tight, weak, or painful during everyday movement and activity.

What Can Help Your Elbow Feel Better

Your elbow starts feeling better when blood flow and circulation improve.

Chinese herbs have been used for centuries to promote healthy blood flow and circulation. Their medicinal properties help break up stagnant blood and fluids that remain trapped around injured tissues, interfering with circulation. As circulation improves, blood flows more freely through the area, allowing those tissues to receive the oxygen and nutrients they need to heal properly.

Topical herbal remedies made with these Chinese herbs can help relieve pain while improving blood flow and circulation to injured tissues. The right product depends on your symptoms and whether you're in the acute or chronic stage of recovery.

If you have pain, swelling, inflammation, or bruising, Acute Sinew Liniment helps relieve these symptoms by increasing circulation and dispersing stagnant blood and fluids around the injured area to speed recovery. During the acute stage of healing, getting circulation moving early allows injured tissues to receive the fresh blood, oxygen, and nutrients they need to repair and heal.

If your injured area is especially swollen, red, or warm to the touch after a recent injury or flare-up, Sinew Herbal Ice is also used to reduce swelling and inflammation while restoring normal circulation so you can quickly regain range of motion. While traditional ice is commonly used to reduce swelling, Sinew Herbal Ice acts as an ice alternative to reduce swelling and inflammation while also dispersing accumulated blood and fluids to speed the healing process.

If you no longer have swelling or inflammation, but still have pain, stiffness, weakness, or sensitivity in cold and damp weather, Chronic Sinew Liniment helps relieve these symptoms by strongly stimulating circulation and increasing blood supply to injured tendons and ligaments to promote their healing. This is especially important because tendons and ligaments naturally receive less blood supply, which is why chronic injuries can take longer to heal.

If you have residual pain and stiffness, or the area becomes more painful in cold weather, Sinew Injury Poultice is also used to significantly stimulate circulation to injured tendons and ligaments to further promote their healing. By strongly increasing circulation, it counteracts the reduced blood flow caused by cold weather that commonly aggravates chronic tendon and ligament injuries.

If you exercise, play sports, or do other strenuous activities, Sinew Sports Massage Oil warms and stimulates muscles for exertion and relieves muscle tightness and soreness after activity. Warming and preparing your muscles before activity can improve flexibility, enhance performance, and reduce the risk of injury.

Frequently Asked Questions

You may also find these commonly asked questions helpful.

Why does my elbow hurt more on hard overhead smashes?

Harder smashes create a faster snapping motion through the arm, which places more stress on tired or irritated elbow tendons.

Can tight forearms cause elbow pain during tennis smashes?

Yes. Tight forearm muscles can pull harder around the elbow during overhead swings and make the joint feel sore or restricted.

Why does the pain get worse later in the match?

The forearm muscles and tendons can fatigue during repeated serves and overhead shots, making the elbow less able to tolerate forceful swings.

Is elbow pain during overhead shots a sign of tennis elbow?

It can be. Pain on the outside of the elbow during gripping and swinging is commonly associated with tennis elbow from repeated racket use.

Why does my elbow still feel stiff after I finish playing?

Repeated overhead hitting can leave the tendons and surrounding muscles tight and irritated, especially once the arm cools down after activity.

The information provided here is intended to help you better understand your symptoms and recovery, but it is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Persistent, severe, or worsening symptoms should be evaluated by a qualified healthcare professional.