Your elbow may ache or grab when you hit slice shots because the repeated wrist and forearm action used to create backspin can overload the tendons that attach around the elbow.
Your elbow may hurt right as you hit a slice shot because the motion puts extra demand on the muscles and tendons that control your wrist and forearm. If you've been practicing slices frequently or using them a lot during matches, those areas can become sore, tight, and painful each time you cut under the ball. The discomfort often shows up on the outside of the elbow but can sometimes be felt deeper through the joint as well.
You might notice that your regular groundstrokes feel fine, but the moment you hit a slice backhand or defensive slice, your elbow suddenly reminds you that something is not happy. The stroke can create a sharp twinge, a dull ache, or a pulling feeling that lingers between points and gets worse as the match goes on.
Slice shots require a different wrist and forearm action than topspin strokes. If your elbow is already tired or irritated, repeatedly carving under the ball can keep stressing the same area, making it harder for the elbow to settle down and recover before your next session.
The Cutting Motion Of The Slice Keeps Pulling On The Same Spot
You may feel pain the instant your racket moves under the ball.
The muscles that help create backspin attach near the outside of your elbow, and slice shots ask those muscles to work over and over again. If the area is already sensitive, every slice can feel like it pulls on the same painful spot. You might notice that a few slices are manageable, but a long rally full of defensive shots quickly makes the elbow ache.
The Elbow Starts Feeling Worse Late In The Match
You may notice the pain builds as your arm gets tired.
When your forearm muscles fatigue, your elbow has to absorb more of the work during slice shots. The stroke can start feeling less smooth, and the elbow may feel stiff or tender between games. By the end of the session, even simple movements like gripping a water bottle or shaking hands might remind you that the area has been overworked.
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.
Is elbow pain during slice shots a sign of tennis elbow?
It can be. Repeated slice shots often stress the same tendons involved in tennis elbow, especially on the outside of the joint.
Why do slice backhands hurt more than topspin shots?
Slice backhands use a different wrist and forearm motion that can place more strain on tired or irritated elbow structures.
Should I stop hitting slice shots if my elbow hurts?
If the pain keeps getting worse or lingers after playing, reducing slice volume for a while can help the area recover.
Can racket setup contribute to elbow pain on slices?
Yes. String tension, racket weight, and grip size can all affect how much stress reaches your elbow during contact.
Why does my elbow still ache after the match is over?
Repeated strain from hitting slices can leave the forearm muscles and tendons sore, making everyday movements uncomfortable for a day or two.
Recommended Products
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• Acute Sinew Liniment — Used when pain, swelling, and inflammation are present to relieve pain, reduce swelling and inflammation, and increase blood flow and circulation to injured tissues.
• Sinew Herbal Ice — Used when the injured area is especially swollen, red, or warm to the touch to reduce swelling and inflammation while restoring normal circulation and range of motion.
• Chronic Sinew Liniment — Used for pain and stiffness after swelling and inflammation are gone to relieve pain, strongly stimulate circulation, and promote the healing of injured tendons and ligaments.
• Sinew Injury Poultice — Used for chronic tendon and ligament injuries to significantly stimulate circulation and promote deeper tissue recovery.
• Sinew Sports Massage Oil — Used before or after activity to warm and stimulate muscles, increase circulation, relieve tightness, and improve flexibility in muscles and joints.
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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.
