Dr. Allan Horowitz, published newspaper article, Richmond Hill Liberal, Copyright November 01, 1989
Dear Dr. Horowitz:
I am an active female who plays tennis, racquetball and golf. I also ride a stationary bike and use a rowing machine. The rowing machine has been a new tool in my efforts to maintain my fitness level and I really enjoy it a lot more than the stationary bike. Since I began using the rowing machine I have been having an increasingly bad pain in my right elbow. A friend I play tennis with told me it sounded like what she had – tennis elbow. I remember you writing about tennis elbow a few years ago but I don’t remember if you can get it without playing tennis. I am playing tennis about once a week and my elbow never hurts me. It only hurts when I row, after I row, and lately even when I brush my hair or wash dishes. Could this be a tennis elbow?
Answer:
More often than not, tennis elbow (extensor tendonitis, lateral epicondylitis) results from something other than tennis. Most who suffer form this condition can trace the onset back to some sort of overuse activity. This might mean hammering, chopping wood, playing some sort of sport (tennis, badminton, squash, racquetball, ping pong), knitting, painting, or maybe gardening. The tendons on the back of the forearm become inflamed where they attach into the elbow. These tendons travel from the back of the wrist, go up the forearm, cross over to the outside of the forearm, and attach into the bone on the outside of the elbow. The pain is usually felt near the elbow, or in the fleshy part of the upper forearm, but can be felt anywhere from the wrist to the upper arm.
When the wrist is used to excess, especially in a repetitive extension motion (pulling your wrist up and back) the tendons can become overworked and irritated. This is tennis elbow. It is really more of a wrist problem than it is an elbow problem, but the pain is usually felt higher up in the forearm, therefore the name “tennis elbow”. Tennis elbow became a very common (and almost trendy) condition in the ‘70s when the tennis boom hit North America. Out of shape, weak, weekend tennis enthusiast would swat around a tennis ball for a few hours without warming up, and most would use very poor form. This poor form would be the major culprit, but also implicated was the type of racquet (too stiff means vibrations), the size of the grip (too big means not enough control), and the type and tension of the strings.
MOST COMMON PROBLEMS
The backhand and the serve were the two strokes which caused most of the problems. A serve where the player flicked his wrist instead of using the entire arm, shoulder and body to power the serve would lead to tennis elbow. A backhand where the player had a loose arm and flicked his racquet across his body instead of bending his knees, reaching back, stroking the ball, and following through would also likely lead to problems. Everyone wanted to serve like Roscoe Tanner (where is he now?) and have a backhand like Jimmy Connors (who developed the two-handed backhand which gave him more power, put less strain on his arm, and allowed him to spend his evenings with Chris Evert talking about how to stroke without pain).
Yes, you can get tennis elbow from a rowing machine. Since these machines became popular, this is one of the more common ways to develop tennis elbow. The problem is your technique. Pull with your entire arm and back, and push with your legs at the same time. Coordinate your rowing motion to make it one fluid stroke, rather than a pull with your arms, a kick with your legs and a “lean” with your back. Keep your forearms and especially your wrists very rigid and do not bend your wrists when you pull back. Wear a wristband if you need the extra support. There are also some good tennis elbow supports on the market if you feel you need them, but correcting your technique is the place to start.