One-Handed and Two-Handed Backhand and Tennis Elbow Prevalence in Adult Tennis Players
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.59141/jiss.v7i9.2593Keywords:
tennis elbow, lateral epicondylalgia, backhand technique, one-handed backhand, two-handed backhand, cross-sectional studyAbstract
Tennis elbow, or lateral epicondylalgia, is a common musculoskeletal condition among tennis players; however, the association between backhand technique and symptom prevalence remains uncertain. This study examined whether one-handed (1HB) and two-handed (2HB) backhand techniques were associated with clinically assessed tennis elbow in adult tennis players. A cross-sectional study included 48 participants: 23 1HB players and 25 2HB players. Demographic characteristics, weekly training volume, and years of tennis participation were recorded. The primary outcome, defined as dominant-arm elbow pain (DEP), required the presence of lateral elbow pain, tenderness over the lateral epicondyle, and pain reproduced by resisted wrist extension or resisted middle-finger extension. Between-group comparisons were performed using independent-samples t tests, chi-square tests, and Mann–Whitney U tests, as appropriate. The mean age was 41.8 ± 17.0 years, and 72.9% of participants were male. The 1HB group was older than the 2HB group (49.9 ± 17.2 vs. 34.3 ± 13.0 years, p < 0.001) and consisted exclusively of male participants (100% vs. 48.0%, p < 0.001). The median weekly training volume was 6 hours in both groups (p = 0.757). The prevalence of DEP was 47.8% among 1HB players and 52.0% among 2HB players (χ² = 0.08, p = 0.777). No statistically significant association between backhand technique and DEP was identified in this sample. However, the analysis was unadjusted, and the substantial imbalance in age and sex between groups precluded interpretation of the findings as evidence of an independent association between backhand technique and tennis elbow. The results also did not establish equivalence between the two techniques. Larger prospective studies with adjustment for demographic and training-related confounders and standardized clinical assessments are needed before backhand technique can be used to inform injury-prevention recommendations.
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