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 FITNESS FITNESS 

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HEALTHY LIVINGHEALTHY LIVING

Mountain View News Saturday, August 16, 2025


#1 RACKET SPORT INJURY


Michele Silence, M.A. is a 37-year certified fitness 

professional who offers semi-private/virtual fitness 
classes. Contact Michele at michele@kid-fit.
com. Visit her Facebook page at: michelesfitness 
Visit her Facebook page at: michelesfitness.

If you love playing tennis, badminton, squash, or pickleball, 
you probably know the joy of a good rally and the rush of 
hitting that perfect shot. But did you know that many racket 
sport players deal with a painful condition called tennis elbow? 
It’s one of the most common injuries in people who 
swing a racket a lot.

Tennis elbow is a type of injury that causes pain on the outside 
of your elbow. The medical name is lateral epicondylitis. 
It happens when the tendons, which are like strong ropes 
connecting your muscles to your bones, get irritated or 
damaged because of too much use.

Even though it’s called tennis elbow, you don’t have to play 
tennis to get it. Anyone who repeats the same wrist or arm 
movements over and over — like badminton players, painters, 
or even people who use computers a lot — can get it.

When you play racket sports, your forearm muscles work 
hard to grip the racket and swing it quickly. These muscles 
connect to your elbow through tendons. When you hit lots 
of balls or practice a lot, those tendons can get tiny tears or get inflamed. This causes pain and 
weakness in your elbow and forearm.

Sometimes, the pain starts slowly. At first, it might just feel a little sore after a game or practice. 
But if you keep playing without resting, the pain can get worse and last longer. Some of the 
symptoms are:

• Pain or burning on the outside of your elbow

• Weak grip strength when holding the racket or other objects

• Difficulty lifting or bending your wrist

• Pain that gets worse when you try to grip or twist something

For many people, it can be hard to do everyday things like opening jars, shaking hands, or carrying 
bags.

Tennis elbow is common in people aged 30 to 50, but anyone who plays racket sports a lot can 
get it. People who suddenly increase how often or how hard they play, or who use poor technique, 
may be more likely to get hurt. Also, if you use a racket that’s too heavy or your grip is 
too tight, your muscles and tendons can get strained.

You can do a lot to avoid tennis elbow and keep playing pain-free

1. Warm Up Properly- Before playing, stretch your wrist, forearm, and elbow muscles 
gently. Warming up helps your muscles get ready and lowers your chance of injury.

2. Use the Right Equipment - Make sure your racket fits your hand well. Using the right 
grip size can reduce strain. If you’re unsure, ask a coach or sports store expert to help you 
choose.

3. Check Your Technique - Sometimes pain comes from swinging the racket the wrong 
way. Getting lessons or tips from a coach can make your movements safer and more efficient.

4. Don’t Overdo It - Avoid playing too many hours without breaks. If you feel soreness, 
take some time off to let your muscles recover.

5. Strengthen Your Forearm Muscles - Simple exercises like wrist curls with light weights 
or squeezing a soft ball can make your muscles stronger and less likely to get injured.

If you start feeling pain on the outside of your elbow, don’t ignore it! Start by taking a break 
from racket sports or other activities that make your elbow hurt. Rest helps the tendons heal. 
Also, ice it. Put ice on your elbow for 15-20 minutes several times a day to reduce pain and 
swelling. Over-the-counter medicines like ibuprofen can help with pain and inflammation 
(but talk to a doctor before taking any medication). And wearing a special elbow brace or strap 
can reduce strain on the tendon.

If the pain doesn’t get better after a few weeks, a health professional can give you exercises or 
treatments like massage or ultrasound therapy to help. Tennis elbow usually gets better with 
rest and care, but it can take weeks or even months to fully heal. The key is to listen to your 
body and not rush back into playing before you’re ready.

Tennis elbow is a common and frustrating injury, but with smart care and prevention, you don’t 
have to let it stop your fun on the court. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned player, taking 
care of your elbow and forearm will help you keep swinging strong for years to come.

So next time you pick up your racket, remember to warm up, use the right gear, and listen to 
your body. Taking care of your elbow now is the best way to keep you playing pain-free.

_________________

Michele Silence, M.A. is a certified fitness professional who offers semi-private/virtual fitness classes. Contact 
Michele at michele@kid-fit.com. Visit her Facebook page at: michelesfitness

DON'T FAKE THE FUNK: 

The Danger of Spiritual Bypass 
and Inauthentic Optimism

Coaches, therapists, and others in the helping professions are often 
misunderstood.

People sometimes assume we’re always happy, endlessly wise, and 
in complete control of our emotions. While we may have access 
to tools that help us navigate life more consciously, we certainly 
don’t have it all figured out. What we do have, sometimes, is the 
benefit of perspective.

Recently, I faced a disappointment that hit harder than I expected. As I sat with it, I noticed 
something curious: those around me, to be helpful, seemed to be gently pushing me away 
from my feelings. “Look on the bright side,” “Everything happens for a reason,” or, “Stay 
positive.”

This kind of well-meaning encouragement, though often rooted in love, can unintentionally 
silence real emotional experiences. And that’s where we bump into something called 
spiritual bypass.

What is Spiritual Bypass?

Spiritual bypass is a term coined by psychologist John Welwood. It refers to the tendency to 
use spiritual beliefs or practices to avoid facing unresolved emotional wounds, psychological 
issues, or painful truths. Instead of working through our pain, we try to leap over it using 
mantras, meditation, prayer, or "positive vibes only" thinking as a kind of escape hatch.

While these practices can be incredibly valuable when used authentically and intentionally, 
when used to avoid real emotional work, they become another form of suppression. And 
suppression never heals.

Let Yourself Feel What You Feel

We have to start with honesty. Disappointment, grief, anger, frustration—these are not 
signs of spiritual failure. They're signs of being alive.

According to neuroscientist Jill Bolte Taylor, an emotion, once triggered, typically has a 
natural life span of just 90 seconds if we let it move through us without adding fuel to the 
fire.

That means:

Don’t ruminate.

Don’t judge the feeling.

Don’t rush to “fix” it.

Don’t slap a smile on top of it.

Instead, give yourself permission to feel authentically and fully.

A Grounded Strategy for Emotional Processing

Here’s a simple yet powerful process you can try when you're navigating challenging 
emotions:

Notice and Name Identify what you're feeling. Is it anger? Sadness? Shame? Labeling emotions 
reduces their power.

Breathe Pause. Take a few deep breaths. This grounds you in your body.

Check Your Thoughts Ask: Is this thought true? Is it helpful? Do I want it to be true?

Seek the Stimulus: What happened that triggered this emotion? Name it without judgment.

Create Space: Give the emotion room to rise and fall. You don’t need to act on it or solve it 
right away.

Reflect, then Respond . Only after the feeling has moved through can you ask: What do I 
want to do about this?

Authenticity over toxic positivity

There’s a big difference between optimism and inauthentic optimism. Real hope is grounded 
in truth; it holds space for pain and still chooses to move forward. Faux positivity ignores 
the pain, which only makes it louder over time.

Let your body know what you’re feeling. Let your heart hear it, too. Then, and only then, 
can you breathe through it with honesty and clarity.

Authenticity is not weakness. Feeling your emotions entirely is not failure. It’s sacred, necessary, 
and profoundly human.

Let’s stop bypassing the real work of healing in the name of looking “okay.”

Instead, let’s choose something braver: presence, truth, and the courage to sit in discomfort 
until we find our way through it, not around it.

--

Lori A. Harris is an Award-winning coach and podcast host. Learn more about her at loriaharris.
com.

Lori A. Harris


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