There has been some confusion about those rubber dampeners that most people put on the strings. I would like to inform everyone of the facts.
First of all they are vibration dampeners not shock absorbers, however they only reduce string vibrations. Tennis strings vibrate when contact is made. The vibrations from the string do not produce harmful vibration to the arm or hand. The harmful effects of ball contact is caused by racquet shock along with some racquet vibration. Do not confuse racquet vibration with string vibration. String vibration simply put is sound! The higher the vibration frequency the higher pitch sound it makes. Vibration dampeners only reduce the sound pitch of the strings to a lower level. If you don’t like the high pitch “ping” on ball contact the dampener will make a lower pitch “thud” instead. It is all a matter of preference not performance. A vibration dampener will NOT help prevent or reduce the pain of tennis elbow.
Secondly, the rules of tennis state that no devices or object may be place within the string bed of a racquet. The vibration dampeners are to be placed outside the last string towards the frame. It can be placed above, below or the sides of the string bed, but the best method is to place the dampener near the throat of the racquet.
I hope this has clarified some confusion that I hear about tennis racquet vibration dampeners.
Doug Hofer, USPTA & USRSA November 22, 2006
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