The U.S. Open is over, but our love of tennis goes on. Sadly, so does the curse of tennis elbow, a form of tendonitis (the medical term is epicondylitis), one of the most common and painful injuries among tennis players. It's also the most talked about, with cures and remedies ranging from copper bracelets to cortisone shots, with acupuncture and tiger balm somewhere in between.

What can you do to prevent tennis elbow? Plenty. Begin by learning what it is and how you get it. Class is now in session:

DON'T OVERDO IT. Technically, tennis elbow is an inflammation (tendonitis) of the tendon where it attaches to the muscles in the forearm that extend your fingers and wrist. It's not limited to tennis players. Woodchoppers, golfers and luggage handlers can get it, too. It's an overuse problem. That means you are doing more with your muscles than your muscles are prepared for: chopping too much wood, lifting too much weight, hitting too many tennis balls too hard. These repeated stresses transmit from the forearm muscles to their attachment at the elbow, and that causes degenerative changes (little tears) in the tendon. That in turn produces local swelling and pain, and — ouch! — next thing you know you're reaching for the Aleve. The good news is, tennis elbow comes and goes. Eventually, the body heals itself of tendonitis. But preventing it is winning in straight sets.

TRAIN FOR NET GAIN. The smartest way to prevent tennis elbow is to train and get fit before you play. Tennis alone will not make you strong or flexible or give you endurance. There's too much starting and stopping and too little steady exertion, especially when every third shot flies over the fence. Condition yourself with a variety of aerobic activities — biking, swimming, fast walking, running, whatever mix you like — at least three to five times a week, for at least 30 minutes per session. Have you seen Rafael Nadal in action? Believe me, he didn't get that gorgeous body practicing his drop shot.

TAKE SOME LESSONS. Poor playing technique is a big cause of tennis elbow. Punching at the ball, a lame serve, a weak backhand and lack of follow-through all increase the stress on your muscles and tendons. Special bonus: More points, less pain.

CHECK YOUR RACQUET. Get a pro to make sure your racquet fits you properly — not too big, not too heavy. Check your grip size. There should be about a finger's width separating the tip of your middle finger from the crease at the base of your thumb. Too small a grip leads to muscle fatigue. So can holding the racquet too tightly. Too large a grip makes for a weaker stroke. Avoid high string tension and low racket flexibility, which transmit too much force directly to your forearm muscles.

STRETCH AND STRENGTHEN. Strong flexible forearms are a huge help in preventing tennis elbow and making friends off court. Think Venus, Roger and your favorite sleeveless top. Turning these newspaper pages won't do it. Try these:

— SQUEEZE: Grip down on a ball (as hard as you can) with your arm extended out in front of you. Squeeze and hold briefly 40-60 times. You can do this while watching re-runs of "Six Feet Under" or waiting for the bus.

— CURL. Hold onto a 2-5 pound weight. If that's too heavy to start, switch to a can of peas, and add weight gradually. Now relax your forearm on a table with your hand (holding the weight) hanging over the edge, palm down. Slowly flex your wrist 10 to 20 times. Then turn your hand over so the palm faces down, and flex some more. Switch arms, and repeat.

— STRETCH. It's smart to do some overall stretching before you play, but to warm up your forearm extensors, extend your arm in front of you, palms down. Use your other hand to push the hand up into a vertical position, fingers pointing to the sky. Hold for 10-20 seconds; repeat 10 times. Then push the hand down so that the fingers point toward the floor. Hold for 10-20 seconds; repeat 10 times. Switch arms, and begin again.

ENERGY EXPRESS-O! COMMIT TO SELF-CARE

"The difference between involvement and commitment is like ham and eggs. The chicken is involved; the pig is committed." — Martina Navratilova

Marilynn Preston — fitness expert, personal trainer and speaker on healthy lifestyle issues — is the creator of Energy Express, the longest-running syndicated fitness column in the country. She welcomes reader questions, which can be sent to MyEnergyExpress@aol.com. To find out more about Preston and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

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