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Common Injuries Associated With Padel
Tennis Elbow (Lateral Epicondylitis)
A painful overuse injury caused by repetitive backhand strokes. The tendons on the outside of the elbow become inflamed or torn, leading to pain that radiates down the forearm. Often worsens by gripping the racket or lifting objects.
Shoulder Impingement / Rotator Cuff Injuries
Overhead smashes and repeated serves put strain on the rotator cuff muscles. This can cause pinching of the tendons inside the shoulder joint, leading to sharp pain when lifting the arm or serving. In severe cases, partial tears may occur.
Wrist Sprains / Tendonitis
Frequent volleys, sudden ball impacts, and awkward grips can overload the wrist tendons. This leads to swelling, pain, and reduced grip strength. Often made worse by twisting motions or repetitive rallies.
Ankle Sprains
One of the most common acute padel injuries. Quick sprints, pivots, or awkward landings after a jump can overstretch or tear the ankle ligaments. Symptoms include swelling, bruising, and instability when walking or changing direction.
Achilles tendonitis, common in older players, creates stiffness and pain along the back of the heel, especially first thing in the morning.
Knee Pain (Patellar Tendonitis / Meniscus Injuries)
The constant lunging, squatting, and twisting in padel stresses the knees. Patellar tendonitis (“jumper’s knee”) causes pain just below the kneecap, while meniscus injuries result in swelling, clicking, and difficulty bending or straightening the knee.
Lower Back Strain
Padel requires constant trunk rotation and bending to retrieve low balls. This can overload the lower back muscles, leading to stiffness, spasms, or sharp pain after play. Poor core stability increases the risk.
Abdominal / Oblique Strains
Twisting serves and overhead smashes can overstretch the abdominal and oblique muscles. This results in sharp pain along the side or front of the stomach, worsened by rotation, coughing, or stretching.
Calf Strains
Explosive pushes off the court surface and sudden stops can cause tightness or tearing in the calf muscles.
Golfer’s Elbow (Medial Epicondylitis)
Similar to tennis elbow but on the inside of the elbow. Caused by repetitive forehand shots and smashes, straining the flexor tendons. Pain often increases when gripping tightly, twisting the wrist, or serving with force.
Padel Injuries
Padel is one of the fastest growing sports in the world. It’s fun, competitive, and a fantastic way to stay active but just like any sport, it puts repeated stress on the body.
The quick sprints, sudden pivots, overhead smashes, and constant change of direction can often lead to a range of common injuries. At our clinic, we regularly see both casual and competitive padel players, helping them recover from and prevent these issues. Below are some of the most frequent padel-related injuries we treat every week.
Common Injuries Associated With Padel
Knee Pain (Patellar Tendonitis / Meniscus Injuries)
The constant lunging, squatting, and twisting in padel stresses the knees. Patellar tendonitis (“jumper’s knee”) causes pain just below the kneecap, while meniscus injuries result in swelling, clicking, and difficulty bending or straightening the knee.
Lower Back Strain
Padel requires constant trunk rotation and bending to retrieve low balls. This can overload the lower back muscles, leading to stiffness, spasms, or sharp pain after play. Poor core stability increases the risk.
Abdominal / Oblique Strains
Twisting serves and overhead smashes can overstretch the abdominal and oblique muscles. This results in sharp pain along the side or front of the stomach, worsened by rotation, coughing, or stretching.
Calf Strains
Explosive pushes off the court surface and sudden stops can cause tightness or tearing in the calf muscles.
Golfer’s Elbow (Medial Epicondylitis)
Similar to tennis elbow but on the inside of the elbow. Caused by repetitive forehand shots and smashes, straining the flexor tendons. Pain often increases when gripping tightly, twisting the wrist, or serving with force.
Achilles tendonitis, common in older players, creates stiffness and pain along the back of the heel, especially first thing in the morning.
Ankle Sprains
One of the most common acute padel injuries. Quick sprints, pivots, or awkward landings after a jump can overstretch or tear the ankle ligaments. Symptoms include swelling, bruising, and instability when walking or changing direction.
Wrist Sprains / Tendonitis
Frequent volleys, sudden ball impacts, and awkward grips can overload the wrist tendons. This leads to swelling, pain, and reduced grip strength. Often made worse by twisting motions or repetitive rallies.
Shoulder Impingement / Rotator Cuff Injuries
Overhead smashes and repeated serves put strain on the rotator cuff muscles. This can cause pinching of the tendons inside the shoulder joint, leading to sharp pain when lifting the arm or serving. In severe cases, partial tears may occur.
Tennis Elbow (Lateral Epicondylitis)
A painful overuse injury caused by repetitive backhand strokes. The tendons on the outside of the elbow become inflamed or torn, leading to pain that radiates down the forearm. Often worsens by gripping the racket or lifting objects.