Padel Injuries: How to Avoid the Most Common Problems

Padel is a lower-impact sport than tennis overall, but it has its own injury patterns. Most of them are preventable. Here's what to watch for and how to avoid the common ones.

Padel elbow (lateral epicondylitis)

The most frequently reported padel injury — essentially the same condition as tennis elbow but driven by padel-specific mechanics. It presents as pain on the outside of the elbow, often radiating into the forearm.

In padel, the risk factors are: gripping too tight, using a racket that's too heavy, and mishitting balls off the frame or edge rather than the face. A worn overgrip makes you grip harder to compensate, which is a direct route to elbow problems over a season.

Prevention: re-grip your racket every few months. Check your racket weight — if you're playing three times a week and experiencing forearm fatigue, dropping to a lighter racket or a more head-light balance helps. Loosen your grip during rallies. Tight gripping is a habit, not a structural requirement.

Treatment: rest, ice, and forearm strengthening exercises. A physiotherapist can assess whether you need further intervention. Most cases at recreational level resolve with a combination of rest and addressing the mechanical cause.

Shoulder injuries

Shoulder problems in padel usually come from the overhead smash — especially the vibora and bandeja shots that advanced players use. The shoulder rotation required is significant and puts stress on the rotator cuff if performed with poor mechanics or without appropriate preparation.

At beginner level, shoulder injuries are rare because beginners don't play these shots. The risk increases as technique develops and players start attempting more aggressive overhead shots from the back of the court.

Prevention: warm up the shoulder properly before a session. Rotator cuff exercises — external rotation with a resistance band — strengthen the supporting muscles. If you're attempting overhead power shots, get coaching on mechanics before volume.

Ankle sprains

The court surface is hard and dry. The sudden lateral changes of direction in padel load the ankle joint at unexpected angles. Most ankle sprains happen on direction changes, not on wall collisions.

Prevention: court shoes with lateral support — dedicated padel shoes or tennis shoes. Running trainers are inadequate for lateral loading. If you've had ankle issues before, consider prophylactic taping or a brace for the first few months of regular play.

Knee pain

Patellofemoral pain (kneecap pain) and medial knee pain both show up in regular padel players. The cause is usually the same as in most court sports: repeated loading without adequate quadriceps and glute strength, and inadequate warmup.

Prevention: quad and glute strengthening off the court. Dynamic warmup before playing — leg swings, lunges, lateral shuffles. Don't go straight from sitting to playing at full intensity.

Back pain

Lower back pain in padel players usually comes from the rotation involved in wall shots and serves, especially when combined with a forward-flexed playing posture. This is more common in players over 40 who have pre-existing stiffness.

Prevention: core strengthening and hip mobility work. A ten-minute yoga or mobility routine three times a week makes a measurable difference for players with a history of back issues.

Glass wall collisions

More common at beginner level, when players haven't yet developed court awareness. Walking backward into the glass is the usual scenario. The injuries are typically minor — bruising — but wall collisions can occasionally cause more serious falls.

Awareness cures most of this. Know where the back wall is at all times. Don't backpedal at full speed without a spatial reference for the glass behind you. This adjusts naturally after a few sessions.

General injury prevention rules

• Warm up before every session — 5–10 minutes of dynamic movement, not static stretching
• Use appropriate footwear — lateral court support, not running shoes
• Keep your grip in good condition — worn grip leads to over-gripping leads to elbow and forearm problems
• Don't play through elbow or shoulder pain — early intervention prevents extended time off
• Build playing volume gradually if you're returning to sport after a break

For more on racket selection and its effect on arm health, read our racket weight guide and our breakdown of 3K vs 12K carbon construction.