Padel injuries and how to avoid them
Padel is a low-impact, easy-to-learn sport — but published research consistently flags one body part as the sport's weak point. Here is what the research says and what actually helps.
Elbow tendinopathy — "padel elbow," the same injury as tennis elbow — is the most commonly reported padel injury in published studies, followed by the knee, shoulder and lower back. Published prevalence estimates vary widely (roughly 40-95% of players report some injury history, depending on the study), but the elbow consistently comes out on top. The main prevention levers researchers and physiotherapists point to are racket fit and weight, grip size, technique (especially backswing and off-center hits), a proper warm-up, and forearm/wrist strengthening work.
Key takeaways
- The elbow is padel's most-injured body part by a clear margin in published research.
- Reported injury prevalence ranges roughly 40-95% of players depending on the study and population.
- Some comparisons report padel injury rates running higher than tennis or squash.
- Racket weight, grip size and technique are the most actionable prevention factors.
- Persistent, localized elbow pain deserves a real evaluation, not just rest and hope.
How common are padel injuries, really?
Padel markets itself, fairly, as an easy sport to pick up — but "easy to learn" is not the same as "low injury risk." A systematic review covering roughly 2,022 players reported an injury incidence of about 3 injuries per 1,000 hours of training and 8 injuries per 1,000 hours of match play, with overall injury prevalence across studies ranging from 40% up to 95% depending on how the study defined and measured "injury." That wide range is a real feature of this research area, not a data error — studies differ in whether they count any soreness ever reported, or only injuries that caused missed play, so the honest summary is "common, with a wide reported range," not a single precise number.
One comparison that looked at padel, tennis and squash side by side reported prevalence around 85.4% for padel athletes versus 39-46% for tennis and 58% for squash — suggesting padel may carry meaningfully higher injury exposure than the sport it is most often compared to. Researchers attribute part of this to the sport's newer, faster-growing player base: a lot of padel players are relatively new to racquet sports generally, learning technique on the fly rather than through structured coaching.
The elbow is padel's #1 injury by a wide margin
Across the published research, one body part shows up again and again: the elbow, specifically lateral epicondylitis (better known as tennis elbow, or "padel elbow" in this context). Estimates of how large a share of all padel injuries are elbow-related vary by study — one reported range puts it at 15-35% of all reported injuries, while another study focused specifically on upper-limb injuries found the elbow accounted for 30-74% of those. Either way, it is consistently the single most cited injury site in padel research, ahead of the knee, shoulder and lower back, which tend to follow behind it in most studies.
The mechanical explanation researchers give is straightforward: padel involves a high volume of repeated eccentric (deceleration) contractions in the forearm every time you hit and control a shot, especially volleys and defensive shots near the net where there is no backswing to absorb the impact smoothly. Play enough sessions on that pattern without addressing grip, racket fit or technique, and the tendon simply accumulates more load than it can recover from between sessions.
Other common injury sites
Behind the elbow, the knee, shoulder and lower back are the next most frequently reported locations across studies. The knee tends to take strain from padel's constant short sprints, sudden stops and direction changes on a hard court surface — the same movement pattern that makes padel a genuinely demanding workout also loads the joint repeatedly over a session. Shoulder issues typically stem from overhead shots — smashes and defensive lobs — performed with fatigued or under-conditioned rotator cuff muscles. Lower back strain is commonly linked to the rotational, twisting nature of padel groundstrokes combined with the low, bent-knee ready position the sport rewards.
How to reduce your risk of padel elbow
Prevention guidance from physiotherapists and padel coaching resources converges on a similar set of levers, roughly in order of how actionable they are:
Racket weight and grip size. A racket that is too heavy or too head-heavy for your level increases forearm load on every shot, and a grip that is too small forces you to over-grip, engaging forearm muscles that are already under strain. As a rough check, there should be a small gap between your fingers and palm when you hold the handle — if your grip feels crushingly tight just to control the racket, the grip size or racket weight is probably wrong for you. See how to choose a padel racket for how weight and balance map to skill level.
Technique, not just equipment. A long, tennis-style backswing and a habit of overhitting routine shots — the same instinct covered in common padel beginner mistakes — both increase the jarring, off-center contact that stresses the elbow. Shortening the swing and prioritizing clean, centered contact over raw power reduces load on every single shot, not just some of them.
Vibration dampening. A softer-core racket, or an overgrip/dampener added to a stiffer one, absorbs some of the shock that would otherwise transmit straight into the forearm. Face and core material both play into this — see padel racket materials explained for how carbon vs fiberglass and EVA vs foam cores trade power for comfort. This is a smaller factor than racket fit or technique, but it is a low-effort addition worth making, especially if you already play multiple sessions a week.
Forearm and grip conditioning. Basic strengthening work — isometric wrist holds progressing to light eccentric wrist curls, plus simple grip work like squeezing a soft ball or a hand-grip exerciser at low resistance, two or three times a week — is a recurring recommendation in padel-elbow prevention guidance, on the logic that a tendon that can handle more load before play is less likely to be overwhelmed during it.
Warm up before you play. Cold tendons and cold shoulders absorb impact worse than warmed-up ones. A few minutes of light cardio plus dynamic arm circles, wrist rotations and a handful of easy warm-up shots before playing at full intensity is the cheapest prevention step on this list and the one most players skip.
Preventing knee, shoulder and lower-back strain
The same general principles that protect the elbow help elsewhere. Court shoes with genuine lateral support (rather than running shoes) reduce the ankle and knee strain from padel's constant side-to-side movement — see our padel shoes guidance for what to look for. For the shoulder, general rotator-cuff conditioning and simply not forcing full-power smashes when your shoulder is already tired reduces overload risk. For the lower back, a proper warm-up that includes hip and trunk rotation, along with maintaining core strength generally, is the most consistently cited advice — padel's twisting groundstrokes place real demand on the lower back over a long session.
What to do if you already have symptoms
None of this is medical advice, and it is not a substitute for seeing a professional if something actually hurts. As a general rule: soreness that resolves within a day or two of rest is normal training fatigue. Pain that is sharp, localized (especially to the outer elbow), worsens with gripping motions, or keeps coming back every time you play is a signal worth having evaluated by a doctor or physiotherapist rather than playing through — tendon injuries in particular tend to get harder to resolve the longer they are ignored, not easier.
FAQs
What is the most common padel injury?
Elbow tendinopathy — commonly called "padel elbow," the same condition as tennis elbow — is the most frequently reported padel injury in published research, with studies attributing roughly 15-35% of all padel injuries to the elbow, and some studies reporting it as high as 30-74% of upper-limb injuries specifically.
Is padel harder on your body than tennis?
Some published research suggests so: one comparison reported injury prevalence of about 85% among padel players versus 39-46% among tennis players, though prevalence studies vary a lot by methodology and player population, so treat this as a directional signal rather than a precise multiple.
How do I know if I have padel elbow or just soreness?
General soreness fades within a day or two of rest. Pain that is localized to the outside of the elbow, worsens when gripping or twisting (like turning a doorknob), and persists or returns each time you play is more consistent with tendinopathy and worth having a doctor or physiotherapist evaluate rather than playing through.
Does racket weight affect injury risk?
It is a commonly cited factor in padel-elbow prevention guidance: a heavier or more head-heavy racket increases the load on the forearm tendons with every shot, especially off-center hits. Our guide to how to choose a padel racket covers weight and balance in more depth.
Can beginners reduce their injury risk, or is it mostly for advanced players?
Beginners are arguably at more risk in some ways — overhitting, poor grip technique and unfamiliarity with the walls (see common beginner mistakes) all add strain, and new players often skip a proper warm-up. The prevention basics below apply at every level.
Last updated September 1, 2026 · PadelAnywhere Editorial
Sources
Injury prevalence and elbow-injury figures are drawn from peer-reviewed and published research, including a systematic review of padel injury epidemiology and a cross-sectional survey of recreational padel players, both of which report ranges rather than single figures — that range is reflected here rather than collapsed into one number. Prevention guidance reflects patterns consistently reported across padel physiotherapy and coaching resources. This page is general information, not medical advice; consult a doctor or physiotherapist for any persistent or worsening pain.