Padel Elbow and Shoulder: Recovery for Weekend Players

Key Takeaways

Why Is Padel So Popular in the UAE?

It is social, easy to learn and, crucially, often played indoors. Gulf News reported more than 250 padel courts in Dubai alone, with new ones opening every month, and courts have spread across the northern emirates too. In summer, air-conditioned courts pull players away from outdoor football; in the cooler months, outdoor courts fill up in the evenings.

Source: Gulf News: Padel tennis in Dubai, health benefits and why everyone is playing

Where Do Padel Players Get Hurt?

The elbow most often, followed by the knee, shoulder and lower back. A 2023 systematic review in BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine pooled studies on padel injuries and found the elbow to be the most common site, with tennis elbow the most frequently reported diagnosis.

Source: BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine (2023): Incidence, prevalence and nature of injuries in padel, a systematic review

The pattern makes sense. Padel involves lots of short, wristy shots, overhead smashes and quick changes of direction on a small court.

How Can Weekend Players Lower the Risk?

Warm up properly, check your equipment and do not play four games in a row after a week at a desk.

• Warm up for ten minutes: arm circles, light rallies, a few lunges and side steps.
• Check your grip size. A handle that is too thin or too thick makes the forearm work harder.
• Use your legs and body, not just the wrist, for power on smashes.
• Build up. Two games, not five, when you are returning after a break.

What Feels Tight After a Few Games?

The forearm, the back of the shoulder and the upper back on your playing side. Many players also notice the calves and lower back after a long session of quick stops and starts. These are areas where a massage often helps tired muscles feel looser.

What to ask for:

• Medium to firm pressure on the forearm and upper arm, avoiding any painful point on the elbow itself.
• Shoulder blade and upper back work on your playing side. Our Pakistani style concentrates on this area.
• Firmer sports-style work on the legs and back if you play often. See our Russian sessions.

Tell your therapist which hand you play with and how often you are on court.

When Should You See a Doctor or Physiotherapist?

When outer-elbow pain lasts more than a week, hurts when you lift a cup or grip a door handle, or wakes you at night. The same goes for a shoulder that clicks with pain overhead, or a knee that swells. These need assessment and often a specific exercise programme. Massage is not a treatment for tendon injuries, and your therapist will not press directly on one.

How Often Should Regular Players Book Recovery Work?

Every two to four weeks suits most people who play two or three times a week. Book on a rest day rather than just before a match, so your arm feels fresh when you next play.

Questions on This Topic

Related Pages

• Firm work for overused muscles
• Focused shoulder and upper-back work
• Tired wrists and forearms from screens