Padel Elbow: Why Tennis Elbow Is Fast Becoming “Padel Elbow” in Our Clinic

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If you play padel regularly, you may have started to notice a familiar ache on the outside of your elbow: pain when gripping your racquet, lifting a kettle, shaking hands, or even picking up your kit bag.

Traditionally, this has been called tennis elbow. But in our clinic, it’s fast becoming known as “padel elbow.”

We are seeing it more and more in recreational and competitive padel players — often in people who’ve increased their playing frequency quickly.

What actually is “Tennis Elbow”?

“Tennis elbow” is an overload injury affecting the tendon that attaches your wrist extensor muscles to the outside of the elbow.

Importantly, this is not just a muscle strain. It’s a bony-tendon attachment issue, and that area is often poorly vascularised (poor blood flow).

That matters because:

  • Tendons don’t heal like muscle

  • The tendon–bone junction can be slow to recover

  • Simply resting rarely fixes the root problem

This is why it can feel better after a short break — only to flare up again the moment you return to the court.

Why Padel Is Driving an Increase in Elbow Pain

We commonly see “padel elbow” for several key reasons:

1. Rapid Increase in Volume

Padel is social, addictive, and easy to book. Many players go from once a week to three or four sessions very quickly. Tendons struggle with sudden spikes in repetitive load.

2. Constant Grip Demand

Padel requires continuous grip tension and rapid forearm adjustments, particularly during volleys and defensive blocks. That repetitive gripping stresses the tendon attachment.

3. Shorter, Faster Impacts

The compact swing style and frequent off-centre hits transmit force into the forearm differently than traditional tennis.

4. Equipment & Technique Factors

Grip size, racquet setup, and developing technique (especially backhand mechanics) can all amplify load on the lateral elbow.

How We Treat “Padel Elbow” at The Health Hub

1️⃣ Medical Acupuncture: Calm It Down First

Our first priority is often to settle pain and irritation.

Because the tendon-bone junction is poorly vascularised, we use medical acupuncture to:

  • Stimulate local blood flow

  • Encourage a healing response

  • Reduce pain sensitivity

  • Improve tolerance to movement

This allows us to calm the area down and create the right environment to begin proper rehabilitation.

Acupuncture isn’t used as a standalone fix; it’s used strategically to make rehab more effective.

2️⃣ Progressive Tendon Loading (The Long-Term Fix)

Once symptoms are more settled, we introduce a structured strengthening plan.

Tendon recovery requires graded loading, not rest alone.

This typically includes:

  • Targeted wrist and forearm strengthening

  • Grip capacity training

  • Shoulder and scapular control work

  • Gradual return-to-padel progressions

The goal is to increase the tendon’s capacity so it can tolerate padel again without flaring.

3️⃣ Load Management & Return-to-Play Guidance

Rather than stopping all activity, we guide you on:

  • Safe playing volume

  • How to modify intensity

  • How to manage flare-ups

  • When to progress back to full match play

This keeps you active while protecting recovery.

When Should You Get It Checked?

If you’re experiencing:

  • Pain on the outside of the elbow lasting more than 1–2 weeks

  • Pain with gripping, lifting, pouring or twisting

  • Weak grip strength

  • Recurring flare-ups when you return to play

…it’s worth addressing early. Tendon issues are much easier to manage before they become chronic.

Get Back to Padel Without the Constant Flare-Ups

At The Health Hub, our physiotherapists regularly treat padel-related elbow pain using:

  • Accurate diagnosis

  • Medical acupuncture to calm pain and improve healing

  • Structured tendon loading programmes

  • Clear return-to-play planning

If your elbow is limiting your performance, book in with one of our physios and let’s get you back on court, stronger and pain-free.