Padel pain? How to play hard and stay un-broken — an evidence-based guide to padel injuries. Your Stockport physio Ben takes a look.

(with a little physio humour because laughing uses fewer calories than an ice pack)

Padel is booming across the UK — quick rallies, cheeky walls, and the perfect excuse to miss the gym. But with the fun comes injuries. If you’re a weekend warrior or climbing the ladder to club legend, this guide from PhysioHub explains what gets injured, how common it is, how to prevent it, and how physio helps you get back on court and posting on your stories again in no time.

How common are padel injuries?

Short answer: not rare. Systematic reviews show injury incidence in padel around ~3 injuries per 1,000 training hoursand about 8 injuries per 1,000 matches, with studies reporting overall injury prevalence in players ranging widely (roughly 40%–95% depending on population and how injuries are defined). Most of the evidence so far comes from Spain and recent international studies as the sport grows. PMC+1

What gets injured most?

Padel’s mix of quick lateral moves, sudden stopping/turning, overheads and lots of short sprints creates a predictable pattern:

• Elbow (lateral epicondylitis / “tennis elbow”) — one of the top complaints (repetitive hits and wrist/forearm loading).

• Ankle sprains — awkward steps and court-side scrambles.

• Knee problems (patellar tendinopathy, strains) — from deceleration and cutting.

• Shoulder issues (rotator cuff tendinopathy) — from overhead shots and repetitive serving.

• Lower limb tendon issues (Achilles, calf strains) and lower back pain are also commonly reported.
  Overall, tendinous and muscular injuries are frequent. PMC+1

Why does padel cause these injuries? (TL;DR: it’s not the ball’s fault)

• Lots of short explosive actions and multi-directional movement → load on tendons and muscles.

• Repetition of shots (especially at higher level) → overuse.

• Court is small and walls are used in play → unpredictable rebounds and awkward landings.

• Poor warm-up, sudden increases in training load, and technical faults amplify risk. MDPI+1

padel has become big news in Heaton Moor, particularly with the avocado and instagram brigade

Evidence-based prevention — how to stay fit enough to gloat

The good news: many risk factors are modifiable. Prevention programs are practical and physiotherapist-friendly.

1. Structured warm-up (dynamic, sport-specific) — get the shoulders, hips and ankles ready before you smash that serve.

2. Progressive strength & conditioning — eccentric forearm loading for elbow health, rotator cuff and scapular work for shoulders, and single-leg strength and balance for knees/ankles. Studies and specialist centres recommend targeted exercise plans. Aspetar Sports Medicine Journal+1

3. Load management — don’t go from “never played” to “league night 5 matches in 3 days.” Gradually increase hours and intensity.

4. Technique and coaching — better shot mechanics reduce unnecessary joint load.

5. Footwear & court awareness — shoes with good grip and sole-cushioning, and being mindful of the walls and your partner.

6. Recovery strategies — sleep, nutrition, and easy days after heavy sessions matter.

Practical example: a 10–15 minute pre-match routine that includes jogging, lateral lunges, shoulder band work, single-leg balance, and progressive serves can drop acute risk and prime performance. Want a template? Your physio can give you one tailored to your game.

If you get injured — immediate steps (first 48–72 hours)

• For acute injuries (sprain, sharp pain, big swelling): initial rest, control swelling with elevation/compression as appropriate, and avoid painful aggravating movements. The old RICE is evolving — think PRINCE or simply: protect, relative rest, ice short-term, compress, elevate, and seek assessment.

• For overuse pain (gradual onset, tendon pain): reduce aggravating activity, start gentle loading exercises (often eccentrics for tendinopathy) and get an assessment—don’t “push through” chronic tendon pain; it often gets worse without guided rehab.
  Your local physiotherapist will guide imaging decisions (if needed), advise on short-term pain control, and start a graded rehab plan. For padel players, early physio often means shorter time off court.

How physiotherapy (physio / physiotherapist) helps — the evidence-backed bits

Physiotherapy is central to both prevention and rehab of padel injuries. Common evidence-based physio approaches include:

• Individualised exercise therapy (strength, load progression, motor control) — cornerstone for tendinopathies and muscle injuries. Aspetar Sports Medicine Journal

• Manual therapy as an adjunct for pain and mobility when needed.

• Return-to-play testing and progression — objective strength, hop tests, movement quality and sport-specific drills to reduce re-injury risk. Reviews of padel literature highlight rehab and training programs as key gaps but align with broader sports injury rehab principles. MDPI+1

If you prefer a physio who understands padel-specific movement, come see us — we speak “slice volley” and “eccentric calf” fluently.

Stockport padel pants

A quick 6-week rehab sketch for common problems (example — your middleton or stockport physio will tailor this)

Week 0–1: unload painful load, mobility, isometrics.
Week 2–3: progressive concentric & eccentric strengthening, neuromuscular control.
Week 4–5: introduce sport-specific drills, agility, reactive control.
Week 6+: phased return to match play with monitored load increases and objective tests.
(Exact content varies by injury — elbow rehab differs from an ankle sprain!) PMC

When to see a physio (aka don’t be a hero)

• Pain that persists >1–2 weeks or limits play.

• Recurrent sprains or weakness.

• Physiotherapists can diagnose, start rehab, liaise with GPs for imaging or injections if needed, and plan a safe return to padel.
  

PhysioHub — local help for local players

If you’re in Heaton Moor, Stockport, Middleton or Manchester and want a padel-focused physiotherapist, PhysioHub offers assessment, tailored rehab, injury prevention programs, and return-to-play testing. We treat sports injury with science — and a healthy dose of humour when you tell us you “only slipped once.”

Selected references & further reading (click to read)

• Dahmen J, Incidence, prevalence and nature of injuries in padel — systematic review (BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine, 2023). PMC

• Pérez F, Musculoskeletal injury prevalence in professional padel players (2023). PubMed

• Demeco A et al., Match Analysis, Physical Training, Risk of Injury and... (MDPI review on padel literature, 2022) — overview of match demands and injury risk. MDPI

• Aspetar / specialty articles on prevention of padel injuries (exercise-based prevention recommendations). Aspetar Sports Medicine Journal

• Physio-pedia: Padel Injuries — practical summaries for clinicians and players. Physiopedia

Final serve (pun intended)

Play smart: warm up, train strength, manage your load, and ask a physio for help early. Padel should leave you buzzing — not hobbling. If you want a tailored warm-up or a prevention plan for your club, drop into PhysioHub in Heaton Moor, Stockport, Middleton or Manchester — we’ll make you court-ready, keep you laughing, and get you back to blaming your partner for the missed smash.

To Book your appointment at one of our clinics, click here