Unfortunately Padel injuries are common, however prevention is always better than cure so we wanted to share the most common injuries we see and help you prevent developing them in the first place :). Generally, the amateur player believes that just getting to the court and starting to play is enough. But a good warm-up beforehand, strengthening work of the areas involved in padel, and stretching go a long way to avoiding those unpleasant surprises.
What are the most common injuries in Padel ?
- Elbow injuries (epicondylitis). The most common Padel injury.
- Shoulder injuries (rotator cuff injuries).
- Muscle ruptures, especially in the calf.
How can we avoid them?
- To hit the ball hard (without causing an injury) the key aspect is to strengthen your shoulders, elbows and forearm muscles.
- As with any sport, technique is everything. A few basic lessons to get you going will go a long way to learning how to hit the ball well and avoid muscle tears.
- The type of racket you use is very important because not everyone can play with just any racket: you have to find the racket that suits your own style of play and muscle power. Top tip : Your racket can have a massive impact on not developing tennis elbow!
- Get stretching! Our ‘worst’ clients (!) are those that stretch regularly which means they don’t need to see us so often!! So don’t ignore those tight muscles…. stretch or get a regular sports massage.
In case of muscular injuries, a good warm-up beforehand and an effective, low body mobility routine will minimize the risk of injury. Then you have to consider the type of footwear you use, which must be suitable and that the court is in good condition.
If you’re suffering with a painful elbow or dodgy knee from a recent Padel game why not give us a call at Elite Performance Therapy? Equally if you aren’t sure how to warm up or not sure what strength exercises you should be doing we would be happy to help 🙂