Padel Elbow Is Real: Why Bangkok’s Fastest Growing Sport Is Filling Physio Clinics
Bangkok has fallen in love with padel.
New courts are opening across the city. Hotels, sports clubs and fitness centres are adding padel courts, and thousands of first-time players are picking up a racket every month.
But there’s one problem that’s growing just as quickly.
Physiotherapists are seeing more and more people with pain on the outside of the elbow after playing.
Most people call it tennis elbow.
Increasingly, we’re calling it padel elbow.
If you’ve recently started playing padel and you’re wondering how to treat tennis elbow, understanding why it happens is the first step towards getting back on court.
What Is Padel Elbow?
Despite the name, tennis elbow doesn’t just affect tennis players.
The medical term is lateral epicondylalgia, or common extensor tendinopathy.
It develops when the tendons that extend your wrist and grip the racket become overloaded through repeated use.
In padel, those movements happen over and over again.
Every backhand, volley and defensive shot asks the forearm muscles to absorb force as they slow the racket down.
Over time, those tiny loads add up.
The result is pain on the outside of the elbow, reduced grip strength and discomfort when lifting everyday objects.
Why Is Padel Causing So Many Elbow Injuries?
Research consistently shows that the elbow is one of the most commonly injured areas in padel players.
Several factors make new players particularly vulnerable.
Repetitive Backhands
Many recreational players rely heavily on one-handed backhands, placing repeated stress on the wrist extensor tendons.
Gripping Too Tightly
Because padel rackets are shorter and have no strings, beginners often squeeze the handle much harder than necessary.
That extra grip force increases the workload on the forearm muscles throughout every rally.
Eccentric Muscle Loading
One of the biggest contributors is something called eccentric loading.
Every time you hit the ball, your forearm muscles don’t just create force.
They also have to slow the racket down immediately afterwards.
That braking action places significant stress on the tendon where tennis elbow develops.
Playing Too Much, Too Soon
Padel is easy to learn.
That’s also what makes it risky.
Many new players jump from never playing to three or four sessions every week.
Your cardiovascular fitness may improve quickly.
Your tendons don’t adapt nearly as fast.
Is Padel Elbow the Same as Tennis Elbow?
Yes.
They’re essentially the same condition.
The difference is simply the sport causing it.
Whether the overload comes from tennis, padel, golf, CrossFit, climbing or repetitive work, the injured tendon is usually the same.
What Does It Feel Like?
Common symptoms include:
Pain on the outside of the elbow
Pain when gripping a racket
Reduced grip strength
Pain lifting a coffee cup or shopping bag
Discomfort shaking hands
Pain after playing rather than during it
Many players ignore the early warning signs until the pain starts affecting daily life.
That’s when recovery usually becomes much longer.
How to Treat Tennis Elbow
The good news is that most people recover without surgery.
The key is reducing excessive tendon load while helping the tendon become stronger over time.
Current evidence generally supports a combination of:
Activity modification rather than complete rest
Progressive strengthening exercises
Physiotherapy
Manual therapy where appropriate
Gradual return to sport
Recovery isn’t about making the tendon weaker.
It’s about helping it tolerate load again.
What About Steroid Injections?
For years, steroid injections were one of the most common treatments for tennis elbow.
They can reduce pain quickly.
The problem is that the long-term results are much less encouraging.
Research now suggests that while steroid injections may provide short-term pain relief, they don’t improve long-term recovery and may even delay tendon healing compared with exercise-based rehabilitation.
That’s why modern physiotherapy focuses on restoring tendon capacity rather than simply masking pain.
How Physiotherapy Can Help
Every case is different.
A physiotherapy assessment helps identify exactly what’s causing the overload.
Treatment may include:
Load management
Progressive strengthening
Wrist extensor rehabilitation
Shoulder and scapular strengthening
Grip assessment
Manual therapy
Technique advice
Return-to-play planning
The goal isn’t simply reducing pain.
It’s preventing the injury from returning.
Where Does Sports Massage Fit In?
Sports massage won’t heal a tendon on its own.
However, it can help reduce muscle tightness in the forearm, improve comfort and complement a structured rehabilitation programme.
Many padel players combine sports massage with physiotherapy during their recovery.
Can You Prevent Padel Elbow?
Absolutely.
A few simple habits make a big difference.
Warm up properly before playing.
Avoid gripping the racket too tightly.
Increase playing volume gradually.
Strengthen your forearms and shoulders.
Don’t ignore early elbow pain.
Replace worn grips regularly.
Consider a coaching session to improve technique.
Small adjustments early can prevent months of rehabilitation later.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is padel elbow?
Padel elbow is the common name for lateral epicondylalgia, also known as tennis elbow. It’s caused by overload of the tendons on the outside of the elbow from repetitive hitting.
Is padel elbow the same as tennis elbow?
Yes.
The injury is essentially the same. Only the sport causing the tendon overload is different.
How long does tennis elbow take to heal?
Mild cases may improve within six to eight weeks.
More persistent cases can take several months, particularly if the tendon continues to be overloaded.
Early physiotherapy usually leads to a faster return to sport.
Do I need to stop playing padel?
Not always.
Many people can continue playing with modified training volume, appropriate rehabilitation and gradual progression.
Complete rest is rarely the best long-term solution.
A physiotherapist can help determine how much you can safely continue playing while the tendon heals.
Final Thoughts
Padel is one of Bangkok’s fastest growing sports, and that’s fantastic.
Like any rapidly growing sport, however, it’s bringing a predictable wave of overuse injuries.
The good news is that padel elbow is highly treatable, especially when it’s addressed early.
If you’re experiencing pain on the outside of your elbow, don’t simply play through it or rely on repeated painkillers or injections.
A structured rehabilitation programme focused on tendon loading, movement quality and gradual return to play offers the best chance of long-term recovery.
At Bodytune, our physiotherapists regularly work with racket sport athletes, helping them recover from tennis elbow, improve movement and return to the court with confidence.