Paddle tennis has increased in popularity over the last few years and due to the fast-nature of the sport, it is unsurprising that musculoskeletal injuries are very common. Paddle takes place on a small field and surrounded by glass which increases the speed of the game. Paddle requires ‘motor anticipation, explosive force, reactive speed (acceleration and deceleration), resistance, flexibility and agility’(Virgolino, 2022). These components of fitness are key for health, wellness and longevity however there is an increased risk of injury if one does not apply appropriate preventative techniques (Virgolino, 2022).

The most common MSK injuries in senior players include knee sprains, lateral epicondylitis, shoulder pain (20.6%) and lower back pain (27.5%) (Castillo-Lozano, 2017). However, lower back pain is the most prevalent among junior players (Virgolino, 2022). These findings enable practitioners to create preventive strategies and programmes which focus on scapular stability, trunk stability and lower limb strength (Castillo-Lozano, 2017). Despite the risk of injury, paddle provides many benefits, especially to elderly players. There is a variety of research demonstrating the physical advantages (muscular strength, endurance and reaction time) of paddle, however literature has shown paddle to also provide psychological benefits such as reducing anxiety and stress (Eirale, 2023).
Elbow tendinopathy mostly impacts novice players. This is most likely due to players hitting backhand strokes in wrist flexion, the sudden increase of eccentric loading of forearm extensors and the vibrations impacting the elbow when the ball reaches the racket. Lateral epicondylitis is extremely common due to the repetitive movements and duration of the game (2-4hours). However there have been recent improvements in racket technology which reduce the risk of epicondylitis. It is also unsurprising that patella tendinopathy often occurs due to repetitive jumping and sudden change in direction. Interestingly, males are 2-4 times more likely to develop patella tendinopathy, whereas females are more likely to experience chondromalacia patellae (Eirale, 2023).

Disc-related lower back pain and facet joint syndrome are predominantly the main cause of lower back pain (LBP) in paddle. Sward et. al found 50% of their participants suffered with LBP and 1/5 experienced severe symptoms. This is likely due to paddle incorporating all ranges of motion in the lumbar spine combined with explosive movements; therefore, it is important to consider trunk stability and lumbar mobility to prevent injury (Eirale, 2023).
Lastly, repetitive movements such as ‘smash’ and ‘bandejas’ cause muscle imbalances in the shoulder, increasing the risk of rotator cuff injuries and scapular instability. Also due to repeated overhead movements, there is a possibility of impingement in the glenoid humeral joint leading to a SLAP lesion. Consequently, rotator cuff strengthening and scapular stability are key to prevent shoulder injuries (Eirale, 2023).
Reference list
Castillo-Lozano, R. (2017). Epidemiology and prevention strategies for the musculoskeletal injuries in the paddle-tennis senior players. Science & Sports, 32(3), pp.e101–e106. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scispo.2016.09.009.
Eirale, C. (2023). Aspetar Sports Medicine Journal – INJURIES IN PADEL. [online] Aspetar.com. Available at: https://journal.aspetar.com/en/archive/volume-12-targeted-topic-sports-medicine-in-padel/injuries-in-padel [Accessed 22 Aug. 2024].
Virgolino, M. (2022). Running in Paddle. Springer eBooks, pp.179–183. doi:https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-65064-6_19.