Padel Elbow, Shoulder Strain, and Sore Calves: Treating London’s Padel Boom

Padel has taken over London. What started as a handful of courts in Islington and Hackney has exploded into fully booked sessions across the city, with new venues opening seemingly every month. It’s fast, social, and deceptively easy to pick up — which is exactly why so many new players end up nursing an ache they didn’t have a few weeks ago.

We’ve noticed a steady rise in clients coming in with padel-related complaints: sore elbows, tight shoulders, and calves that feel like they’re one lunge away from giving out. If you’ve recently taken up the sport (or you’re a weekend warrior playing three times a week), here’s what’s likely going on — and how to keep playing without paying for it later.

Why Padel Is Harder on Your Body Than It Looks

Padel looks gentler than tennis — smaller court, underarm serve, walls to play off. But that’s part of the problem. The enclosed court means more rallies, more sudden direction changes, and far less recovery time between shots than tennis players are used to. You’re constantly decelerating, twisting, and reaching, often at odd angles as the ball comes off the glass.

Add in that many players are picking up a racket sport for the first time in years, and you get a recipe for overuse injuries: joints and connective tissue asked to do repetitive, high-impact work before they’re conditioned for it.

The Most Common Padel Complaints We See

A few patterns show up again and again:

Padel elbow — the racket-sport cousin of tennis elbow, caused by repeated gripping and impact through the forearm. It tends to creep up gradually rather than arrive after one bad shot.

Shoulder tightness and impingement — from repeated overhead smashes and reaching for wide balls, especially in players who haven’t done overhead work in a while.

Calf and Achilles strain — padel involves a lot of short, explosive sprints and quick stops. Calves that aren’t used to that load tend to tighten up first and can be prone to strain if pushed too hard too soon.

Lower back stiffness — from the rotational, bent-knee stance most players adopt to stay low and ready.

None of this means you should stop playing. It usually means your body needs a bit more support around the sessions than it’s currently getting.

What Actually Helps

Sports massage is one of the most effective tools for padel players, particularly for forearm, shoulder, and calf tightness. Regular sessions may help address the muscular tension that builds up from repetitive strokes before it develops into something more limiting, and can support faster recovery between matches.

Myofascial release is worth considering if you’re dealing with a nagging, localised tightness — like a forearm that never quite feels loose, or a shoulder that catches on certain movements. This technique targets restrictions in the fascia (the connective tissue wrapping your muscles), which can build up from repetitive one-sided movement patterns like a padel swing.

Stretch therapy helps with the rotational mobility padel demands through the hips, thoracic spine, and shoulders. Better range of motion through these areas can translate into a more efficient swing and less compensation elsewhere in the body.

Cupping therapy is another option some players find useful for tight calves and shoulders, particularly when used alongside massage.

Simple Prevention Habits

A few things you can do on your own between sessions:

Warm up properly before you play, even if it’s just a five-minute knock-up plus some dynamic arm and hip swings — don’t walk straight from the car park onto the court. Ease into new frequency; if you’ve gone from playing once a month to three times a week, your tendons and calves need time to adapt. Loosen up your forearm and grip after playing rather than only stretching the obvious muscles. And if a niggle lasts more than a week or starts changing how you move, it’s worth getting it looked at rather than playing through it — persistent or worsening pain is always worth a proper assessment from a professional.

Padel Injury FAQs

Is padel bad for tennis elbow?

Padel itself isn’t the problem so much as the volume and intensity you take on too quickly. Repeated gripping and impact through the forearm can aggravate tennis elbow-type symptoms, but pacing your play, warming up properly, and getting regular sports massage or myofascial release may help you manage and reduce the strain.

How often should padel players get a sports massage?

It depends on how often you play, but many regular players find every two to four weeks helpful for managing tightness before it becomes a bigger issue. If you’re playing multiple times a week or training for something specific, more frequent sessions may help.

Can stretching prevent padel injuries?

Stretching alone won’t guarantee an injury-free season, but better mobility through the shoulders, hips, and thoracic spine may reduce compensation patterns that lead to overuse injuries. Combining stretch therapy with a proper warm-up and sensible pacing gives you the best chance of staying on court.

Keep Playing, Pain-Free

Padel isn’t going anywhere, and there’s no reason it should come at the cost of your elbow, shoulder, or calves. Whether you’re managing an existing niggle or want to build recovery into your routine before problems start, our team at Dr Stretch in Islington and Hackney can help — combining sports massage, myofascial release, and stretch therapy tailored to what your body actually needs.

Book a session at our Islington or Hackney clinic and let’s keep you on the court.