Why Tennis and Pickleball Players Develop Elbow Pain (Tennis Elbow Explained)
If you’ve ever felt a nagging ache on the outside of your elbow after a long match or tournament, you’re not alone. Elbow pain is one of the most common injuries among both tennis and pickleball players. Despite its name, tennis elbow isn’t just a tennis injury—it’s a condition that frequently affects athletes participating in any sport that involves repetitive gripping and swinging motions.
The good news? Understanding why it happens can help you prevent it and get back on the court faster.
What Is Tennis Elbow?
Tennis elbow, medically known as lateral epicondylitis, occurs when the tendons that attach to the outside of your elbow become irritated and overloaded. These tendons connect to the muscles responsible for extending your wrist and fingers and play an important role in gripping your paddle or racket.
Over time, repetitive stress can create tiny areas of damage within the tendon, leading to pain, weakness, and decreased performance.
Why Do Tennis and Pickleball Players Develop Elbow Pain?
Repetitive Swinging Motions
Every forehand, backhand, serve, and volley requires your forearm muscles to work repeatedly. Over time, this constant demand can overload the tendons and lead to irritation.
Backhand shots, in particular, place significant stress on the muscles that attach to the outside of the elbow.
Gripping Too Tightly
Many players unknowingly maintain a “death grip” on their paddle or racket. Constantly squeezing the handle increases tension in the forearm muscles and accelerates fatigue, placing extra strain on the tendons.
Poor Technique
Improper mechanics can force your elbow to do more work than it should. Generating power primarily from your wrist and arm instead of using your shoulders, trunk, and legs can significantly increase stress on the elbow.
Even small technique errors repeated hundreds of times can eventually lead to injury.
Sudden Increase in Playing Time
One of the biggest risk factors for developing tennis elbow is doing too much, too soon.
Many players become hooked on tennis or pickleball and suddenly go from playing once a week to several times per week. Tendons need time to adapt to increased workloads, and rapid increases in activity often lead to overuse injuries.
Improper Equipment
Using equipment that doesn’t fit your body can contribute to elbow pain.
Potential factors include:
A grip size that’s too small or too large
A paddle or racket that’s too heavy
Equipment that transmits excessive vibration
Worn grips that require more squeezing to control
Weakness and Mobility Restrictions
The elbow doesn’t work alone.
Weakness in the shoulders, upper back, or forearms can alter movement patterns and increase stress on the elbow. Likewise, stiffness in the neck, shoulders, or wrists may force the elbow to compensate, eventually leading to irritation.
Common Symptoms of Tennis Elbow
Symptoms often develop gradually and may include:
Pain on the outside of the elbow
Tenderness when touching the bony part of the elbow
Weak grip strength
Pain when opening jars or shaking hands
Discomfort during backhand shots
Aching after playing
Pain that worsens with prolonged activity
Ignoring these symptoms can allow the condition to progress, making recovery more challenging.
How to Prevent Elbow Pain
While not every injury can be avoided, several strategies can significantly reduce your risk:
Warm up before playing.
Gradually increase playing time and intensity.
Strengthen your forearm and shoulder muscles.
Improve your swing mechanics.
Avoid gripping the paddle or racket too tightly.
Take recovery days when needed.
Address mobility limitations before they become bigger problems.
How Chiropractic and Rehabilitation Can Help
Simply resting your elbow may temporarily reduce symptoms, but it doesn’t always address the underlying reason the injury developed.
A comprehensive treatment approach focuses on restoring proper movement, improving tendon capacity, and correcting contributing factors that led to the pain in the first place.
At BlackSphere Chiropractic, treatment may include:
Soft tissue therapy to reduce muscle tension
Joint mobilization and adjustments to improve movement throughout the wrist, elbow, shoulder, and neck
Rehabilitation exercises to improve strength and tendon resilience
Movement assessments to identify faulty mechanics and compensation patterns
Recovery strategies to safely return you to the court
Don’t Let Elbow Pain Keep You on the Sidelines
Tennis elbow can be frustrating, especially when it starts interfering with the sport you love. Fortunately, early intervention and the right treatment plan can help you recover and prevent the issue from becoming chronic.
Whether you’re a competitive tennis player or a weekend pickleball enthusiast, you don’t have to play through pain. Addressing the root cause of your elbow pain can help you move better, perform better, and enjoy your time on the court again.
