Common Pickleball Injuries: What Hurts and Why
June 29, 2026
Pickleball's reputation as a gentle sport is mostly deserved. The court is smaller, the ball is lighter, and you're not running the distances you would in tennis. But rapid lateral movement, repetitive wrist and elbow mechanics, and hard court surfaces create the same injury patterns in players at every level.
If you've started noticing soreness in the same places after every session, you're in good company. Here's what those patterns mean, and what you can do about them.
The Five Most Common Pickleball Injuries
1. Pickleball Elbow (Lateral Epicondylitis)
This is the one that sidelines more pickleball players than anything else. Lateral epicondylitis is inflammation of the tendons that connect your forearm muscles to the bony bump on the outside of your elbow. In pickleball, it's caused by the repetitive gripping, flicking, and dinking motions the sport demands, especially on backhand shots.
It starts as a dull ache during play and can progress to sharp pain on gripping or lifting anything, even a coffee cup. If your elbow is complaining after every session, this is almost certainly what's happening.
2. Knee Pain and Patellar Tendonitis
The quick lateral shuffles pickleball demands are hard on the knees. Patellar tendonitis, irritation of the tendon running from your kneecap to your shinbone, is common in players who move frequently and change direction quickly. You'll feel it as pain just below the kneecap, particularly when climbing stairs, squatting, or pushing off for a lunge.
3. Shoulder Strain and Rotator Cuff Irritation
Overhead shots, reaching lobs, and the repeated overhead serve motion stress the rotator cuff, the group of four muscles and their tendons that stabilize your shoulder joint. Early signs are aching after play and limited range of motion when reaching overhead. Ignored, this becomes a longer-term problem.
4. Wrist Tendinopathy
The dinking game, which is what makes pickleball pickleball, places constant repetitive load on the tendons of the wrist. The extensor tendons specifically, running along the back of the forearm and wrist, take repeated strain from the backhand dink motion and third-shot drops. Wrist soreness that persists between sessions is the first signal.
5. Ankle Sprains
These tend to be acute injuries rather than chronic ones. The rapid direction changes and split-step footwork of pickleball create situations where a foot plant goes wrong. Ankle sprains are the most common acute injury in the sport, and they're worth taking seriously.
Why These Injuries Happen in Pickleball Specifically
Most pickleball injuries come from one of three causes: overuse, mechanics, or court surface. Knowing which one applies to you points you toward the right fix.
Playing three or four times a week without adequate recovery time between sessions is the leading driver of chronic pickleball pain. The tendons and muscles involved in pickleball mechanics need 48 hours to recover. Many recreational players, excited about the sport, skip that window.
A too-tight grip, an off-axis swing, or incorrect elbow positioning during the backhand dink are the mechanical root causes of most elbow and wrist injuries. One session with a qualified coach to check your technique is worth more than a month of rest.
Concrete is unforgiving. If you play on outdoor hard courts, your knees, ankles, and hips absorb more impact than on sport court tiles or cushioned surfaces. If joint pain is your issue, court surface is worth factoring into where you play.
The First Step in Recovery
For any of these injuries, RICE (rest, ice, compression, and elevation) is the right starting point for acute flare-ups. But for the ongoing soreness that accumulates with regular play, a topical pain relief routine is one of the most practical tools in your kit.
Topical pain balms deliver active relief ingredients directly to the site of inflammation without going through your digestive system. Applied after play to elbow, knee, shoulder, or wrist, they reduce the inflammatory response and ease soreness before it compounds across sessions.
Purpose-Built for Pickleball Recovery
Formulated for the specific pain patterns of court sports. Apply after play, target the sore spots, feel the difference by your next session.
Shop Paddle Pro BalmWhen to See a Doctor
Topical relief and rest handle most pickleball soreness. But these symptoms warrant a visit to a sports medicine physician or orthopedic specialist:
- Pain that persists at rest, not just during or after play
- Significant swelling or bruising around a joint
- Loss of range of motion that doesn't improve with rest
- Sharp pain on any specific movement that gets worse session to session
- Numbness or tingling in the hand or fingers
Most pickleball injuries are treatable, especially when you catch them early. The players with the longest careers in this sport are the ones who take early signals seriously rather than playing through escalating pain.
- Pickleball elbow (lateral epicondylitis), knee pain, shoulder strain, wrist tendinopathy, and ankle sprains account for the vast majority of pickleball injuries.
- Most injuries are overuse-driven, not traumatic. They build gradually and respond well to early intervention.
- Court surface, session frequency, and stroke mechanics are the three controllable variables that determine injury risk.
- Topical pain relief applied post-play addresses inflammation at the source before it compounds across sessions.
A 2019 study in the Journal of Emergency Medicine found pickleball-related emergency department visits had tripled over the prior decade, with the 60-plus demographic accounting for the largest share. The most common diagnoses were sprains, fractures from falls, and soft tissue overuse injuries. Overuse injuries in the elbow and knee dominate non-acute presentations in sports medicine clinics.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most common pickleball injury?
Lateral epicondylitis, commonly called pickleball elbow or tennis elbow, is the most frequently reported overuse injury in recreational pickleball players. It develops gradually from the repetitive gripping and backhand mechanics of the game.
Is pickleball dangerous?
Pickleball's injury rate is lower than most court sports. The most significant risks are overuse injuries from playing too frequently without adequate recovery, and acute injuries from falls or ankle rolls during rapid direction changes. Both are largely preventable with proper preparation and recovery habits.
How long does it take to recover from a pickleball injury?
Recovery timelines vary. Mild overuse soreness typically resolves in days with rest and topical anti-inflammatory treatment. True lateral epicondylitis can take 6 to 12 weeks of consistent management. Ankle sprains range from one week to several months depending on severity.
Can I play through pickleball pain?
Low-grade soreness that clears within an hour of finishing play is generally manageable with a recovery protocol. Pain that's present at rest, increasing session to session, or above a 4 out of 10 during play warrants rest and evaluation by a sports medicine physician or physical therapist.
The content in this article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you are experiencing pain or injury, consult a qualified healthcare provider before beginning any recovery protocol.
Paddle Pro™ Organic recovery balm
Made in the USA
