3 Simple Exercises Every Padel Player Should Do to Avoid Tennis Elbow
3 Simple Exercises That Help Prevent Tennis Elbow in Padel
Padel is addictive.
One game turns into three. Three turns into four. Before you know it, your elbow starts whispering something you don’t want to hear.
For many players, tennis elbow is not caused by one bad shot — it comes from hundreds of repetitive impacts combined with forearm fatigue.
The good news: a very small amount of targeted strengthening can dramatically reduce the risk.
These three exercises take about three minutes a day and strengthen the exact muscles and tendons that protect the elbow during padel.
1. Eccentric Wrist Extensions (The Most Important Exercise)
This exercise is widely used in sports medicine and physical therapy to treat and prevent tennis elbow.
It strengthens the forearm extensor tendon, which is the tendon that typically becomes irritated in padel and tennis players.
How to do it
Sit down and rest your forearm on your thigh or a bench.
Hold a light dumbbell (2–5 pounds) with your palm facing down.
Use your other hand to help lift the weight upward.
Slowly lower the weight back down using only the working arm.
The slow lowering phase is the key part of the exercise.
Reps
10 slow repetitions
2 sets
Once per day
2. Forearm Rotation (Supination and Pronation)
Padel involves constant forearm rotation during volleys, bandejas, and defensive shots.
Strengthening these muscles helps stabilize the elbow and reduce stress on the tendon.
How to do it
Hold a dumbbell or hammer vertically.
Keep your elbow bent at 90 degrees and close to your body.
Slowly rotate your forearm so your palm moves:
Upward
Then downward
Move slowly and under control.
Reps
10–15 rotations
2 sets
3. Finger Extensions (The Exercise Most Players Skip)
Most padel players train their grip strength constantly by holding the racket.
But very few strengthen the opposite muscles that open the hand.
This imbalance can contribute to elbow problems over time.
How to do it
Place a rubber band around your fingers.
Open your hand against the resistance.
Slowly close your hand again.
Reps
20 repetitions
2 sets
You can do this almost anywhere — even while watching TV.
A Simple 3-Minute Routine
You can complete this entire routine in just a few minutes.
After playing padel or before bed:
Wrist Extensions — 2 sets
Forearm Rotations — 2 sets
Finger Extensions — 2 sets
Optional: Ice the elbow for 10 minutes
That’s it.
A few minutes of strengthening can help your elbow tolerate the thousands of impacts that come with regular padel play.
One More Important Tip
Equipment matters.
If you are prone to elbow discomfort, try to avoid:
Extremely stiff rackets
Very head-heavy balance
Gripping the racket too tightly
A racket with a softer core and moderate balance can reduce stress on the arm.
Final Thought
Most players wait until their elbow hurts before doing anything about it.
The smarter move is to build resilience before pain ever shows up.
Three minutes a day can make the difference between playing padel comfortably for years — or spending months trying to recover from an injury.
