05 August 2026

The Complete Guide to Padel Injury Prevention: What Every Player Should Know

Padel is one of the fastest-growing sports in the world, and one of the most enjoyable. It's also — and this rarely gets said out loud — one of the hardest sports on your body to play consistently at amateur level. The court is small, the movements are explosive, the direction changes are constant, and most players are older than the average tennis player, coming into the sport carrying existing wear and tear from other sports or careers.

The result: padel injuries are common, and most of them are preventable. Here's a full breakdown of the five most common ones, why they happen, how to spot them early, and how to prevent them.

1. Padel elbow (lateral epicondylitis)

What it is. Inflammation of the tendon attachment on the outside of the elbow, caused by repetitive vibration and load from ball strikes over hundreds or thousands of repetitions.

Early warning signs. Dull ache on the outside of your forearm that builds during matches. Weakness gripping a coffee cup or opening jars. Tenderness when you press just below the elbow bone.

Why it happens in padel. Strung tennis rackets absorb ball-strike vibration through the strings. Padel rackets don't — you get more shock per shot. Combine that with wrist-heavy padel technique (bandejas, víboras, wrist-flick vollies) and the extensor tendon is loaded more per shot than in tennis.

How to prevent it. Vibration control is the single biggest lever. Our NO-STRAIN sleeve is built specifically for this — it dampens the vibration reaching the tendon during play. For deeper support during rehabilitation or return-to-play, the dedicated elbow support adds targeted compression.

Deeper reading: Padel Elbow: What Causes It, How to Prevent It →

2. Ankle sprains

What it is. Overstretched or torn ligaments in the ankle joint, most commonly from landing awkwardly after a jump or twisting during a change of direction.

Early warning signs. A "wobbly" feeling in the ankle after previous minor rolls. Difficulty with lateral movements you used to do without thinking. Occasional swelling after long sessions.

Why it happens in padel. The court is small, the lateral movements are explosive, and players are often chasing balls into the walls with their momentum going one way and their feet trying to go another. Add glass corners, unpredictable ball bounces, and grippy court surfaces, and you have the perfect environment for ankle rolls.

How to prevent it. Two things. First, ankle proprioception — your body's ability to sense where your ankle is in space. Ankle support garments with functional compression improve this. Our AXSIST 3D and dedicated ankle support are designed for exactly this. Second, footwear — make sure your padel shoes actually have padel-specific lateral support, not general court shoes.

3. Knee overuse / patellar tendinopathy

What it is. Pain and inflammation in the knee tendon, caused by repeated deceleration and lateral loading over time.

Early warning signs. Ache below the kneecap after matches. Stiffness in the mornings after playing. Discomfort walking down stairs.

Why it happens in padel. Every defensive lunge, every step in and out of the corner, every deceleration into a low forehand loads the knee. Amateur players especially tend to use their knees to decelerate rather than their hips and glutes — putting excess load on the patellar tendon.

How to prevent it. Two-pronged. Strength and mobility work on the hips and glutes so they take load off the knees. And targeted compression during play — our knee support provides stabilisation and proprioceptive feedback that helps the knee track properly through lateral movements. Our ACTIVATOR shorts also help by activating the glutes and reducing quad-dominant movement patterns.

4. Calf and Achilles injuries

What it is. Strains, tears, or Achilles tendinopathy from explosive push-off movements — the sudden sprint forward, the jump for a smash, the lunge back for a lob.

Early warning signs. Tightness in the calf after warm-up that doesn't loosen off. Achilles pain first thing in the morning. Cramping during long matches.

Why it happens in padel. Padel involves more explosive calf activation per hour than almost any sport. The court is small enough that every shot might require a push-off. And older amateur players (which is most of the padel demographic) have naturally stiffer, less elastic Achilles tendons than their bodies think they do.

How to prevent it. Compression socks with functional support to the arch, calf, and Achilles are proven to reduce calf fatigue and Achilles load during play. Our S-Mash 3D sock is designed specifically for racket sports — vibration control, Achilles protection, and enhanced grip. For longer, more supportive coverage, our Run Up Long sock adds calf compression that measurably reduces fatigue over a two-hour session.

5. Shoulder impingement

What it is. Pain and reduced mobility in the shoulder, caused by repetitive overhead movements — smashes, bandejas, high vollies.

Early warning signs. Pain lifting your arm above shoulder height. Weakness on overhead shots that used to feel effortless. Difficulty reaching behind your back to fasten a bra strap or scratch your back.

Why it happens in padel. The bandeja and the overhead smash together account for a huge percentage of shots, and both involve arm rotation under load. Add poor shoulder mobility (common in office workers and drivers, which is most amateur padel players) and impingement becomes almost inevitable.

How to prevent it. Direct shoulder support garments are less mature than elbow, knee and ankle options, but posture and breathing patterns matter enormously. Our OXY-GEN shirt uses selective compression to improve thoracic posture, which meaningfully reduces impingement risk during overhead motions. Combine that with dedicated shoulder mobility work off the court and you'll dramatically reduce your risk.

The bigger picture

Individual injuries have specific solutions. But the shared thread across all of them is the same: reduce accumulated micro-damage, improve tissue support during play, and speed recovery afterwards so the body can repair between sessions.

The players who last decades in padel aren't the ones who train the hardest. They're the ones who look after their bodies most consistently. Kit that reduces load during play — and speeds recovery afterwards — is the biggest single lever most amateur players are missing.

Every Floky product is engineered for this. The full range covers arm, elbow, knee, ankle, calf, foot, back and posture. Pick the pieces that match your risk areas, build up your setup over time, and you'll play longer.

Shop the full Floky UK range →