Preventing Common Padel Injuries: Physiotherapy Exercises for Players

Padel in Dubai has evolved from a niche sport to packed evenings, last-minute bookings, and regular after-work games with friends. 

The quick sprints, sudden stops, and stretches in all directions put your body to test. This is why many players experience minor aches that can turn into injuries if left untreated

The good news is that most padel injuries can be avoided with a proper warm-up and simple physiotherapy exercises. 

Common padel sports injuries

The most common padel sports injuries include:

• Shoulder pain from repeated overhead shots and serving often affecting the rotator cuff.
• Elbow pain caused by overuse of the forearm tendons and gripping the racket too tightly.
• Wrist and hand injuries from fast volleys, blocks, and sudden racket impact.
• Knee injuries due to lunges, sudden stops, and quick changes of direction.
• Ankle sprains from rapid side-to-side movement and unstable landings.
• Calf and Achilles strains from frequent sprinting and stopping without enough strength or recovery.
• Lower back pain linked to repeated rotation and reaching, especially when hip and core control is limited.

Warm Up to Prevent Padel Injuries

Warming up is an effective padel injuries prevention. A good warm up exercise should wake up your body and get your muscles and joints ready. 

An 8- to 10-minute warm-up allows you to handle sprints, sudden pauses, and twists without pain or discomfort. 

Start with a brisk walk or light jog around the court area. Then add lateral shuffles and gentle forward and backward movement. You can do controlled lunges and hip hinges to wake up your hips. End the warm-up with shadow swings and practice shots.  

Keep your warm-up light and smooth. Save the intensity for the match. 

Your hips are typically stiff if you arrive straight from the office or a long drive. It makes a difference to spend an extra minute opening them up. 

Physiotherapy exercises for padel injuries

These exercises target areas that typically get injured during padel:

Shoulder and rotator cuff control

• Do a banded external rotation with your elbow tucked by your side. Move slowly and keep your shoulder relaxed. You should feel the back of the shoulder working, not the neck.
• Add a wall slide or a banded “Y” raise to train the shoulder blade to move properly. This helps overhead shots feel smoother and reduces strain.
• A good starting point is 2 to 3 sets of 10 to 15 reps, performed 2 or 3 times per week.

Grip strength helps too. 

• Use a soft ball squeeze for steady holds rather than aggressive crushing.  A good starting point is 3 sets of 8 to 12 slow reps for wrist extension, and 3 holds of 20 to 30 seconds for grip.

Ankles and calves for quicker direction changes

• Single-leg calf raises build the spring you need for fast movement. Go all the way up, pause, and lower with control.

Add balance work. 

• Stand on one leg and reach the other foot in different directions like a clock face. This improves ankle control and helps with those sudden steps to the corner. Start with 3 sets of 12 to 15 calf raises per side, and 2 rounds of 30 to 45 seconds of balance work.

Knees and hips for lunges

• Strong hips protect your knees. Do a split squat with your front foot flat and your torso upright. Keep the knee tracking over the toes.

Add a lateral step-down from a low step. 

• This teaches you to control your landing and slow down, both important in padel.  Start with 2 to 3 sets of 8 to 10 reps on each side.

Core strength for rotation and back support

• A dead bug is a great option if you have back tightness. Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet lifted off the floor. Your arms should be pointing straight up. Gently press your lower back into the floor so there is no gap underneath it.
• Slowly lower one arm behind your head while straightening the opposite leg toward the floor. Stop before your lower back lifts. Bring them back to the start, then switch sides. Move slowly, keep your ribs down, and focus on control.
• Side planks are also useful for padel-style rotation control. Keep it clean and steady.
• Start with 2 to 3 sets of 6 to 10 controlled dead bug reps per side, plus 2 20- to 30-second side plank holds.

Padel injury rehabilitation

Warm up exercises help strengthen and protect your body, but if you’re already feeling pain or discomfort, you may need to follow a padel injury rehabilitation. You also need to adjust your load. This could mean fewer matches, shorter sessions, or avoiding shots that trigger pain. 

Doing gentle range-of-motion work and light strength usually help more than complete rest. After matches, do a short cool-down walk and a few gentle mobility drills. It helps your body recover and reduces stiffness the next day.

If pain, swelling, or instability hasn’t improved after a couple of weeks, it’s time to get checked. Book a physiotherapy session at Scandinavian Physiotherapy. We’ll assess your movement,  address the issue, and create a plan to prevent injuries so you can enjoy padel without worry.