The best pickleball paddles to help ease pain from tennis elbow

Even though pickleball paddles are lighter and generally easier to swing than tennis rackets, tennis elbow is still a common injury for pickleball players of all skill levels.

If you're experiencing elbow discomfort while playing pickleball, it might be time to consider switching to a different paddle. Even a minor change in the swingweight (a measurement that indicates how easy a paddle is to swing) or general feel of the paddle when making contact with the ball can make a big difference in easing elbow pain.

There are even some paddles designed specifically to combat tennis elbow.

In this article we'll go over some of the best pickleball paddles to help get rid of pain from tennis elbow.

What is tennis elbow?

According to the Mayo Clinic, tennis elbow, also known as lateral epicondylitis, is a condition that can result from overuse of the muscles and tendons in the elbow. Tennis elbow is often linked to repeated motions of the wrist and arm.

Despite its name, most people who get tennis elbow don't play tennis. Some people have jobs that involve repeated movements that can lead to tennis elbow, such as plumbers, painters, carpenters and butchers. And pickleball players.

The pain of tennis elbow occurs mainly where the tough, cord-like tissues of the forearm muscles attach to a bony bump on the outside of the elbow. Pain can spread into the forearm and wrist.

Pain and weakness can make it hard to:

Shake hands or grip an object.
Turn a doorknob.
Hold a coffee cup.

Tennis elbow treatment

Tennis elbow often gets better on its own, according to the Mayo Clinic. But if pain medicines and other self-care measures aren't helping, physical therapy might be the next step. A procedure, such as a shot or surgery, might help tennis elbow that doesn't heal with other treatments.

If symptoms are related to tennis, pickleball or job tasks, an expert might look at how you play those sports or do job tasks or check your equipment. This is to find the best ways to reduce stress on injured tissue.

A physical, occupational or hand therapist can teach exercises to strengthen the muscles and tendons in the forearm. A forearm strap or brace might reduce stress on the injured tissue.

But before getting the doctors involved, the solution could be as simple as switching to a different paddle.