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.
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.
The best pickleball paddles to help with tennis elbow
1. Six Zero Black Opal
This paddle has a unique and satisfying smooth feel on contact — and it produces great power, which means you won’t have to swing so hard in order to generate that power.
2. Friday Aura
The Aura is probably the softest feeling foam paddle we have played with to this point, which fills a need in a market dominated by stiff and overly powerful foam paddles. It was a refreshing change of pace — it’s easy to move through the ball confidently without fear of popping it up too high and we had total control over where we were placing the ball.
3. Franklin C45 Tempo
This paddle has one of the lowest swingweights of any paddle on the market, meaning it’s incredibly maneuverable. The 16mm version also has more of a plush feel on contact.
You can find our complete breakdown of the different C45 shapes here.
4. RPM Friction Pro
This paddle — designed by pro player James Ignatowich — has everything a player could want: Top-tier spin, great power and effortless control. And for players dealing with tennis elbow, the 16mm options have more of a plush feel on contact.
Right now the RPM Friction Pro comes in 4 versions: 16mm elongated, 14mm elongated, 16mm widebody and 14mm widebody.
5. JOOLA Pro V Series
JOOLA Pro V Series
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JOOLA has introduced a new “KineticFrame” in its new Pro V models, which was inspired by kick-point engineering in hockey sticks and golf clubs.
The KineticFrame is built to flex and recover during impact, and unlike prior paddles with a “diving board” neck flex, the KineticFrame uses a proprietary flex-point architecture that allows the paddle head to move parallel to its original position.
The dual-pivot design produces a motion that JOOLA engineers say delivers:
– Predictable & repeatable exit trajectory.
– Precise power (ie. the more you put in, the more you get out).
– Reduced launch-angle deviation.
– Faster snapback for rapid exchanges.
– Improved energy transfer efficiency.
JOOLA has also added a new hybrid shape to their paddle lineup called the Kosmos, which is now the signature shape of JOOLA pros Federico Staksrud and Tyson McGuffin.
Find our in-depth review of the Kosmos here.
Learn more about the development of the JOOLA Pro V series here.
