Last reviewed: 29 October 2026
Short answer: The most common padel injuries are elbow tendon problems, followed by knee, shoulder and lower back pain, according to a 2023 systematic review. In Malaysia, see a doctor first for sudden injuries, swelling, numbness or inability to bear weight. Persistent overuse pain can be assessed by a chiropractor registered under Act 775.
What are the most common padel injuries?
The elbow is the most common site, followed by the knee, shoulder and lower back. Tendon and muscle injuries are the most commonly reported types. That is the finding of a 2023 systematic review in BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine by Dahmen and colleagues, which pooled eight studies covering 2,022 players.
The same review put the injury rate at about 3 injuries per 1,000 hours of training and 8 per 1,000 matches, and the proportion of players reporting an injury ranged from 40% to 95% depending on the study. In one Spanish survey included in it, 74.4% of players reporting problems named tennis elbow (common extensor tendinopathy), and about one in five reported lower back pain or a contusion.
How reliable is this evidence for players in Kuala Lumpur?
Treat it as a rough guide, not a Malaysian statistic. The authors describe the evidence as limited: the studies were cross-sectional questionnaires, injury definitions varied, no formal meta-analysis was possible, and the search ended in December 2022. Most participants came from Spain, where padel has a much longer history.
We found no Malaysian padel injury data. Dr Helmy Haja Mydin wrote in The Star on 30 June 2026 that padel courts are appearing across the Klang Valley and that weekend racket-sport injuries are rising. We could read only the opening of that article, so we cannot cite any figures from it. The Star reported in October 2025 that one new Kuala Lumpur venue charged RM110 to RM130 per hour for a court, which shows how quickly the sport is becoming a regular habit for office workers.
Why does padel strain the elbow, knee and lower back?
Padel combines repeated swings, quick stops and sideways steps on a small court. In general terms, that loads the tendons around the elbow and shoulder with repetitive gripping and swinging, the knees with pivots and sudden stops, and the lower back with twisting. This is a general explanation, not a finding specific to any one player.
Many Klang Valley players sit at a desk all week and then play two or three evening sessions. A sudden jump in load on tissues that are not used to it is a familiar pattern in sports medicine, and it is one reason weekend-only players often feel it first.
Which padel injuries need a doctor first?
Go to a Klinik Kesihatan, a private GP or a hospital emergency department before any clinic that treats musculoskeletal pain if any of the following applies. These are general red flags, not a diagnosis.
- You heard or felt a pop, the joint swelled quickly, or you cannot put weight on the leg. Our article on ankle sprains versus fractures explains why this matters.
- Numbness, pins and needles or weakness in an arm or leg, or loss of bladder or bowel control after a fall.
- A knock to the head or eye from the ball, wall or another player.
- Pain with fever, unexplained weight loss, or pain that is worst at night and unrelated to movement.
- Chest pain, breathlessness or a swollen, hot, tender calf.
Who should I see for each type of padel injury in Malaysia?
The table below is a general guide to a first stop, not a rule. Where the evidence for chiropractic is limited, it says so.
| Problem | Sensible first step | Where a chiropractor may fit | Evidence note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Outer elbow pain after gripping or swinging | Assessment by a GP, physiotherapist or chiropractor | Assessing the cause, load advice, exercise and manual therapy | Common and often settles without treatment; see below |
| Knee pain after pivots | Doctor if swollen or unstable | Assessing hip, ankle and back contributions once serious injury is excluded | Limited padel-specific research |
| Shoulder pain overhead | GP or physiotherapist | Assessing neck and upper back contributions | Limited padel-specific research |
| Lower back pain after twisting | GP if red flags are present | Assessment, advice and manual therapy for uncomplicated pain | See our pickleball and badminton articles |
| Sudden pop, swelling, cannot walk | Doctor or emergency department | Not the first stop | Needs imaging or examination |
Do tennis elbow injuries need injections or treatment?
Not always, and the evidence is worth knowing before you pay for a quick fix. A 2006 randomised trial in the BMJ followed 198 adults with tennis elbow for a year. At six weeks, 78% of the corticosteroid injection group had improved, against 65% with physiotherapy and 27% with wait and see. At 52 weeks, the figures were 68% for injection, 94% for physiotherapy and 90% for wait and see, and 72% of the injection group had a recurrence, against 8% and 9%.
That trial tested physiotherapy, not chiropractic, so we cannot claim the same result for our care. It does show that tennis elbow often improves over time and that a short-term gain can fade. Our article on tennis elbow versus golfer’s elbow covers the elbow in more detail.
Where does a chiropractor fit, and what does it cost?
A chiropractor can assess musculoskeletal pain, rule out signs that need a doctor, and advise on load, movement and manual therapy for overuse problems. Chiropractic is one of the practice areas recognised under the Traditional and Complementary Medicine Act 2016 (Act 775), overseen by the T&CM Council under the Ministry of Health, while physiotherapy falls under the Allied Health Professions Act 2016 (Act 774). Read how to check a chiropractor is registered and chiropractor versus physiotherapist before choosing.
At Chiropractic House, in Suria @ North Kiara off Jalan Kuching, the first session costs RM250 to RM410 and follow-ups cost less. We are a cash-pay clinic and do not bill insurers directly, but we issue receipts and clinical documentation if you want to claim yourself. Our insurance coverage guide explains what to ask your insurer.
How we can help: if a padel injury is not settling, we assess first and, depending on the findings, may use chiropractic adjustment, sports massage, shockwave therapy or tecar-assisted manual therapy.
Frequently asked questions
Is padel more dangerous than badminton or pickleball?
Nobody can say from the current evidence. The padel injury literature is small and mostly Spanish, and it does not compare padel head-to-head with other racket sports. Our articles on badminton and pickleball describe the patterns for those sports separately.
What is padel elbow?
It is usually tennis elbow, a tendon problem on the outer side of the elbow. In one Spanish survey of padel players, 74.4% of those reporting problems named it. It is typically an overuse problem, so rest, load changes and a proper assessment matter more than quick fixes.
Should I see a chiropractor or a physiotherapist for a padel injury?
Both can assess musculoskeletal pain. Chiropractors are regulated under Act 775 and physiotherapists under Act 774. See a doctor first for sudden injuries, swelling, numbness or an inability to bear weight.
How much does a chiropractor cost for a padel injury in KL?
At Chiropractic House the first session costs RM250 to RM410 and follow-ups cost less. We are a cash-pay clinic, so we do not bill insurers directly, but we issue receipts and clinical documentation if you want to claim yourself.
Can I keep playing padel with elbow or knee pain?
Mild pain that settles within a day is different from pain that worsens, wakes you at night or changes how you move. If it is getting worse, stop and have it assessed rather than playing through it.
Does SOCSO or PERKESO cover padel injuries?
PERKESO covers work-related injuries and commuting accidents, so a weekend padel injury is generally outside it. Check your own medical card or insurance policy for outpatient and complementary-care limits.
This article is for general information and is not a substitute for individual medical assessment. If you have any of the red flags above, seek urgent medical care first.
Written by Eugene Gan, Chiropractor, Bachelor of Science (Hons) Chiropractic, accredited by the Council on Chiropractic Education Australasia (CCEA).
Sources: Dahmen J et al., Incidence, prevalence and nature of injuries in padel: a systematic review, BMJ Open Sport Exerc Med 2023;9:e001607, doi:10.1136/bmjsem-2023-001607. Bisset L et al., BMJ 2006;333:939, doi:10.1136/bmj.38961.584653.AE. Traditional and Complementary Medicine Act 2016 (Act 775); Allied Health Professions Act 2016 (Act 774).
