I had it bad for about 1.5 years before I learned that it came from gripping too much using the middle finger. Making an effort to keep that finger off of the grip allowed the elbow to heal very quickly. Now I just keep that in mind when I'm gripping anything and have learned to grip without it. I allow the finger to be there but I mainly grip with the index finger.
Great video! I'm one who came down with tennis (pickleball) elbow earlier this year. It is about gone because I did everything you've talked about. And, a physical therapist friend of mine gave me a great tip. He said freeze a Dixie cup with water and then peel down the sides and ice your arm for five minutes with the ice directly on your skin. Put it back in the freezer and then just peel it down more to use it again. Repeat. So, I put a couple of them in the freezer at a time. It works wonders!
This was so helpful and spot on for me. I have already begun the PT for elbow pain from my new love of playing lots of pickleball. The hardest part is finding the right paddle. Not an easy process. Please suggest some paddles to try . Help it’s so painful and I’m going insane missing my game . Thank you !!
Hi Diane, Kinetic Pickleball Paddles claim to help dampen the vibration which can cause elbow issues. I use one of the carbon fiber models from Gearbox. I feel like I get less vibration on the paddle. The other thing you may want to experiment with is paddle weight. I know that a few ounces doesn't sound like a lot but over the course of a few hours it adds up.
I had a pretty painful case of tennis elbow. I went to a doctor that specialized in PRP (Platelet Rich Plaza) treatment, and was 95% better within 3 weeks. It may not help everyone, but it certainly helped me. You'll need to take a few weeks off from PB, but it's worth it in the long run.
I have the start of pickleball elbow. Am trying to rest my arm and wear a wrap. I use a paddle with a tennis grip. I appreciate all the tips. Will ice with frozen peas, use arnica and warm up before I play. Will stop holding paddle so tight and flex my hand between points. Right now heat feels best. Thanks alot!
I went to my doctor and he twisted my arm and said if I still needed help I should use a hammer at home on my arm! He said my two fore arm bones were twisted, and he untwisted them and told me of a wrist exercise holding a hammer to improve strength in twisting my wrist!
Thanks CJ, love all the tips. My question is, I also have a lot of pain in the meaty part of the thumb as well as tennis elbow. Is that connected? Any suggestions?
Beside the weight of the paddle, is it true that aluminium paddle can also cause sore elbow due to the vibration when playing. Your advice is appreciated. Thanks.
Thanks CJ for great advice - having very sore elbow and sitting at home more and not playing Pickleball is a bummer! Need to practice better arm and shoulder mechanics when hitting the ball.
Lots of great tips here! And I appreciate your delivery too. I just started playing last summer and am hooked, but definitely hampered by exactly this elbow/tendon issue. Former golfer, softball player, and ping-pong, so lots of crossover (good and bad)! No death grip is key - (my brain knows this but my hands? Not so much). I'm going to look into weight and grip size on a new paddle (didn't want to lay out a lot of $$ for paddle without knowing what I should buy - and not a lot of opportunity to 'try on' different weights, grip sizes or composite materials. Thanks for all the info. p.s. we have similar books on our bookshelves :)
Hi Kate, Welcome to pickelball. There are several videos on this site that can help you pick a paddle. If you join us LIVE Tuesday April 21 at 4pm pacific the Paddle Geek Brandon Swanson is doing an AMA-ask me anything. ruclips.net/video/2Hy6UNacEAY/видео.html Since you mentioned books what’s your favorite sports or healthy related book?
Hi CJ, thanks for the video. It’s very informative. I have pickleball elbow now. Been having it for 10 long weeks and have had to stay off the courts. Been doing icing, pain relieving gel (BioFrost is very good) and daily stretching. Sadly, it is affecting my sleep at night as I feel my entire arm ache more acutely then. Really hope to get better soon! A question on the grip size - I had a wider grip before and it worked well but I was advised not to have it so wide as that prevented me from being able to change my grip on the paddle for different shots. I have been using the same paddle for more than 6 months and no issue. But I suspect it’s how tightly I grip the paddle. Any suggestion on how I can ascertain which is the real issue?
TORQUE SUPPRESSION When a ball hits off center, it tends to cause the paddle to torque or twist, which reduces accuracy. The X5 Core reduces this, giving the paddle additional control, a more solid feel, and increased ability to block hard drives. These same principles also make the AMPED paddle the ideal choice for playing in the wind. VIBRATION DAMPENING A very noticeable attribute of the Amped paddle is its vibration dampening. In addition to giving the paddle a very solid feel, vibration dampening may help some players with their tennis elbow. Both of these features of Amped paddles should help tennis elbow. During a review of Morgan Even's Amped paddle he said that it helped his elbow. Pro Kennex: ProKennex is a science and design company that has been immersed in racquet sports since 1978. Creating a quantum leap in tennis racquet design, they created Kinetic Energy technology specifically to prevent arm and elbow injuries. The ProKennex Kinetic technology employs a highly sensitive timing system with internal tungsten-filled chambers that reduce vibration and focus energy more efficiently. Studies by MIT labs show that this technology can help reduce energy translation to the handle, and the team at ProKennex beleieves this can reduce harmful impact forces and yield the most efficient energy transfer.
I had tendinitis for at least 2 months. Had to drop all sports involving use of my arm. So rest, anti-Inflammatory med, ibuprofen ,stretches and massage with tennis ball. Best certainly to avoid it. It is terrible once you get it. Then when you are better start back up slowly. I didn't and it came right back! The play in moderation using proper techniques, some as mentioned in this video.
If you’re getting a sore elbow it’s best to take a look at all of the paddle factors. When it comes to weight a paddle that’s too heavy can put stress on the joint and yes, a lighter paddle may alleviate some of the stress.
I had it BAD! I believe it was from my longer paddle. I got a shot of cortisone which helped, but then it came back, not as bad, but still painful. I went to a physical therapist and get dry needled and that took care of it! I do have some soreness after playing so I will consider the lighter racket and go back to a traditional paddle.
Linda the same thing happened to me when I used a longer paddle. I'm testing one right now and have to admit my elbow is a little sore again but I've been doing a lot of typing so it's hard to say what's bothering me more. One of my students has had luck with the prokennex paddles prokennex-pickleball.com/
Love your videos! Just started. My husband and I are just practicing learning to hit the ball. I am experiencing pain in my outer Lats several inches below my armpit. Any additional advice. Will try your advice at the end too!
COMING FROM TENNIS Many pickleball players are receiving instruction from former tennis players. Unfortunately, some of these instructors are used to holding the racket tightly and suggest the same is needed in pickleball. As an ex-tennis professional that irks me! Part of my concern is the development of tennis elbow. If you see players with compression contraptions on their wrists or below their elbows, they typically are trying to alleviate elbow pain. Often times, by just loosening their grip pressure the pain will subside. by;Sarah Ansboury
Hi Mani, I'm a big fan of holistic remedies, things like essential oils, arnica, acupuncture, but they don't work for everyone. Hopefully you can apply some of the other suggestions in the video.
Thank you CJ for this great advice! Essential Oils can help sooooo many things and have used dōTERRA for many years! Don’t know what I would do without them. 🙌
I had it bad for about 1.5 years before I learned that it came from gripping too much using the middle finger. Making an effort to keep that finger off of the grip allowed the elbow to heal very quickly. Now I just keep that in mind when I'm gripping anything and have learned to grip without it. I allow the finger to be there but I mainly grip with the index finger.
Most of us have too much grip pressure and I love your focus on the middle finger. Thanks for sharing!
I'm 58 .I got this after my first 3 games on the court. I still have it and it's been 6 wks!
Sorry to hear about your elbow. Speedy recovery
All these tips plus a Prokennex pickleball paddle cured me!
That's great, Kylar!
Great video! I'm one who came down with tennis (pickleball) elbow earlier this year. It is about gone because I did everything you've talked about. And, a physical therapist friend of mine gave me a great tip. He said freeze a Dixie cup with water and then peel down the sides and ice your arm for five minutes with the ice directly on your skin. Put it back in the freezer and then just peel it down more to use it again. Repeat. So, I put a couple of them in the freezer at a time. It works wonders!
Tracy that’s a great tip! Thanks
This was so helpful and spot on for me. I have already begun the PT for elbow pain from my new love of playing lots of pickleball. The hardest part is finding the right paddle. Not an easy process. Please suggest some paddles to try . Help it’s so painful and I’m going insane missing my game . Thank you !!
Hi Diane, Kinetic Pickleball Paddles claim to help dampen the vibration which can cause elbow issues. I use one of the carbon fiber models from Gearbox. I feel like I get less vibration on the paddle. The other thing you may want to experiment with is paddle weight. I know that a few ounces doesn't sound like a lot but over the course of a few hours it adds up.
I had a pretty painful case of tennis elbow. I went to a doctor that specialized in PRP (Platelet Rich Plaza) treatment, and was 95% better within 3 weeks. It may not help everyone, but it certainly helped me. You'll need to take a few weeks off from PB, but it's worth it in the long run.
Thanks for sharing John. Glad you’re feeling better
I have the start of pickleball elbow. Am trying to rest my arm and wear a wrap. I use a paddle with a tennis grip. I appreciate all the tips. Will ice with frozen peas, use arnica and warm up before I play. Will stop holding paddle so tight and flex my hand between points. Right now heat feels best. Thanks alot!
Good luck Barbara. Have you made a trip to the doctor yet?
I went to my doctor and he twisted my arm and said if I still needed help I should use a hammer at home on my arm! He said my two fore arm bones were twisted, and he untwisted them and told me of a wrist exercise holding a hammer to improve strength in twisting my wrist!
I used to do the hammer exercise for my golf game. Hadn’t thought about it for Pickelball. Thanks for the suggestion.
Thanks CJ, love all the tips. My question is, I also have a lot of pain in the meaty part of the thumb as well as tennis elbow. Is that connected? Any suggestions?
Could be. It might be that your grip is too large or too small and that's causing pain in the thumb
Beside the weight of the paddle, is it true that aluminium paddle can also cause sore elbow due to the vibration when playing. Your advice is appreciated. Thanks.
You are spot on. Vibration can cause a lot of pain. Nice to see paddle design targeting that issue.
Thanks CJ for great advice - having very sore elbow and sitting at home more and not playing Pickleball is a bummer! Need to practice better arm and shoulder mechanics when hitting the ball.
Glad to help
What exercises would help with soreness just above the elbow? I have never played tennis and i just started in pickleball 3 weeks ago. Thanks
By above I think you mean towards your shoulder? Is that correct and how far away from the elbow
Lots of great tips here! And I appreciate your delivery too. I just started playing last summer and am hooked, but definitely hampered by exactly this elbow/tendon issue. Former golfer, softball player, and ping-pong, so lots of crossover (good and bad)! No death grip is key - (my brain knows this but my hands? Not so much). I'm going to look into weight and grip size on a new paddle (didn't want to lay out a lot of $$ for paddle without knowing what I should buy - and not a lot of opportunity to 'try on' different weights, grip sizes or composite materials. Thanks for all the info. p.s. we have similar books on our bookshelves :)
Hi Kate,
Welcome to pickelball. There are several videos on this site that can help you pick a paddle. If you join us LIVE Tuesday April 21 at 4pm pacific the Paddle Geek Brandon Swanson is doing an AMA-ask me anything. ruclips.net/video/2Hy6UNacEAY/видео.html
Since you mentioned books what’s your favorite sports or healthy related book?
Thank you so much! Wonderful, helpful information.
You're welcome Tyler
Thanks CJ, love this video. Useful advice that I will remember always.
Hi CJ, thanks for the video. It’s very informative. I have pickleball elbow now. Been having it for 10 long weeks and have had to stay off the courts. Been doing icing, pain relieving gel (BioFrost is very good) and daily stretching. Sadly, it is affecting my sleep at night as I feel my entire arm ache more acutely then. Really hope to get better soon!
A question on the grip size - I had a wider grip before and it worked well but I was advised not to have it so wide as that prevented me from being able to change my grip on the paddle for different shots. I have been using the same paddle for more than 6 months and no issue. But I suspect it’s how tightly I grip the paddle. Any suggestion on how I can ascertain which is the real issue?
Glad it was helpful! Best of luck!
Thicker cor paddles absorb more vibrations and might help. Pro Kennex also says that its paddle kinetic absorbs vibration and helps with tennis elbow.
Great point Dale. Have you tried one?
I just ordered an AMPED Invikta by selkirk we will see.
I’ll be interested to know what you think!
TORQUE SUPPRESSION
When a ball hits off center, it tends to cause the paddle to torque or twist, which reduces accuracy. The X5 Core reduces this, giving the paddle additional control, a more solid feel, and increased ability to block hard drives. These same principles also make the AMPED paddle the ideal choice for playing in the wind.
VIBRATION DAMPENING
A very noticeable attribute of the Amped paddle is its vibration dampening. In addition to giving the paddle a very solid feel, vibration dampening may help some players with their tennis elbow.
Both of these features of Amped paddles should help tennis elbow. During a review of Morgan Even's Amped paddle he said that it helped his elbow.
Pro Kennex: ProKennex is a science and design company that has been immersed in racquet sports since 1978. Creating a quantum leap in tennis racquet design, they created Kinetic Energy technology specifically to prevent arm and elbow injuries. The ProKennex Kinetic technology employs a highly sensitive timing system with internal tungsten-filled chambers that reduce vibration and focus energy more efficiently. Studies by MIT labs show that this technology can help reduce energy translation to the handle, and the team at ProKennex beleieves this can reduce harmful impact forces and yield the most efficient energy transfer.
Good video 👍🏻!!
thank you
I had tendinitis for at least 2 months. Had to drop all sports involving use of my arm. So rest, anti-Inflammatory med, ibuprofen ,stretches and massage with tennis ball. Best certainly to avoid it. It is terrible once you get it. Then when you are better start back up slowly. I didn't and it came right back! The play in moderation using proper techniques, some as mentioned in this video.
I'm sorry that you struggled with it but thanks for sharing. Hopefully others will learn from your experience.
Thank u for the information 😂
Any time!
My problem was paddle too heavy. Switched to light and used therabands
Heat before playing iced afterwards. Arnica too
There’s a video on swing weight on our In2pickle Chana you might want to check it out
It's not clear to me what you are suggesting regarding paddle weight. Are you saying a lighter paddle or heavier paddle will help?
If you’re getting a sore elbow it’s best to take a look at all of the paddle factors. When it comes to weight a paddle that’s too heavy can put stress on the joint and yes, a lighter paddle may alleviate some of the stress.
I had it BAD! I believe it was from my longer paddle. I got a shot of cortisone which helped, but then it came back, not as bad, but still painful. I went to a physical therapist and get dry needled and that took care of it! I do have some soreness after playing so I will consider the lighter racket and go back to a traditional paddle.
Linda the same thing happened to me when I used a longer paddle. I'm testing one right now and have to admit my elbow is a little sore again but I've been doing a lot of typing so it's hard to say what's bothering me more. One of my students has had luck with the prokennex paddles prokennex-pickleball.com/
Love it! Thanks so much
You are so welcome!
Great video, thanks for the info!
You’re welcome
Love your videos! Just started. My husband and I are just practicing learning to hit the ball. I am experiencing pain in my outer Lats several inches below my armpit. Any additional advice. Will try your advice at the end too!
Hi Sierra, without seeing what you are doing I'm hard pressed to offer a solution. Sorry I can't be of more assistance
Could not get any help from anyone. Medical and players. Figured it out by just not holding my paddle so tight. Bingo problem solved.
COMING FROM TENNIS
Many pickleball players are receiving instruction from former tennis players. Unfortunately, some of these instructors are used to holding the racket tightly and suggest the same is needed in pickleball. As an ex-tennis professional that irks me! Part of my concern is the development of tennis elbow. If you see players with compression contraptions on their wrists or below their elbows, they typically are trying to alleviate elbow pain. Often times, by just loosening their grip pressure the pain will subside.
by;Sarah Ansboury
Tight grips don’t help any sport!
You lost me at the 'essential oil' part.
Hi Mani, I'm a big fan of holistic remedies, things like essential oils, arnica, acupuncture, but they don't work for everyone. Hopefully you can apply some of the other suggestions in the video.
Thank you CJ for this great advice! Essential Oils can help sooooo many things and have used dōTERRA for many years! Don’t know what I would do without them. 🙌