Pickleball Elbow is not the same as Tennis Elbow

This week’s video is: Pickleball Elbow is NOT the same as Tennis Elbow!

Here’s what you’ll learn:

🧠 What are golfers and tennis elbow?

💪 How can you avoid getting elbow pain from playing pickleball?

🏃 What are stretches you can do to help elbow pain from playing pickleball?

📺 Watch it here:

In this video we go over what's causing elbow pain in pickleball players everywhere. Here's how to tell the difference between Pickleball Elbow and Tennis Elbow and stop them before they start.

🔬 THE KEY PRINCIPLES
Unlike traditional golfer's elbow (pain on the inside) or tennis elbow (pain on the outside), pickleball elbow can show up on either side. That's because the sport demands both forehand and backhand swings, each stressing a different set of tendons. Knowing which side hurts tells you exactly which motion — and which muscle group — is the culprit.

✅ WHAT CAUSES PICKLEBALL ELBOW
Forehand swings overuse the wrist flexors, causing sharp pain on the inside of the elbow that worsens with typing, gripping, or twisting open jars. Backhand swings overuse the wrist extensors, causing sharp pain on the outside of the elbow, triggered by gripping, jar-twisting, or lifting heavy objects. The fix in both cases starts with the same principle: keep the wrist neutral through the swing. Avoid breaking into flexion at the end of a forehand, or into extension at the end of a backhand — that's where the overuse damage happens.

❓*COMMON QUESTIONS*
What's the difference between pickleball elbow, tennis elbow, and golfer's elbow? Tennis elbow is pain on the outside only; golfer's elbow is pain on the inside only. Pickleball elbow can be either, since the sport uses both forehand and backhand swings that stress opposite tendons.
How do I know if it's my forehand or backhand causing the pain? Inside-elbow pain points to forehand/wrist flexor overuse; outside-elbow pain points to backhand/wrist extensor overuse.
What can I do if I already have pain? Stretch the affected muscle group after playing — pull the fingers back with the elbow straight for flexor pain, or pull the wrist downward for extensor pain. Hold each stretch 30 to 90 seconds.