Tennis or padel: which sport is more accident-prone?

It is easy to think that there are no big differences between Tennis and padel. This is mainly because both sports require rackets, involving rapid and repetitive movements, as well as changes of direction and acceleration. Tennis, a sport with a strong tradition, has always had many followers, while padel, more recent, is still in its infancy, although it has seen its popularity increase considerably during this decade.

However, despite their similarities, several differences remain, especially regarding the type and frequency of injuries encountered by players. Both of these sports are easy to practice due to the technique required and physical fitness needed. This constitutes one of their main risks: their apparent simplicity encourages many people to play without sufficient preparation, thus leading to injuries that could be avoided with moderate prior training.

Where do the most injuries occur?

One of the most frequently asked questions is where injuries are more common, in tennis or padel. The main difference lies in the fact that padel is a sport with a more traumatic character than tennis, which causes a greater variety of injuries.

“It’s difficult to give a single answer because many factors come into play,” explains the doctor Ángel Ruiz Cotorrodirector of the Tennis Teknon Clinic. “As padel becomes more professional, we will learn more about its specific pathologies,” adds this expert who led the medical team during the Qatar Airways Premier Padel finals, recently organized at the Palau Sant Jordi in Barcelona.

For professional players, both tours have similar injury rates. On the other hand, among amateurs, padel displays a higher number of cases. “This is explained by the fact that many people start playing padel without having followed an adequate learning period, which is more common in tennis, especially from childhood,” specifies this expert in sports medicine.

Types of injuries

When it comes to injury types, there are both similarities and differences. Common injuries in both sports include problems with spinesuch as lesions discas well as the tennis elbow or epicondylitis. However, “padel being a more traumatic sport than tennis, the diversity of injuries is greater,” indicates the expert.

In the context of padel, the enclosed environment and walls increase the risk of traumatic injuries. “Many falls result in hand or wrist injuries when players try to brake against the wall, sometimes causing scaphoid fractures,” explains the doctor. Eye contusions are also more frequent, a consequence of the speed of the game and the reduced dimensions of the field.

A notable injury is the ‘padel leg’, representing 20% ​​of the pain associated with this sport, equivalent to the disinsertion of the internal muscles in tennis, known as the ‘tennis leg’. In addition, in padel, eye contusions can occur due to the impact of the ball, in addition to damage to the subscapularis tendon caused by the famous bandejado movement.

As for the upper body, tendinitis of the rotator complex and SLAP lesions are common, both in tennis and padel. On the other hand, for the lower part, the padel presents slightly more injuries. In tennis, two emblematic injuries are named after the sport: ‘tennis elbow’ and ‘tennis leg’, mentioned above.

Prevention

“Prevention is always better than cure, and in sport, prevention begins before even entering the field,” insists Doctor Ruiz Cotorro. To avoid injuries, he emphasizes the importance of a holistic approach. “It is essential to adapt the intensity, frequency and demands of training to the player’s level,” he explains. Good physical preparation is also essential: “You have to get in shape to play a sport, and not the other way around”.

This requires establishing training routines and perfecting one’s playing technique. In addition, selecting the right equipment, such as the racket or pala, as well as appropriate shoes, can make a big difference, as can adopting a healthy diet. balanced and good hydration.

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