I Have Golfer’s Elbow and Playing Pickleball Keeps Making It Flare Up

Your golfer’s elbow flares up while playing pickleball because repeated gripping and swinging keeps stressing the painful tendon on the inside of your elbow.

If your golfer’s elbow feels manageable when you are resting but starts flaring up once you begin playing pickleball, the repeated swings can make the problem noticeable again. You may feel an ache on the inside of your elbow at first, followed by sharper pain when you grip the paddle firmly or hit several shots in a row.

You may also notice that your elbow feels fine during the first few minutes and then gradually becomes more uncomfortable as you keep playing. The combination of repeated gripping and swinging can continue stressing the tendon, making it harder for the area to settle down between games or from one playing session to the next.

Your Elbow Starts Hurting After Repeated Pickleball Swings

The inside of your elbow becomes sore as the swings and gripping add up.

You may feel a dull ache at first, but repeated shots can make the pain more noticeable, especially when you squeeze the paddle or swing harder. Your elbow may feel tender when you bend or straighten it afterward because the same area has been repeatedly stressed during play.

Your Elbow Flares Up Again After You Keep Playing

Your elbow may feel better when you stop playing, then become painful again the next time you pick up the paddle.

You might notice that resting gives your elbow some relief, but the pain returns quickly when you go back to pickleball. If the area has not recovered enough between sessions, another round of repeated gripping and swinging can bring the same pain back before it has had a chance to settle.

Why Your Elbow Keeps Flaring Up During Pickleball

Your elbow has a hard time healing when blood flow and circulation are limited.

Tendons, ligaments, and other soft tissues naturally receive less blood supply than many other parts of the body. Because of this, they often take longer to heal after repeated stress or injury, leaving you more vulnerable to lingering pain and a cycle of reinjury.

When circulation through the area remains limited, injured tissues have a harder time receiving the vital oxygen and nutrients they need to repair and heal. This can leave your elbow feeling stiff, tight, weak, or painful during everyday movement and activity.

What Can Help Your Elbow Feel Better

Your elbow starts feeling better when blood flow and circulation improve.

Chinese herbs have been used for centuries to promote healthy blood flow and circulation. Their medicinal properties help break up stagnant blood and fluids that remain trapped around injured tissues, interfering with circulation. As circulation improves, blood flows more freely through the area, allowing those tissues to receive the oxygen and nutrients they need to heal properly.

Topical herbal remedies made with these Chinese herbs can help relieve pain while improving blood flow and circulation to injured tissues. The right product depends on your symptoms and whether you're in the acute or chronic stage of recovery.

If you have pain, swelling, inflammation, or bruising, Acute Sinew Liniment helps relieve these symptoms by increasing circulation and dispersing stagnant blood and fluids around the injured area to speed recovery. During the acute stage of healing, getting circulation moving early allows injured tissues to receive the fresh blood, oxygen, and nutrients they need to repair and heal.

If your injured area is especially swollen, red, or warm to the touch after a recent injury or flare-up, Sinew Herbal Ice is also used to reduce swelling and inflammation while restoring normal circulation so you can quickly regain range of motion. While traditional ice is commonly used to reduce swelling, Sinew Herbal Ice acts as an ice alternative to reduce swelling and inflammation while also dispersing accumulated blood and fluids to speed the healing process.

If you no longer have swelling or inflammation, but still have pain, stiffness, weakness, or sensitivity in cold and damp weather, Chronic Sinew Liniment helps relieve these symptoms by strongly stimulating circulation and increasing blood supply to injured tendons and ligaments to promote their healing. This is especially important because tendons and ligaments naturally receive less blood supply, which is why chronic injuries can take longer to heal.

If you have residual pain and stiffness, or the area becomes more painful in cold weather, Sinew Injury Poultice is also used to significantly stimulate circulation to injured tendons and ligaments to further promote their healing. By strongly increasing circulation, it counteracts the reduced blood flow caused by cold weather that commonly aggravates chronic tendon and ligament injuries.

If you exercise, play sports, or do other strenuous activities, Sinew Sports Massage Oil warms and stimulates muscles for exertion and relieves muscle tightness and soreness after activity. Warming and preparing your muscles before activity can improve flexibility, enhance performance, and reduce the risk of injury.

Frequently Asked Questions

You may also find these commonly asked questions helpful.

Why does my golfer’s elbow flare up when I play pickleball?

Repeated gripping and swinging can keep stressing the tendon on the inside of your elbow, causing your golfer’s elbow pain to return during play.

Why does my elbow hurt more the longer I play pickleball?

As you continue gripping and swinging the paddle, the repeated activity can make the inside of your elbow increasingly sore and painful.

Can I have golfer’s elbow even if my elbow feels fine before pickleball?

Yes. Your elbow may feel comfortable at rest but become painful once repeated gripping and swinging begin to stress the affected area.

Why does my golfer’s elbow feel better after resting but flare up again?

Rest can reduce the stress placed on your elbow, but returning to pickleball too soon can bring the same pain back before the area has recovered.

Should I keep playing pickleball if my golfer’s elbow keeps flaring up?

If pickleball consistently makes your elbow pain worse, reducing or stopping the activity until the area improves can help prevent repeated aggravation.

The information provided here is intended to help you better understand your symptoms and recovery, but it is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Persistent, severe, or worsening symptoms should be evaluated by a qualified healthcare professional.