One of the big questions I'm always asked when discussing paddles is: "What are the best pickleball paddles for tennis elbow?"
Well this list is going to break down the top ten pickleball paddles for tennis elbow, but first I want to discuss what tennis elbow is, what causes it, and what is useful to alleviate it.
So, first things first...
What is Tennis Elbow?
Tennis elbow, or what you're doctor will refer to it as, "lateral epicondylitis", is when tendons in your elbow are overloaded and strained.
What causes Tennis Elbow?
Tennis elbow is caused by overuse and overexertion of the muscles and tendons, poor form while playing/swinging your paddle or racket, weak muscles and/or tendons, and potentially the paddle weight ratio and vibration.
How can we alleviate Tennis Elbow with our Pickleball Paddle choice?
There are a few things we're going to be looking for in a paddle that can help make it a better choice for tennis elbow, but first I want to discuss the fact that this is a topic of debate among the pickleball community.
That is, whether or not a specific paddle makes a big difference for their tennis elbow.
I'm under the mindset that your paddle choice DOES make a difference, but you have to account for things like the severity of the tennis elbow, whether the player is continuing to have a poor swing, and other factors that might hinder the improvement by just swapping the paddle.
With that in mind, there are specific paddles that are NOT good for tennis elbow (right out of the box), one of which is on this list towards the end because I personally love playing with it and want to highlight the specific reasons a paddle could fall into that category.
But alright, lets breakdown some of the things that make for a good paddle choice:
- The Weight and Balance of Your Pickleball Paddle
- The first thing we need to consider is the overall weight and the balancing of the paddle, which is a big factor in making the right choice. We'll want a heavier paddle, but one that IS NOT head heavy (you'll notice my note on the Joola Hyperion below).
- I hear a lot of people still discussing the fact that they think lightweight paddles are good for tennis elbow, which used to be a belief in the pickleball world, but research has come out showing that this is actually the opposite of what we need.
- Vibration Absorption of Your Pickleball Paddle
- A vibrating paddle is a bad thing for your tennis elbow, so we want as much shock and vibration absorption as we can get.
- With the technology that is currently being used, a lot of the paddles coming out will do really well for vibration absorption (assuming they're a newer, not inexpensively made paddle), but you'll even see some on this list refer to the changes they've made to alleviate the vibration even more.
- Grip Size of Your Pickleball Paddle
- Last up on our list is your grip size. We'll want to be using a slightly thicker grip to avoid having to squeeze to tightly on our paddle in order to feel like we have more control.
- I have this one in coming in last on the list (not that I really should be ordering in levels of importance, being that they're all important) just because this one is likely the easiest to deal with. If you get a thin grip paddle you can very easy add some wrap to it and make it thicker. (Yes, you can also add weight to your paddle, but finding the right balance will be a bit trickier.)
As you'll notice below while making your way through our top ten list of the best pickleball paddles for tennis elbow, we'll be focusing on the paddles that have all three of these characteristics.
I will be putting these into a top ten, but I'll also be categorizing each of them into specific highlighted areas, like the one that is best for ex-tennis players, the best for ex-table tennis players, the best budget option, and more.
If I'm missing any other recommendations for pickleball paddles that are good for tennis elbow please don't hesitate to comment below and let me know so I can check them out and add them to the list!
Top Ten Pickleball Paddles for Tennis Elbow
The Top Ten Pickleball Paddles For Tennis Elbow
Number One: ProKennex Pro Flight/Ovation
The Best Out The Box Option
ProKennex Pro Flight Specs:
Length/Width: 15.43" / 7.6"
Weight: 7.4 oz
Grip Length: 5'
Handle Grip: 4"
Core Thickness: 14mm
Surface: Carbon Fiber
Price: $200
Check on Amazon: Click Here
Coming in at number one among our top pickleball paddles for tennis elbows is the best out of the box paddle for tennis elbow: the Prokennex Pro Flight. ProKennex is the paddle brand that you will see over and over..and over when researching the best pickleball paddles for tennis elbow.
Actually, (although this can be taken as a good or bad thing) the ProKennex paddles are almost always part of the conversation when discussing tennis elbow, but not really other conversations when discussing top paddles in the industry.
That said, it really depends what side you fall on when considering how much of a difference paddles "good for tennis elbow" really make when purchasing and demo-ing these options.
If you take the weight up properly, find a good non-vibrating paddle and some thick grip (or grip it up yourself) you could find some better options - but if you want a quick grab that you know is a top choice right out of the box, then ProKennex might be the one for you.
The Top Ten Pickleball Paddles For Tennis Elbow
Number Two: Legacy Pro
The Best Overall Option (Price, Tennis Elbow and Paddle Play)
LEGACY PRO SPECS:
Length/Width: 16.5" / 7.5"
Weight: 8-8.4 oz
Grip Length: 5.3"
Handle Grip: 4.125"
Core Thickness: 14mm (Compressed 8mm cells to combat vibrations)
Surface: Carbon Fiber
Price: $150
Check on Amazon: Not Available
Coming in at number two among our top ten pickleball paddles for tennis elbow is the best overall option in terms of price point, pro tier overall paddle and tennis elbow specs: the Legacy Pro paddle.
The Legacy Pro Paddle is also the top three, if not the number top paddle at the $150 price point which makes it a great pick when you consider the fact that it's one of the best paddles on the market if we consider the top ten to twenty paddles right now.
Factor in the Legacy Pro's specs and compressed 8mm cells to fight vibration and it makes it one of the best paddles for tennis elbow as well.
The Top Ten Pickleball Paddles For Tennis Elbow
Number Three: Engage Pursuit
The Next Best Overall Choice
ENGAGE PURSUIT SPECS:
Length/Width: 16.5" / 7.5"
Weight: 8.0-8.4 oz
Grip Length: 5.75"
Handle Grip: 4.375"
Core Thickness: 5'8' with vibration control tech
Surface: Carbon Fiber
Price: $199-220
Check on Amazon: Click Here
Coming in at number three among our top ten pickleball paddles for tennis elbow is another super popular overall paddle, which I'm labeling at the next best overall option in terms of top paddles while still being great for tennis elbow: the Engage Pursuit!
The only reason this one gets labeled as "the next best" behind some other options is because of the price point that Engage usually has them at; otherwise you can probably see a bit of a trend among the top picks when it comes to specs.
You see The Engage Pursuit, along with some other Engage paddles usually labeled as good paddles for tennis elbow, but the Pursuit specifically shows those heavier and similar stats to what we're looking for as the sweet spot.
The Top Ten Pickleball Paddles For Tennis Elbow
Number Four: Paddletek Tempest Wave Pro
The Best For Ex-Tennis Players
paddletek tempest wave pro SPECS:
Length/Width: 15.875" / 7.5"
Weight: 7.6-8.0 oz
Grip Length: 5.25"
Handle Grip: 4.375"
Core Thickness: 14.3mm
Surface: Carbon Fiber
Price: $179
Check on Amazon: Click Here
Coming in at number four among our top ten pickleball paddles for tennis elbow is one that I'm labeling the best choice for ex-tennis players - which clearly feels extremely relevant for this specific list - the Paddletek Tempest Wave Pro.
Now I do want to make mention to the fact that I'm not an ex tennis player. I have played tennis in the past, but I'm an ex-baseball player and weightlifter who happened to play a little tennis.
That being said, this has been the go-to paddle among ex tennis players that I've played with, and across my findings on the internet (to fact check them, of course).
I have swung with this paddle and I like it, I just don't personally gravitate to all the specs and I'm not a huge Paddletek fan myself, but do recommend it to you guys to potentially demo if you're coming from a tennis background.
The Top Ten Pickleball Paddles For Tennis Elbow
Number Five: Joola Radius
The Best For Ex-Table Tennis Players
JOOLA RADIUS SPECS:
Length/Width: 15.8" / 8.2"
Weight: 7.6 oz
Grip Length: 5"
Handle Grip: 4.125"
Core Thickness: 14mm or 16mm
Surface: Carbon Fiber
Price: $150-179
Check on Amazon: Click Here
Coming in at number five among our top ten pickleball paddles for tennis elbow brings us from the best option for ex tennis players to the best option for ex table tennis players: The Joola Radius!
I love that I'm able to put this one on the list for multiple reasons. This one actually shows up on other lists just because it is a great option on it's own, but I get a double whammy considering we're talking about the best options for specific types of players as well (this time obvious ping pong/table tennis).
Joola perfected the game of table tennis products prior to taking the pickleball world by storm, so this is their design that follows the structure that perfected over with their table tennis side of things.
The Top Ten Pickleball Paddles For Tennis Elbow
Number Six: Head Radical Pro
The Best Budget Option
Head Radical pro SPECS:
Length/Width: 16" / 7.875"
Weight: 8.1 oz
Grip Length: 5"
Handle Grip: 4.125"
Core Thickness: 1/2"
Surface: Composite
Price: $89
Check on Amazon: Click Here
Coming in at number six among our top ten pickleball paddles for tennis elbow brings us to our best budget option on the list: The Head Radical Pro!
I'll be honest, I'm not in love with this paddle. But then again it's hard to get me to "love" anything that doesn't resemble my Joola Hyperion style.
That said, this one is great for a paddle that is good for tennis elbow coming in under $100, which can be hard to find to get this type of quality for that price range.
The Top Ten Pickleball Paddles For Tennis Elbow
Number Seven: Onix Graphite Z5
The Best For Backup and Drilling (or Beginner Option)
onix graphite z5 SPECS:
Length/Width: 15.5" / 8.125"
Weight: 7.5-8.2 oz
Grip Length: 5"
Handle Grip: 4.25"
Core Thickness: 11mm
Surface: Graphite with Nomex Core
Price: $89
Check on Amazon: Click Here
Coming in at number seven among our top ten pickleball paddles for tennis elbow brings us the best paddle for drilling or as a backup paddle: The Onix Graphite Z5.
This one technically could just be labeled as "the next best budget option" but I liked this title better because there are a couple different reasons we're adding this one to the list to go along with that $89 price point that it shares with our Head Radical Pro paddle above.
Oh, and as an added bonus, this one comes in over a dozen different color options.
The Top Ten Pickleball Paddles For Tennis Elbow
Number Eight: Gamma Compass NeuCore
The Best Elongated Option (For Extra Reach)
GammA compass SPECS:
Length/Width: 16.625" / 7.125"
Weight: 7.75 oz
Grip Length: 5"
Handle Grip: 4.25"
Core Thickness: 5/8"
Surface: Textured Graphite
Price: $120-140
Check on Amazon: Click Here
Coming in at number eight among our top ten pickleball paddles for tennis elbow brings us the best elongated option for players who are looking for a bit more reach: The Gamma Compass!
I was happy to notice a lot of other people recommend this one for not only tennis elbow but just as one of the top elongated paddles for extra reach as well because I play with some ex-tennis players who are older (and need the reach) who swear by this paddle and I knew I needed to add it to the list.
This one comes in at a fairly low price, which is another check in the plus collumn, and can easily be weighted up a bit to hit the marker we're looking for in specs.
That said, it will come with a different type of playstyle, but if you're looking for that extended arm in a paddle, this might just be the perfect one for you.
The Top Ten Pickleball Paddles For Tennis Elbow
Number Nine: Joola Ben Johns Hyperion 16MM
My Personal Favorite Option
Joola Hyperion SPECS:
Length/Width: 16.5" / 7.5"
Weight: 8.4 oz
Grip Length: 5.5"
Handle Grip: 4.25"
Core Thickness: 16mm
Surface: Carbon Fiber
Price: $180-220
Check on Amazon: Click Here
Coming in at number nine among our top ten pickleball paddles for tennis elbow is my personal favorite option (and my personal paddle favorite paddle): the Joola Ben Johns Hyperion 16mm.
Right off the bat you can see that there are very similar specs between The Legacy Pro and the Ben Johns Hyperion with the length and width, heavier weight and very close grip length as well.
The heavy weight and thick grip will be a bonus to play into the benefits that make a paddle good for tennis elbow, and this is one of the top paddles on the market that happens to be the signature paddle of the best player in the game.
Please note: this paddle is head heavy, so you will need to add weight closer to the grip side of your paddle if you want it to be weighted properly for what we discussed is beneficial for tennis elbow.
If it wasn't for the top heavy aspect of this paddle I'd be putting it way higher on the list, but this one definitely isn't the best option out of the box, and will actually be negative for tennis elbow unless you make modifications.
The only paddle that I plan to rotate this with, after tons of testing with other paddles, is the brand new Joola Perseus paddle.
The Top Ten Pickleball Paddles For Tennis Elbow
Number Ten: Selkirk Amped S2
The Best Selkirk Option
Selkirk amped s2 SPECS:
Length/Width: 15.75" / 8"
Weight: 7.9-8.4 oz
Grip Length: 4.5"
Handle Grip: 4.25"
Core Thickness: 5/8"
Surface: Fiberglass
Price: $150
Check on Amazon: Click Here
Coming in at number ten among our top ten pickleball paddles for tennis elbow is one for our Selkirk lovers out there: The Selkirk Amped S2.
I personally prefer the Selkirk Halo which is around the same price for a pro level paddle with amazing specs and options, but I wanted to honor the fact this one seems to come into the tennis elbow conversation more often than the Halo, but I personally believe it's due to the fact that it's more accessible and also comes in better shapes for older players as well.
That said, I'd definitely check out both if you're a Selkirk fan looking for a paddle that's good for tennis elbow.
The Top Ten Pickleball Paddles For Tennis Elbow
The Top Ten Pickleball Paddles For Tennis Elbow - Runner Ups (Other Great Options, In No Specific Order):
These best pickleball paddles for tennis elbow is a recurring question that is extremely important for new and current players, and this list should be able to do a great job steering you in the right direction of one that can help alleviate the pain.
Make sure to focus on the things we discussed above (like a heavier paddle, but not head heavy, thicker grip, and vibration control) if you're going to stray from this list a bit, and you should still be in good shape.
Do you struggle with tennis elbow? What is your preferred pickleball paddle for tennis elbow?
