Blog 4: Everything Padel
Part 4: Knee and Ankle Injuries in Padel (And How to Build Resilience)
Welcome back to Everything Padel. I'm Dr. Keirstyn, a chiropractor and endurance coach at Endurance Therapeutics in Oakville. In Part 1, we covered why padel is hard on your body. In Part 2, we looked at shoulder and elbow injuries. In Part 3, we tackled lower back pain and core stability. Today, we're talking about knee and ankle injuries, the lower body structures that absorb the explosive lateral movement and quick direction changes that define padel.
If you've been playing padel regularly, you've probably felt at least one of these. That sharp pain on the inside of your knee after a long match. The ankle that rolls when you plant hard and change direction. The stiffness in your knee the next morning that takes half the day to loosen up.
Knee and ankle injuries in padel are not random. They're driven by poor landing mechanics, weak stabilizers, and repetitive load that exceeds your tissue's capacity to adapt.
Why Padel Is Hard on Your Knees and Ankles
Padel demands explosive lateral movement, quick direction changes, and constant deceleration. Every time you plant and push off, your knees and ankles absorb force. Every time you stop hard and change direction, your lower body stabilizers work to control your position.
When your glutes are weak, your hips collapse inward, and your knee tracks poorly. When your ankle stabilizers are weak, your foot rolls when you plant hard. When your landing mechanics break down under fatigue, your knees and ankles take on load they're not designed to handle.
Here's what your knees and ankles are dealing with in padel:
Repetitive Lateral Movement: Every side-to-side shuffle and quick direction change loads your knees and ankles in ways they're not used to if you're coming from a straight-line sport.
Poor Landing Mechanics: If you land with your knee collapsing inward or your foot rolling outward, your knee and ankle ligaments are being overloaded with every plant.
Weak Glutes and Hip Stabilizers: Your glutes control hip and knee position. When they're weak, your knee collapses inward, increasing the load on your knee ligaments and cartilage.
Weak Ankle Stabilizers: Your ankle stabilizers control foot position during landing and push off. When they're weak, your ankle rolls when you plant hard, increasing the risk of sprains.
The Most Common Knee Injuries in Padel
1. Patellar Tendinopathy (Jumper's Knee)
Patellar tendinopathy is pain at the front of your knee, just below your kneecap. It's caused by repetitive loading of the patellar tendon, the structure that connects your kneecap to your shin bone. It shows up in padel players who play frequently or who have poor landing mechanics.
The pain is usually worse when you jump, land, or go up and down stairs. It starts as a dull ache that shows up after playing, and it gets worse as the weeks go on.
2. Medial Collateral Ligament (MCL) Strain
MCL strain is pain on the inside of your knee, caused by excessive inward collapse of your knee during landing or direction changes. It's common in padel players who have weak glutes and poor hip control.
The pain is usually sharp when you plant and push off, and it gets worse with lateral movement.
3. Meniscus Irritation
Meniscus irritation is pain deep inside your knee, often accompanied by clicking, catching, or locking. It's caused by repetitive twisting and compression of the meniscus, the cartilage that cushions your knee joint.
It shows up in padel players who have poor rotation mechanics and who load their knee in compromised positions.
The Most Common Ankle Injuries in Padel
1. Lateral Ankle Sprain
Lateral ankle sprain is the most common ankle injury in padel. It happens when your foot rolls outward and the ligaments on the outside of your ankle are stretched or torn. It's caused by poor landing mechanics, weak ankle stabilizers, and fatigue.
The pain is sharp when it happens, and it's usually accompanied by swelling and bruising. If you've sprained your ankle before, you're at higher risk of spraining it again because the ligaments are weaker and the proprioception (your body's sense of where your ankle is in space) is compromised.
2. Achilles Tendinopathy
Achilles tendinopathy is pain at the back of your ankle, just above your heel. It's caused by repetitive loading of the Achilles tendon, the structure that connects your calf muscles to your heel bone. It shows up in padel players who ramp up their playing volume too quickly or who have tight calves and poor ankle mobility.
The pain is usually worse in the morning and improves with movement. It gets worse with explosive push off and jumping.
How to Actually Fix Knee and Ankle Injuries
To heal knee and ankle injuries, we need to restore mobility where it's restricted, build strength where it's lacking, and teach your body to land and move efficiently under the demands of the sport.
For Knee Pain:
Manage the Load: Avoid activities that cause sharp pain. If jumping and lateral movement hurt, reduce your playing volume and focus on controlled movement at lower intensity.
Build Glute Strength: Your glutes control hip and knee position. Incorporate glute bridges, single leg deadlifts, clamshells, and lateral band walks to build glute strength and improve knee tracking.
Improve Landing Mechanics: Work on landing with your knee tracking over your toes, not collapsing inward. Practice single leg squats and step downs to build control.
Strengthen Your Quadriceps: Your quadriceps control knee extension and absorb force during landing. Incorporate squats, lunges, and step ups to build quadriceps strength.
Manual Therapy: In the clinic, I use soft tissue therapy to release tension in your quadriceps, hip flexors, and IT band. I also find joint mobilizations are perfect to restore proper movement to your knee, hip, and ankle.
For Ankle Pain:
Manage the Load: Avoid activities that cause sharp pain. If lateral movement and push off hurt, reduce your playing volume and focus on controlled movement at lower intensity.
Build Ankle Stability: Your ankle stabilizers control foot position during landing and push off. Incorporate single leg balance exercises, ankle circles, and resistance band work to build ankle stability.
Improve Calf Strength: Your calf muscles control ankle position and absorb force during push off. Incorporate calf raises (both straight leg and bent knee) to build calf strength.
Restore Ankle Mobility: If your ankle is stiff, your foot compensates by rolling outward. Incorporate ankle mobility drills and calf stretches to restore ankle range of motion.
Manual Therapy: In the clinic, I use soft tissue therapy to release tension in your calves and Achilles tendon. I use joint mobilizations to restore proper movement to your ankle and foot.
Check out my YouTube channel for knee and ankle strengthening exercises
What to Watch For
If your knee pain is accompanied by locking, catching, or giving way, it's a sign that the issue may involve a meniscus tear or ligament damage. If your ankle pain is accompanied by significant swelling, bruising, or inability to bear weight, it's a sign that the sprain is severe and requires immediate attention. These are red flags that require professional evaluation.
Final Word
Knee and ankle injuries in padel are signs that your glutes, hip stabilizers, ankle stabilizers, and landing mechanics need attention. By addressing the root cause, you can play without that sharp pain that keeps you off the court.
In Part 5, we'll wrap up the series by looking at how to build a training plan that keeps you healthy, strong, and playing padel for the long haul.
Struggling with knee or ankle pain that keeps coming back? Book an assessment with me, Dr. Keirstyn, at Endurance Therapeutics. Let's find the root cause and build a plan to get you back on the court pain free.
📍 Endurance Therapeutics | Oakville, Ontario
📞 905-288-7161