My Experience with Pickleball Elbow Pain and What Helped

Pickleball was one of the most enjoyable forms of physical activity that I soon became fond of. Fast life, the society, the competitive advantage, everything fell into place. I would play three-four times in a week; occasionally during a tournament. However, during a couple of heavy months of dinks, volleys, and backhand shots, something began to feel wrong in my arm. Do you know that general elbow brace helps too.

It began at first as a sort of numbing pain around my elbow. I attributed it to being muscle tired. However, with time the ache changed to a pain that was still there when I would walk out of the court. It even affected simple tasks like a twist of doorknob or picking of a cup of coffee. This is when I came to realize that this was not soreness but something more.

Discovering It Was Tennis Elbow (a.k.a. Pickleball Elbow)

But after a little bit of searching and chatting with some other esteemed pickleball fellows, I found out that what I was developing was generically known as a pickleball elbow, but in professional terms, it goes by the name of tennis elbow. 

It happens as a result of repetitive motion that puts a strain on the tendons in your forearm which is just about to be inevitable due to picking the wrist and bouncing back in pickleball. It was disappointing and frustrating. I did not want to stop playing, but pain was what was impeding.

I at some point even thought of quitting the sport altogether. However, my plan was already full of games of the league, weekly clinics, and friendly matches with friends. Taking a break did not seem to be an option and it was emotionally challenging to remain out of the court. 

I tried icing, stretching, over the counter analgesics and even a little kinesiology tape. They assisted a bit, but with playing this was insufficient to make any difference. I wanted something that would hold my elbow in the games-not only in the recuperating period.

Why I Also Tried BetterSpine’s General Elbow Brace

This is the time that I came across the tennis elbow straps known as BetterSpine’s tennis elbow straps. One of my pickleball friends swore by them, so I really didn’t have any objections. I placed an order for the tennis elbow brace in the BetterSpine collection and it was delivered after a few days. 

Even before I opened the box, I could see that it was a quality piece, well-constructed but not heavy, and with adjustable straps which do not cut into your skin or shift around. The following time I went out on the court I had it on minerally, and better get relief with it than none at all.

To my surprise, I felt that I was immediately different. I felt an even pressure around my forearm and the elbow and it alleviated the pains I would experience after a couple of serves. 

However, it did not limit my range of movement as being able to swing normally it appeared to make the area much steadier to move around in, so that I did not wince every time I had to reach a low ball. The most brilliant thing? I was able to play a complete game and even not experience the pain later. Weeks ago I had not thought of such.

Afterward, during the following several sessions, I continued to use the BetterSpine tennis elbow strap. It did not only aid the pain level during play, but it also appeared that it aided in the overall recovery. 

I was walking with more confidence and already felt like myself. I included some stretching and a bit of light strengthening in between games and slowly the pain started to go away. It did not disappear in a day or two, but gradually and obviously the improvement was observed.

I finally chose to use one of the general elbow braces by BetterSpine, which offers a wider range of products, at times when my elbow was feeling light or brittle. The latter one gave a bit more general support, encompassing more area of the joint and forearm. I would wear it at long tournaments or days when I had back to back matches. 

Here’s a simple comparison of the two options I tried:

Product	Best For	Fit & Feel	When I Use It
BetterSpine Tennis Elbow Strap	Targeted tendon support	Lightweight, snug, adjustable	Regular play, mild to moderate pain
BetterSpine General Elbow Brace	Full joint stability & compression	Slightly bulkier, breathable material	Tournaments, recovery days, heavy play

My End Verdict

Today, I’m back to playing pickleball three to four times a week without the fear of flaring up my elbow. I still wear my BetterSpine brace during games—sometimes just as a precaution—but the pain that once threatened to bench me is now under control. More importantly, I’ve learned how critical the right kind of support can be for injury prevention and recovery.

If you’re dealing with pickleball elbow or any kind of repetitive strain injury from your favorite sport, I can’t recommend BetterSpine enough. Their braces gave me a way to stay in the game while my body healed, and honestly, I don’t think I would’ve made it through that rough patch without them. Pickleball is too much fun to give up—and now, I don’t have to.