Stay on the Court: Dr. Rynecki Baker on Preventing Shoulder and Elbow Injuries in Racquet Sports

Posted on: October 21st, 2026 by Our Team

Dr. Nicole Rynecki Baker recently spoke with Valencia Reserve in Boynton Beach, FL about an issue she sees in her clinic every week: shoulder and elbow injuries in tennis, pickleball, and padel players. Broward and Palm Beach County are some of the most active racquet-sport communities in the country, and players are on the court more often and for longer than ever. That’s great for fitness, but it also means more overuse injuries.

The good news, Dr. Rynecki Baker explained, is that most of these injuries are preventable, and most are treatable without surgery when caught early. Here are the highlights.

The Most Common Injuries

• Tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis): Pain on the outside of the elbow from overloading the forearm tendons that extend the wrist. Common with backhands, a grip that’s too tight, or a racquet or paddle that doesn’t fit.
• Golfer’s elbow (medial epicondylitis): Pain on the inside of the elbow, often from forehands, topspin, and serves.
• Rotator cuff tendinitis and tears: Shoulder pain with overhead shots and serves, often worse at night.
• Shoulder impingement: Pinching and pain when reaching overhead, frequently tied to weak shoulder blade muscles and posture.
• Biceps tendinitis: Pain at the front of the shoulder, common in players who serve and smash hard.

Five Ways to Reduce Your Risk

1. Warm up with purpose. Five to ten minutes of light cardio, arm circles, and band work for the shoulder before play.
2. Build volume gradually. Most overuse injuries follow a sudden jump in playing time, such as a new league, a tournament weekend, or a return from vacation.
3. Strengthen what protects you. Rotator cuff, shoulder blade, and forearm strengthening two to three times a week is the best injury insurance a player can have.
4. Check your equipment. Grip size, string tension, and racquet or paddle weight all affect the load on the elbow. A grip that’s too small makes players squeeze harder.
5. Mind your technique. A lesson with a pro to clean up a backhand or serve can take a surprising amount of stress off the arm.

When to See a Specialist

Dr. Rynecki Baker advises players not to play through these warning signs:

• Pain that lasts more than two weeks or keeps returning
• Pain that wakes you up at night
• Weakness lifting your arm or gripping your racquet
• A pop followed by pain, bruising, or weakness
• Numbness or tingling in the hand or fingers
• A shoulder that feels loose or slips out of place

Keeping Players in the Game

Dr. Rynecki Baker understands how much a sport means to the people who play it. Her goal is always to keep players on the court, starting with targeted therapy, strengthening, and treatment before considering surgery. When surgery is needed, she uses minimally invasive techniques with a clear plan to return to play.