Incidence of injuries and associated risk factors in a sample of Italian recreational padel players

BACKGROUND: Padel is a racket sport similar to tennis, which since the COVID-19 pandemic has been gaining popularity among recreational players. Despite its popularity, epidemiological studies are still lacking. This study aimed to identify the prevalence of injuries among Italian recreational padel players and associated risk factors. METHODS: A questionnaire was administered to 127 recreational padel players between January 2022 to March 2022. The questionnaire consisted of questions to collect information regarding intrinsic and extrinsic factors related to padel practice, injury location, and injury typology. Frequencies and proportions were calculated for variable description. Binomial logistic regression was adopted to identify potential risk factors. RESULTS: Of the 127 participants, 100 (78.8%) reported having had an injury during the previous year. Such injury in most cases (37%) resulted in an absence from padel from 8 to 28 days. The most common injury locations were lower leg/Achilles tendon (17.1%) and elbow (13.8%), while the most common injury typologies were tendinopathies (33.6%) and contusions (14.9%). Among the identified risk factors the amount of time played padel (3.5-5 hours/week), racket type (round), and racket weight (either not knowing or 356-375 g) resulted in an increase in the probability of occurring an injury. CONCLUSIONS: Recreational padel results in a high percentage of injuries. These frequently result in tendinopathies of the Achilles tendon and elbow. Inadequate racket characteristics and the amount of time played could contribute to an increase in injury incidence.