“Grip Size and Overgrips: The Cheap Fix for Elbow and Wrist Pain”

Before you buy a $250 vibration-absorbing paddle or a new $400 racket, spend $5 on an overgrip. Grip size is the most underrated variable in racquet sports, and getting it wrong loads the elbow and wrist with every single shot.

Wrong grip size is a top cause of the two-handed symptoms every racquet player fears: tennis elbow (from squeezing a too-thin grip) and wrist pain (from locking a too-thick one). This guide is the 5-minute fix.

Health note: performance advice, not a diagnosis.

Measure your grip (2 minutes)

1. With palms flat, align a ruler to the base crease of your palm.
2. Measure straight to the tip of your ring finger.
3. Compare against the grip chart below.

(A quarter-inch of grip replacement ≈ one grip size.)

The sizing rules for joint health

• Too small → elbow pain. You squeeze to stabilize, firing the forearm extensors that become tennis elbow.
• Too big → wrist pain and lost control. The wrist locks; every shot becomes a shoulder-and-wrist grind.
• “If unsure, go bigger” holds only for paddle play. Pickleball players who move to 4 ½ sizes reduce the squeeze without losing control.

The 60-second overgrip upgrade

1. Clean the base grip.
2. Wrap an overgrip (0.5-1mm) with light overlap, finishing at the butt cap.
3. Test: you should be able to hold the implement with a relaxed pressure — fingers lightly wrapped, wrist free.

Cost: about $4-6. Effect: often the difference between a sore elbow and a quiet one.

Frequently asked questions

How do I know my grip size?

Measure from the base crease of your palm to the tip of your ring finger. Pickleball paddles around 4 1/8-4 5/8 inch; tennis rackets in 1/8-inch sizes. If in doubt, size slightly larger.

Why does grip size cause elbow pain?

A grip too small makes you squeeze harder to control the head, firing the forearm tendons that cause tennis elbow. A grip too big locks the wrist and overworks it. Both push load onto the elbow.

Should I add an overgrip?

If the grip feels thin and you catch yourself squeezing, add a 0.5-1mm overgrip. Overgrips also swap cheap and easy — trying a thicker one costs under $5 and often ends elbow pain.

Is a thicker grip always safer?

No. Too thick kills wrist play and changes your swing. The right grip lets you hold the implement loosely with the wrist free — that’s the healthy balance, not maximum thickness.

The bottom line

Elbow pain in racquet sports is often a grip problem in disguise. Measure once, re-grip once, and let the overgrip do the talking — it’s the cheapest fix in the game, and it rarely steals the show from the tendon that’s actually complaining.