Although pickleball isn’t quite as intense as tennis, the eponymous tennis elbow is still rife in the game. Devastating for any avid sportsperson, unlike usual strains and sprains, it can take as long as two years to fully heal.
What’s worse, if it goes untreated, it can persist indefinitely, transitioning into more serious conditions that may even require surgery to resolve. At that point, you can kiss your pickleball career goodbye for a long time.
Not to worry though, picklers. After days of research we’ve compiled a list of the 15 best tennis elbow braces, supports, and sleeves around. Let’s get you back in the game!
OUR TOP PICK
Bauerfeind is an orthotics specialist with 80 years experience in the game, favored by tons of professional athletes.
Utilizing two specialized pads that gently massage the connective tissue of your inner and outer elbow as it compresses, it stimulates circulation and relieves tendons.
The highly breathable Air Knit fabric has excellent moisture wicking properties, meaning you cool, and it draws sweat away from the skin, keeping you comfortable if you have to wear the brace for extended periods.
Anatomical grip-zones and multiple sizes ensure the perfect fit and eliminate that irritating slippage that occurs with many other sleeve designs. It’s completely washable and designed to last.
Pros
- Fabrics - Air Knit keeps you comfortable no longer how long you wear it.
- Compression - Dual pads massage connective tissue and reduce pain.
- Durability - One of these supports will last a lifetime.
Cons
- Price - Premium product = premium price.
EDITORS CHOICE
The Simien tennis elbow brace is a one size fits all device with a gel-like compression pad that applies gentle but effective pressure on the tendons, vastly reducing the effects of tennis elbow.
Fitted with a secure velcro strap, it’s easy to adjust on the go or even quickly between serves in the middle of a pickleball game.
It’s crafted from nylon and neoprene, an exceedingly tough textile team. Neither of these materials are breathable, but the brace covers such a small area of the arm, it doesn’t matter.
Arriving as a pack of two, you can either keep a fresh support at work or the gym or share one with a friend or family member.
They also come with a couple of handy bonus items, namely, a sweatband and informative ‘Addressing Tennis Elbow’ E-Book, so you can study up and banish that debilitating pain as soon as possible.
Pros
- Adjustable - Velcro band is adjustable on the go or on the court.
- Durability - One will last forever or your money back.
- Minimal - Won’t restrict your movement whatsoever.
Cons
- Breathability - Neoprene and nylon are famously stifling materials.
BEST VALUE
If our top Bauerfeind sleeve sounded great to you, but you’re not looking to smash your piggy bank just yet, this Kunto sleeve is the next best thing.
Offering even support across the entire elbow, it’s the perfect option for relieving widespread pain.
Made from 70% nylon, 15% spandex, and 15% natural rubber, it’s tough as nails, and soft as silk.
The fabrics themselves aren’t that breathable, but the mesh knit ensures constant airflow, keeping you nice and comfortable no matter how active your day gets.
Whether you overextended while dunking in a friendly basketball game, pushed yourself too hard lifting weights, or simply need to ease yourself back into pickleball, the Kunto sleeve is a great shortcut for getting back at it.
Pros
- Coverage - Even pressure supports the whole elbow.
- Comfort - Feels really nice, even after a full day of wearing it.
- Durability - No need to be gentle with this thing.
Cons
- Breathability - Fabrics aren’t too breathable.
RUNNER UP
No matter what your normal elbow support preferences are, you should definitely also own one of these ice braces for soothing your soft tissue after an activity.
Place it in your freezer for 90 minutes and voilà! You’ve got yourself a 360° cold compress support. After only 15 minutes, swelling is reduced, pain fades away, and the chances of exacerbating your injury are nullified.
This is why professional athletes take ice baths, it soothes trouble areas, speeds up recovery, and primes your body for more exercise.
Use the Cold Ones brace 3 times a day, and you can fully recover in as little as 6 months. Even if you forget to throw this thing in the freezer, it can still be used as a highly effective standard soft brace, but as it’s made of neoprene (think wetsuits and galoshes) it’s not so breathable.
In light of this, it’s not great for using during exercise.
Pros
- Speedy Recovery - Proven to accelerate the healing process.
- Multi-Use - Can be used as a standard soft brace.
- Eco-Friendly - No chemical gels, just ionized H20
Cons
- Price - It’s costly but totally worth it.
- Breathability - Not breathable enough to wear during exercise.
RUNNER UP
The Venom sleeve doesn’t just look super cool, it’s amazingly effective in speeding up the recovery process of tennis elbow sufferers and getting them back on the court.
It offers general soft support across the entire elbow as well as extra localized pressure for those problem areas.
The localized pressure is applied using the integrated elbow strap. Secured using high-quality velcro, you’re able to customize the pressure to suit the severity of your personal ailments.
Reinforced to ensure it never lets you down no matter how intense that match becomes, the strap serves an essential secondary purpose: preventing the sleeve from shifting during your workout.
It’s a little more restrictive than other sleeves, but this is an intentional facet of the design that helps to prevent further injury via overextension. As such we recommend this sleeve early on in the rehabilitation process.
Pros
- Wide and Localized Support - Tailor pressure to suit your recovery.
- Prevents Overextension - Perfect for preventing further injury.
- Aesthetics - Looks stylish and professional.
Cons
- Limits Movement - You may want to switch up to a lighter brace as you heal.
RUNNER UP
Here we have another fantastic band brace that can ease the effects of tennis elbow during a pickleball match without restricting your movement or hampering your game in any way.
Focusing on relieving the negative effects of excess muscle pressure, it’s best used for activities that require explosive movements.
The adjustable targeted device allows you to hone in on the problem area and set the perfect amount of pressure for you. Dual sorbothane pads drastically reduce vibration transmission, keeping your elbow secure and ready to serve some straight-up fireballs!
The hook and loop velcro fastening system is both secure and easy to adjust, and the flat seam structure forms a comfortable seal around the elbow, preventing shifting without digging into your skin.
It’s a neoprene band, so it’s not suitable for all-day use, but it can’t be beaten for giving you an on-court edge when you feel you’re ready to get your pickle on again.
Pros
- Nonrestrictive - Won’t hold you back in a pickleball match.
- Sorbothane Pads - Ease pressure on tendons and muscles by reducing vibration.
- Price - Very affordable road to recovery.
Cons
- Non-Breathable - Gets a little itchy after a while.
RUNNER UP
One of the biggest driving forces of recovery is adequate sleep, which is why our seventh saintly elbow support is designed specifically for bedtime.
Two metal splints align your arm, so when you’re slinging some Zs, you don’t accidentally cause yourself any further harm or wake yourself repeatedly.
Secured by not one, not two, but three wide straps, it doesn’t slip a millimeter in the night, ensuring you get the support and rest you need to streamline the recovery process.
You shouldn’t use this brace after a certain point of recovery, but early on, when the pain is truly debilitating, it’s a no-brainer.
No matter how wild your dreams get or how much you toss and turn, the Zouyue brace ensures your elbow remains set and supported, so you wake up feeling fresh and ready for a new day.
Pros
- Removable Splints - Avoid broken sleep by setting your arm before bed.
- Secure Fastening - Three adjustable velcro straps hold it in place.
- Comfortable - Breathable material keeps it from feeling like a burden.
Cons
- Versatility - Not as much of an all-rounder as some other picks.
RUNNER UP
We consider the Bracoo elbow support to be the ideal brace for transitioning from complete stasis after an op, to slightly increased freedom of movement.
It’s just stiff enough to prevent hyperextension, yet there’s enough give to start testing the waters and rebuilding some muscle strength and flexibility.
The four-way stretch fabric applies pressure evenly around the elbow, so no area is over-compressed or unsupported. This allows your whole arm to heal and strengthen at the same pace, helping you to get back out on the court ASAP.
Secured with two extra-wide velcro straps, it never slips out of place, especially as sudden movements after surgery are strictly out of the question.
Yet another neoprene design, not much air can get through to your skin, but in this case, it’s a necessary evil as neoprene is the only fabric capable of applying so much pressure in such a gentle way.
Pros
- Rigidity - Perfect for op recovery.
- Secure - Wide, adjustable velcro straps keep it firmly in place.
- 4-Way Stretch Fabric - applies even pressure, preventing any further injury.
Cons
- Non-Breathable - It’s going to get sweaty under there.
RUNNER UP
Similar to the other band supports on our list the SENTEQ brace offers a minimal, pain relieving solution for on-court action; however, it covers a slightly wider portion of the elbow.
Despite this wider coverage, it still features focused gel pads that apply extra pressure directly on the epicenter of the pain, switching up wincing for winning!
Applauded for it’s loose yet supportive feel, it’s often preferred by those who deem thinner bands to be too rigid. It also secures in place more effectively than most discreet braces on the market, and not having to constantly readjust it during a game is a godsend.
This amount of support normally comes at the expense of some movement, but that’s simply not the case with the SENTEQ brace. Slip on one of these, and you’ll be dominating the court in no time.
Pros
- Width - Perfect width for extra support on the court.
- Gel Pads - Gel pads apply extra pressure at the source of the pain.
- Freedom of Movement - Nothing to slow you down with this design.
Cons
- Breathability - Neoprene straps block airflow to the problem area.
RUNNER UP
If you’re looking for a minimal design at a reasonable price point, this 2-in-1 pack of Tomight braces should hit the spot.
As there are two velcro straps, adjusting pressure on the fly is a little more time-consuming, but they ensure the compression pad offers even support across the side of your elbow, stopping the pain from flaring up in one particular area.
We’d recommend this brace if you’re in the final stages of your recovery. The thin, focused design is perfect for eliminating the last little bits of residual pain after an injury.
Pros
- Highly Focused - Small pressure pad targets specific area.
- Price - Cheaper than most other braces, and you get two in a pack.
- Even Pressure - Two lateral straps ensure support is evenly spread out.
Cons
- Support - Not enough support for most of the recovery process.
RUNNER UP
Here’s another cheap yet effective solution to your tennis elbow woes. It’s made partly from neoprene, but the rest is a highly breathable mesh fabric, so despite being all wrapped up, you’ll still reap the benefits of a nice cool breeze.
The focused gel pad provides noticeable pain relief and the single velcro strap does a fantastic job of keeping it stationary during exercise.
It’s the only elbow support on our entire list that features reflective materials, making it ideal for a jog after dark or taking the dog for a nice long walk before bed.
Our one caveat is that the sizing can be a little strange, so it makes sense to order a couple and return the ones that don’t fit quite right.
Pros
- Reflective Materials - Keeps you safe from traffic in the dark.
- Easily Adjusted - Single strap can be tweaked in seconds.
- Gel Pad - Gel pads offer super effective pain relief.
Cons
- Sizing - You may have to order a few to get the right fit.
RUNNER UP
Finished with an antimicrobial treatment, the Mueller elbow support should be your brace of choice if you need to keep it on indefinitely.
If, say, you’ve had surgery, and you’re waiting to have your stitches removed, you can wear it for days, and you won’t smell any nasty odors.
Pair that with the Hydramesh fabric that wicks sweat away from your skin, and you’ve got a brace suitable for sweltering summer days.
Two large, adjustable velcro straps secure it in place, and it applies enough compression that it can be used to keep your arm straight as you sleep.
Unfortunately, though, there’s only one large size, so unless you’ve got some serious guns, it’s probably not for you.
Pros
- Antimicrobial - Reduces buildups of odor.
- Hydramesh - Draws sweat from the skin, leaving you dry and comfortable.
- Rigidity - Suitable for sleep.
Cons
- Sizing - Designed for muscular builds.
RUNNER UP
Thirteen may be unlucky for some, but not for you! Here at our thirteenth spot, we’ve got a full system that totally obliterates the negative effects of tennis elbow.
It comes with a full sleeve for general widespread support to reduce the radiation of pain, and a thin compression band for localized quelling of the pain center.
Some sleeves come with an attached compression band, but they don’t allow the customization that a system does.
Fitted with soothing gel pads, the targeted brace enables the sudden movements demanded by pickleball, while the sleeve improves circulation, kick-starting muscle recovery.
Not an instant fix, you’ll have to wear it for a month or so to truly start seeing the benefits, but ultimately, it’s a fantastic way to stay active with an injury.
Pros
- Full System - Two-piece kit targets your personal aches and pains.
- Adjustability - Single strap targeted brace can be altered in seconds.
- Sizing - Runs from XS - XL.
Cons
- Takes Time - Won’t instantly eliminate pain.
RUNNER UP
Our fourteenth pick has a trick up its sleeve - see what we did there? It may look like a standard support product, but what you don’t see is that the nylon fibers have been infused with copper.
Why copper, you ask? Well, for one, it makes the sleeve more durable, and two, it has natural antimicrobial properties that reduce stale, sweaty odors.
You’d be forgiven for thinking a sleeve with such a high copper content would feel awful on your skin, it is metal after all, but the Copper Recovery Sleeve is incredibly soft. That said, some claim they can be too tight, so if you’re between sizes, go up rather than down.
Offering the perfect amount of support for the final stages of your recovery, the Copper sleeve is your ticket back into the action.
Pros
- Copper Content - Strengthens sleeve and reduces odor.
- Pain Relief - Minimal pain during exercise.
- Interior Grip Zones - Rarely shifts out of place.
Cons
- Sizing - It pays off to go a size up.
RUNNER UP
Coming in at our final spot, we have another awesome, super minimal targeted brace, ideal for cracking down on that troublesome zone without giving the rest of your arm any unnecessary support.
Made from 35% nylon and 65% neoprene, it’s the perfect blend of stretch and strength, allowing you to tailor compression levels to your injury.
Featuring two adjustable hook and loop straps, it’s more secure than most small support braces on the market, but adjusting takes a little extra time.
Wearing this brace every other day is a great way to alleviate the pain of tendonitis as quickly as possible without your muscles becoming too reliant on it. Wear it on the court, and you’ll feel like your old self again.
Pros
- Targeted - Focus support where you need it.
- Textiles - Stretchy and strong for maximum comfort and compression.
- Secure - Two straps hold it firmly in place.
Cons
- Thin - Not suitable for widespread pain.