RACKET SPORTS
Every shot is a whole-body movement.
Padel, tennis and badminton ask your body to rotate, accelerate, decelerate, change direction and recover—often within a fraction of a second. Although discomfort may appear at the shoulder, elbow, wrist, knee or back, the movement pattern influencing it may begin somewhere else.
Your feet create the base. Your hips and spine help generate and transfer force. Your ribcage and shoulder blade organise the arm, while balance and control allow you to reach, strike and recover without unnecessary effort.
Through detailed movement analysis and tailored Pilates, I look at how those relationships work together., I look at how those relationships work together. We can improve mobility where movement is restricted, build strength into better patterns and help your body remain organised as speed, repetition and fatigue increase.
The aim is not simply to become more flexible or stronger. It is to move with greater efficiency, resilience and confidence—so your body supports the way you want to play.
THE WHOLE MOVEMENT CHAIN
The arm is only the end of the movement.
Power is created from the ground upwards—and your body must also control that force as you stop, recover and prepare for the next shot.
A sore shoulder, elbow or wrist does not necessarily mean the problem begins there. If the feet are not creating a stable base, the hips cannot rotate freely or the ribcage remains restricted, the arm may be asked to generate and absorb more force than it should.
I look at how pressure travels through the feet, how the pelvis and spine organise rotation, and whether the shoulder blade can support the arm without the neck and upper body becoming tense. I also consider what happens after the shot: how effectively you decelerate, regain balance and move into position again.
Repeated one-sided movement can gradually exaggerate differences between the two sides. The aim is not to make your body perfectly symmetrical, but to ensure that you have enough mobility, strength and control on both sides to play efficiently and tolerate the repeated demands of your sport.
WHAT CAN CHANGE ON COURT
Move better into, through and out of every shot.
The aim is not to impose a textbook technique. It is to give your body more options, so you can create force, control momentum and recover position without relying on unnecessary tension or compensation.
Rotation with support
Generate power through the hips, ribcage and spine while maintaining enough control through the pelvis and centre to avoid collapsing, bracing or pulling the movement from the shoulder.
Faster changes of direction
Improve how your feet, ankles, knees and hips absorb load and reorganise, helping you move into position and recover with greater balance and confidence.
A freer shoulder and arm
Create better support from the ribcage and shoulder blade so the arm can move with less interference from gripping through the neck, chest or upper back.
Control as fatigue builds
Develop the stamina, coordination and movement awareness needed to maintain your organisation as rallies lengthen, repetition increases and movement becomes less precise.
PADEL, TENNIS & BADMINTON
The movement principles connect. The demands are different.
The work is shaped around how you play, what your body is being asked to do and where you feel that the movement begins to break down.
Padel
The smaller court creates constant acceleration, braking and rapid changes of direction. Low positions, repeated rotation, overhead shots and quick reactions place particular demands on the feet, hips, spine and shoulders.
Tennis
A larger court asks for greater reach, repeated force production and the ability to recover over distance. Serving, groundstrokes and one-sided loading require good rotation, shoulder organisation, balance and endurance.
Badminton
Explosive lunges, rapid changes of direction and repeated overhead action demand speed, mobility and control. The body must absorb force, reorganise quickly and return to balance before the next shot.
Across all three sports, the aim is the same: to give your body enough mobility, strength and adaptability to meet the demands of your game without relying on unnecessary effort or compensation.
WHO THIS WORK IS FOR
You do not need to play at an elite level for your movement to matter.
Most of the people I work with in racket sports play recreationally. They want to keep enjoying their game, manage recurring niggles or feel that their body is limiting how freely and confidently they can play. The work is shaped around your level, your history and what you want to change.
Playing with recurring discomfort
Shoulder, elbow, back, hip, knee or ankle problems may appear only after repeated games, longer rallies or several sessions in a week. We look beyond the painful area to understand what is increasing the strain.
Returning after injury or time away
Rebuild mobility, strength, balance and confidence progressively, so your return to court is supported rather than rushed.
Improving movement and performance
Develop more effective rotation, quicker recovery, better control of direction changes and the physical capacity to maintain your movement as fatigue builds.
Supporting your wider movement practice
Many players also benefit from regular mat Pilates to maintain mobility, build body awareness and reinforce the movement patterns that help them stay balanced, responsive and resilient on court.
Start with what you notice on court.
You do not need to know which muscle is responsible or arrive with a diagnosis. Begin with what you have noticed: recurring discomfort, difficulty rotating to one side, reduced reach, slower recovery, loss of balance or a sense that your body is restricting how freely you play.
We will explore the wider movement pattern, identify where mobility, support or coordination may be missing, and use focused Pilates to help your body meet the demands of your game more effectively.