Guides · Aches and pains · 9 min read
Darts elbow pain and other darts injuries: causes and prevention
Darts elbow pain, a stiff shoulder, a sore back and tired legs are the usual aches of regular players. Almost all of them come from overuse, so a short warm-up, steady practice volume and a looser technique prevent most of it.
In short
- Overuse causes most darts injuries, so most are preventable.
- Warm up for six minutes, then break every 20 to 30 minutes.
- Loose grip, soft elbow, soft knees take the load off your joints.
- Two weeks of pain despite cutting back? See a GP or physio.
Overview
Why does playing darts cause aches and pains?
Darts repeats one small movement several hundred times an hour while you stand still in one position. Nearly every ache on this page is overuse, usually because the load rose faster than your body could adapt.
Where it hurts, and why
- Elbow a tight grip, a hard wrist flick, snapping the arm straight
- Shoulder and neck the arm held up all evening, hunched shoulders
- Wrist and fingers pinching the barrel, yanking darts out
- Lower back leaning far over the oche, twisting
- Legs and feet a locked front knee on a hard floor
- Eyes a tiny target in poor light
General information, not medical advice. This page describes common patterns. Pain that lasts, gets worse or comes with the warning signs needs a professional.
Elbow
What causes darts elbow pain, and how do you prevent it?
Darts elbow is pain in the throwing elbow from overloaded forearm tendons, most often on the outer side (tennis elbow) or the inner side (golfer’s elbow). It builds up gradually and settles when the load comes down, although that can take weeks or months.
- Outer sideTennis elbow. It goes with a firm grip and a big wrist flick, and hurts when you grip or lift.
- Inner sideGolfer’s elbow. It goes with whipping the forearm through and with heavy darts. Tingling in the ring and little fingers needs checking.
- CrookA dull ache at the front, often when the arm snaps fully straight on every throw or after long sessions with a heavy set.
- PointA soft swelling here is usually an irritated bursa, often from leaning on the elbow between visits. If it turns red and hot, see a doctor promptly.
How to take the load off your elbow
Do
- Hold the dart just firmly enough that it can’t slip. Find your grip pressure
- Let the arm reach towards the target in the follow-through
- Throw smoothly from the forearm with a quieter wrist
- Try a set 1 or 2 g lighter if the pain began with heavier darts
- Ask a physio about strengthening work or a forearm strap
Don’t
- Throw with white knuckles
- Drive the elbow into a hard lock on every dart
- Force speed with a big wrist snap
- Change weight, grip and throw all at once
- Play through sharp pain
Dart weight is personal. Some players find a lighter dart kinder to the elbow, others prefer a heavier one they can push gently. The guide on how to choose darts covers weight in detail.
Shoulder, neck and wrist
Why do my shoulder, neck or wrist hurt after darts?
Shoulder and neck ache usually comes from tension and from holding the arm up for long spells. Wrist and finger pain comes from how hard you squeeze and flick the dart.
- Arm up all eveningThe upper arm stays near shoulder height while the forearm throws. Let it hang between visits.
- Craned neckTilting your head to get your eye behind the dart is a stance problem. Check your dominant eye.
- Shoulders upUnder pressure they creep towards your ears. Breathe out slowly before each visit, and see the darts mental game guide.
- Pinching the barrelA white-knuckle grip loads the thumb and finger joints on every dart. A sharp barrel cut makes it worse.
- Hard wrist snapThe flick that loads the elbow also works the wrist. A smoother release spreads the effort.
- Yanking darts outTwist gently and pull along the angle the dart went in. Use your other hand when the wrist is sore.
Lower back
How do you avoid back pain from darts?
Back pain from darts usually comes from leaning far over the oche and holding that lean for every visit, often with a twist through the trunk. A slight lean from the hips is normal. Trouble starts when you lean further than you can hold still.
Do
- Lean only as far as you can stay still. The stance guide explains how far
- Turn your whole body with your feet
- Stand tall after your third dart
- Squat down for dropped darts
- Stay active: walking, swimming, Pilates or yoga
Don’t
- Stretch for the last few centimetres
- Twist the trunk against planted feet
- Bend from the waist for every bounce-out
- Stay in the throwing lean between visits
Legs and feet
Why do my legs, knees and feet hurt from standing at the oche?
Standing still with most of your weight on the front leg loads one knee, ankle and foot far more than walking does. A hard floor makes it worse.
- Soft kneesStraight but relaxed, never locked back, so the muscles take the load rather than the joint.
- Share the loadStand evenly between visits and walk to the board. If the front leg aches, shift a little weight back.
- Proper shoesCushioned and supportive with some grip. Slippers or socks on a smooth floor give no support.
- A mat on hard floorsA rubber or carpet oche mat over tiles or concrete cushions your feet. Make sure it lies flat.
Eyes
Can darts cause eye strain and headaches?
It can. Aiming at a treble bed only 8 mm wide takes intense focus, and you blink less while you concentrate. Poor light and uncorrected eyesight add to the strain.
- Even lightBright, shadow-free and without glare, for example a ring light. Sridu’s cameras want the same, see the hardware guide.
- Look awayBetween visits, look at something far away and blink a few times on the walk back.
- Eye testBlurred wires, squinting or headaches after sessions? See an optician.
Warm-up and practice volume
What is a good darts warm-up routine?
A darts warm-up of about six minutes gets blood into the muscles you throw with and lets you find your rhythm. Keep every movement gentle and pain-free, and save deeper stretching for after the session.
- Walk and loosen up · 1 minRoll your shoulders and turn your head slowly from side to side.
- Arm circles · 30 sSmall circles that grow to medium, forwards and then backwards.
- Wrists and forearms · 1 minCircle the wrists, open and close the hands, then bend each wrist gently with the arm straight.
- Trunk, hips and calves · 1 minGentle turns of the upper body, a few hip circles, slow calf raises.
- Shadow throws · 30 sThe throwing movement without a dart, slowly at first, then at your normal pace.
- Easy darts · 2 minBig targets at a relaxed pace before you aim at trebles. A round of Around the Clock works well.
How much darts practice is too much?
There is no fixed limit. Tendons adapt to load that grows, not to load that jumps.
A heavier set, a new grip, a tournament weekend or doubling your practice before a competition all count as a jump. Four or five sessions of about 30 minutes load your tendons more evenly than one long weekend session.
Count your darts. The statistics in Sridu show your games and darts for any period, so you can see whether a sore arm followed a week of double volume.
When to get help
When should you see a doctor or physiotherapist?
See a GP or physiotherapist when pain has not eased after about two weeks of cutting back, keeps coming back or gets in the way of everyday tasks. Some signs need attention sooner.
Play on, cut back or stop?
Check in with your arm during every session. Pain that makes you change your throw to avoid it counts as red.
If amber or red has not settled after about two weeks of cutting back, book an appointment.
Book an appointment if
- No better after two weeksThe pain has lasted despite rest and less practice.
- Night painIt wakes you at night or is worse at night.
- Weak gripYou struggle to grip, lift a cup or fully straighten the arm.
- Numbness or tinglingPins and needles in the hand or fingers.
- Back pain down a legOr back pain that has not improved after a few weeks.
- Headaches after playingEye strain or headaches that keep coming back.
Get urgent help (in the UK NHS 111, elsewhere your local urgent care service) if a joint is red, hot and swollen or you feel feverish, or if pain started suddenly with a pop or after a fall. Call the emergency number if back pain comes with numbness or weakness in both legs, numbness around the genitals or bottom, or new problems controlling your bladder or bowels.
A physiotherapist can assess how you load the arm and give you a graded exercise plan. Bring a short phone video of your throw, filmed from the side.
Sources: NHS, Tennis elbow, Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust physiotherapy, Golfer’s elbow, NHS, Back pain.
FAQ
Questions about darts injuries
Can you get tennis elbow from playing darts?
Yes. Tennis elbow is typically caused by repetitive gripping and wrist movements, and darts involves both on every throw. Darts players also get pain on the inner side of the elbow, which is known as golfer’s elbow.
Should I keep playing darts with elbow pain?
A mild ache that does not get worse usually allows shorter, lighter sessions with a looser grip. Sharp pain, or pain that builds while you play, means stop and let it settle. If it has not improved after about two weeks, get it checked.
Do lighter darts help with darts elbow?
They can, especially if the pain started after moving to a heavier set. Try a change of 1 or 2 g for a couple of weeks and keep everything else the same. Grip pressure and practice volume often matter more than weight.
Why does my back hurt after playing darts?
Usually because you lean far over the oche, twist through the trunk or bend from the waist to pick up darts. Lean less, stand tall between visits and bend your knees on the way down.
How long should a darts warm-up be?
About six minutes covers the essentials: loosen your shoulders, wrists and back, then throw easy darts at big targets before you aim at trebles. Before a match, a few extra minutes of throwing help you find your rhythm.
Guides
Related guides
Practise smarter, stay pain-free
Keeping darts elbow pain away is mostly about how much you throw and how you build it up. Warm up with Around the Clock in Sridu and let the statistics show how many darts you threw this week. It’s free and needs no account.