While squash is a popular sport in South Africa and a great way to keep fit, it is a high-impact game and can cause injury to several areas of the body as a result of the repetitive and fast-paced nature of the play.
Common Squash Injuries
Sprains and strains: usually experienced in the arms, shoulders, elbows and wrists, legs (particularly calves), ankles, lower and mid-back. These injuries are usually from lack of warming up or the sprinting, twisting, turning, sudden stopping and lunging required when playing the game. Some injuries will be a result of over-use and can develop into chronic conditions such as tendonitis.
Traumatic injuries: falling on the court, wall or player collisions or being hit by a ball or racquet can result in acute injuries.
Preventing Injury
Warm-up and cool down sessions: always work in a warm-up period before your squash game. Walk briskly for 10 minutes or jog on the spot and then stretch out your muscles. Keep a tube of MYO2 in your sports bag and massage the recovery gel into your muscles before and after your game. Cool down by stretching once again.
Age and fitness: people over 40 should ensure that they are physically fit enough to play squash. If you have a medical condition or don’t exercise regularly, first see your GP before taking up squash. Start slowly by building up your aerobic activity and get advice from a qualified squash coach to ensure that you develop the correct stroke technique and wear the correct protective equipment if necessary.
Prior injuries: if a previous injury has not healed properly, do not put yourself at risk by playing through the pain or masking it with pain killers! Always consult your health professional if you are concerned as squash can easily worsen an existing injury.
Treatment
If an injury occurs during play, stop immediately and seek medical attention as soon as possible. Soft tissue injuries can be treated with the R-I-C-E protocol, including MYO2:
Rest – this gives the injured joint or muscle time to recover.
Ice – ice the area with a cold pack wrapped in a towel to avoid ice burn. Cold therapy aims to reduce pain and inflammation in the area.
MYO2 – gently massage the painful area with MYO2 to help reduce your discomfort, stiffness and inflammation. MYO2 contains powerful natural anti-inflammatory ingredients, Arnica montana and Horse chestnut. This timeous MYO2 massage will increase blood flow (oxygen) to the area, also encouraging the spread of nutrients and the transportation of waste from the tissue.
Compression – bandaging the area can help reduce swelling and reduces movement, which can help prevent further injury.
Elevation – raise the injury where possible. This also helps to reduce swelling.
Ask your health professional to prescribe some postural and strengthening exercises for you to prevent further injury. Consult a squash coach to develop your skills properly and to ensure that your stroke technique is correct.
