[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2024\/04\/common-squash-injuries\/#Article","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2024\/04\/common-squash-injuries\/","headline":"Benefits of Playing Squash and How to Prevent Injuries","name":"Benefits of Playing Squash and How to Prevent Injuries","description":"

Squash is growing in popularity in Pittsburgh. Learn the benefits of this fun, fast-paced sport, as well as its most common injuries and how to prevent them.<\/p>","datePublished":"2024-04-08","dateModified":"2024-07-24","author":{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.upmc.com\/services\/sports-medicine-regions","name":"Sports Medicine","url":"https:\/\/www.upmc.com\/services\/sports-medicine-regions","sameAs":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/sports-medicine\/","parentOrganization":"UPMC"},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"UPMC HealthBeat","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/UPMC-HealthBeat-Logo.png","url":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/UPMC-HealthBeat-Logo.png","width":600,"height":60}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/GettyImages-1232520360.jpg","url":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/GettyImages-1232520360.jpg","height":867,"width":2000},"url":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2024\/04\/common-squash-injuries\/","about":["Health Topics A-Z","Sports Medicine"],"wordCount":1020,"articleBody":"There were times during the 2024 Pittsburgh Open when Craig Mauro, MD, couldn\u2019t take his eyes off the squash players.Granted, as one of the doctors overseeing medical care at the tournament, it was his job. UPMC provided sports medicine coverage for the tournament, which was part of the Professional Squash Association (PSA).The competition featured some of the best male squash players in the world. Along with Mounif “Moe” Rifkah, MD, Dr. Mauro was on hand to tend to any squash injuries.An orthopaedic surgeon at UPMC, Dr. Mauro is also a team physician for the Pittsburgh Steelers. That means he sees many high-caliber athletes. “But the squash players\u2019 intense cardiac output and amazing precision was almost like watching a dance,” Dr. Mauro says.If you haven\u2019t caught onto the squash craze, it\u2019s time to learn more about this sport. This includes the benefits of playing squash, common squash injuries, and injury prevention strategies.Squash Is Gaining Popularity in PittsburghThe way squash players move and how they conserve energy and turn it into power is a fascinating study in biomechanics, Dr. Mauro says. As a novice squash player, Dr. Mauro feels inspired to keep practicing the sport.“I\u2019m not very good, but it\u2019s a great workout,” he says.He hopes others in Pittsburgh might show interest in trying squash mainly because the sport has grown in popularity.“It\u2019s a fun sport to take up because it forces you to train in different ways,” he says.With Steel City Squash Center opening soon, even more opportunities may arise. (Steel City Squash is a program for students, but the new center will serve many purposes.)“There\u2019s a lot of energy around squash in Pittsburgh,” Dr. Mauro says.But with that comes athletic injuries. Dr. Mauro treats many squash players, from inexperienced young people to a U.S. Masters squash champion in the 60-and-up division.Whether you\u2019re new to the game or have been playing for years, it\u2019s good to understand some of the common squash injuries. Dr. Mauro also has advice about what types of training can help to prevent them.What Are the Most Common Squash Injuries?“Because of the movements and the nature of the sport, there are a number of different areas of concern,” Dr. Mauro says.In squash, players tend to deal with two types of injuries: traumatic and repetitive.Traumatic injuries on the squash courtIn squash, the lower extremities are most at risk for traumatic injuries. That means your ankles, Achilles tendon, and knees.“I\u2019ve seen a lot of ACL tears in squash players,” Dr. Mauro says.This is because of the nature of the movement and the court itself. If you\u2019ve watched a squash match or played one yourself, you know it moves quickly. And players\u2019 movements are often unpredictable, with a lot of twists and turns on a dime.When you combine that with a sticky floor, it\u2019s easy to twist an ankle or a knee. The squash court surface is like a basketball court surface.“It\u2019s good for being able to stop and start suddenly, but your foot can get stuck,” Dr. Mauro says.Repetitive motion injuries in squashWhen it comes to squash injuries from overuse, it\u2019s usually the upper extremities.“The shoulder is in high demand during squash,” Dr. Mauro says. “The squash swing takes very specific mechanics.\u201dIf your mechanics are just a little off, you must overuse the shoulder, which puts your joint at risk.“We see a lot of rotator cuff tendonitis, biceps tendonitis, and tennis elbow with squash players,” Dr. Mauro adds. These are all repetitive motion injuries.How you hold the squash racket matters, too, he says.“In squash, you swing with a more extended wrist, which stresses the wrist extensors,” he says. It\u2019s why squash players can wind up with wrist sprains.Injury Prevention for Squash Players“I tell my squash athletes to make sure they are doing their homework,” Dr. Mauro says.That means exercises and cross-training to help prevent traumatic and overuse injuries. Dr. Mauro\u00a0suggests changing up your movement patterns to work on agility, which can help prevent those sudden knee and ankle twists.“It\u2019s not enough just to do cardio, distance running, or the elliptical,” he says. Though those movements are great for building strength and endurance, they don\u2019t force your body off balance.He tells his athletes to do plyometric moves, especially off-balance ones (jumping and landing on one foot, for example). You should also train movements that mimic the movements during a squash game. That could mean lunging forward, backward, and sideways, for instance.Running backward is another excellent exercise.“You need to try to do things with quick feet and explosive movements,” Dr. Mauro says.As for preventing overuse injuries, much of that has to do with technique.“It\u2019s all about the mechanics of your swing and maintaining the scapular muscles,” he says.As for which specific exercises can help you with that maintenance, Dr. Mauro suggests working with a physical therapist.“I\u2019ll often give some general guidance, like ‘you need to work on shoulder blade control,'” he says. “But a physical therapist can really work with you on the specific exercises you need to do.”Benefits of Playing SquashIf you\u2019re new to squash, don\u2019t let the discussion of injuries intimidate you. And don\u2019t think you\u2019re too old to learn something new, either.Moving our bodies in different ways becomes even more critical as we get older.“As we age, we can\u2019t only just do cardio,” Dr. Mauro says. “We need a combination of cardio, strength, and plyometrics, including explosive movements.”The great thing about squash is that it gives you all these things. It\u2019s constant cardio, but you also have to move your body in different ways. It also trains hand-eye coordination and improves balance. AndAnd it\u2019s fun, Dr. Mauro says. There\u2019s never been a better time to become a squash fan \u2014 or a squash player."},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"2024","item":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2024\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"04","item":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2024\/\/04\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Benefits of Playing Squash and How to Prevent Injuries","item":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2024\/04\/common-squash-injuries\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]