Publications
Partners
Hard playing surfaces, fast lateral movements, confined playing areas and foot collisions between competitors can result in injuries like sprains and stress fractures.
Court sports are lateral sports and as a result there are significant forces where the foot is pivoted and you change direction.
For example, you plant your feet and stretch and/or twist to hit or grab the ball.
When you do that, it takes a great deal of strength and balance that we don't even think about. You repeat it hundreds of times during an event and it's just basically taken for granted until an accident occurs.
Sprains
Sprains are at the top of the list and are often caused by the quick, lateral movements typical of court sports. Then there are shock-related injuries: for example, stress fractures in the foot or shin bone.
Most stress fractures occur in the metatarsal bone, which can create swelling in the forefoot. Stress fractures can occur in any one of the foot's 26 bones without many symptoms.
A stress fracture in the stronger, denser area of the mid-foot can be difficult to diagnose.
The heel is another common injury site and heel pain can be a sign of a plantar fascia injury or bone spur. The plantar fascia is a thin, strong tissue band that supports the arch of the foot, stretching from the heel to the ball of the foot. With repeated shocks over time, the fascia can tear from the heel and result in a bone spur.
Achilles tendon
Injuries to the Achilles tendon and other tendons are also common in court sports.
Ask anyone who's torn their Achilles tendon and they'll tell you it feels like someone hit them with a baseball bat in the back of the calf.
The majority of Achilles tendon ruptures he sees are in males older than 40 who were playing a court sport without doing proper warm-ups or stretches for their Achilles and calf muscles.
A ruptured Achilles tendon often requires surgery. To avoid that, you have to do your stretches, e.g. leaning against a table or wall and placing one foot behind the other. Point your toes slightly inward and roll the ankle toward the outside.
Gently lean forward and feel the stretch high up into the calf muscle. Always roll the weight to the outside of the foot, and never stretch to the point of producing pain.
Older athletes
Older athletes should have a regular stretching regimen to maintain flexibility. Don't limit stretching to just before you exercise or play a sport.
The older we get, the less flexible we become. And unless we continue to work on maintaining that flexibility, we're going to lose it as the years go by.
Shoes
The shoes you wear while playing court sports can help prevent injury.
When you're moving from side to side, you have to have a stable platform to work from and the shoe is critical in that regard.
That means selecting the proper shoe to fit the activity. For example, if you wear a jogging shoe, which has no lateral support, while playing basketball or squash, you're asking for an injury.
Pay attention to the soles of shoes. Some squash shoes have sticky, rubber soles that grab the court surface, basically locking your feet to the floor. This can lead to numerous injuries. It's better to wear hard rubber soles that provide grip but don't glue your feet to the floor.
What to do
Here are some tips:
- Buy new, quality athletic shoes and replace them frequently.
- Seek appropriate support for arches. People with flat or high arches may require custom-made arch supports in shoes.
- Stretch, stretch, stretch.
Other related articles:
Painkillers (Paracetamol)
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
COX-2 specific inhibitors
Different Steroids
Cortisone injections
