1. Wear Eye Gear
Injuries happen in racquetball due to velocity of the ball as it travels in the confines of the court. Ninety-five percent of racquetball injuries are from being hit in the eye by the ball. Bleeding within the interior chamber of the eye is the most common injury but additional injuries consist of lacerations, eye lid bleeding, front eye abrasions and swollen eye. But never fear, you can easily prevent eye injuries by wearing proper eye gear as recommended by the American Standard of Testing and Materials and the Canadian Standards Association.
2. Swing the Right Way for Less Injuries
In racquetball, swinging the racquet with proper form originates from the side of the body, not the shoulders. However, if a player swings from her shoulder, mistakenly done by new players, over a period of time it causes shoulder injury. Usually, the shoulder injury originates from a fall or a slam into a wall. Under these conditions, shoulder separations and shoulder sprains happen more regularly than straining the shoulders by improper form in the swing.
3. Tennis Elbow Isn't Just for Tennis
Don't let tennis elbow's name fool you. You can get the injury in racquetball as well. Actually, only 5 percent of registered cases come from tennis players. The inception of pain occurs around the outside of the elbow and slowly the tenderness becomes obvious on or below the bony bump the area becomes inflamed. Arm movements, like gripping the racquet, aggravate the injury. To determine what's causing the injury in racquetball, look for improper technique, incorrect gripping of the racquet, wrong racquet string tension or using the wrong size or type of racquet.
4. Condition the Knees, Play Forever
Those who play racquet sports are often victims to a variety of knee injuries, but in racquetball, knee injuries can run the gamut with nearly every type possible. Knee injuries are not immediate but insidious, beginning with a dull ache, inadequately located pain that typically comes from the sides or back of the knee. A racquetball player notices this pain after playing, but as it worsens the knee becomes painful before, during and after play. Constant pivoting movements in the court predisposes the knees to injury over many years unless the player implements a proper stretching and conditioning program throughout her racquetball career.
5. Protect Ankles and Feet from Injury
Ankle sprains take a racquetball player right out of the game for a week or less unless it's a serious sprain. Achilles tendon problems gradually form as pain slowly increases in the area. Most trainers recommend rest when the Achilles tendon feels injured with proper stretching of the tendons and calves. A ruptured Achilles tendon hardly ever happens, but when it does, one needs to get medical attention right way. Blisters and calluses occur most often over any other ankle or foot injury. Choosing the proper footwear makes all the difference in when or how a player gets blisters or calluses. Blisters form from new shoes, which need to be broken in before playing hard. Don't toss the old shoes away until the old ones fit snug, yet supple.
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