Hip Replacements And Squash
by Bob Hanscom
September 16, 2012 - In answer to the article "How hard is squash on the hips?" the answer is...VERY hard!
Many of the all-time international greats have had either total hip replacement(s) or re-surfacing. Just to name a few are Jonah Barrington, Geoff Hunt, Chris Robertson, Rodney Martin, etc.
And domestically...what about the well-known Tim Bacon, (Jimmy Connors too) Richard Millman and Eben Hardie of Atlanta!? They've all gone through the process!
Ah yes...squash, with all it "herky-jerky," one-sided, twisting movement and pounding, on who knows what kind of floors, has a devastating effect on the anatomy, not only the hips, but the feet, ankles, knees (a few replacements there as well) and back!
It's been said that Geoff Hunt, experiencing this phenomenon first hand, changed his entire training regimen with the players he trains, having them train off-court, being carefully and cautiously monitored.
As a squash-player, if one wants to have any longevity in the game at all, it would be wise to recommend they enter into a consistent cross-training strength and flexibility program - and even consult with a physiotherapist to not only evaluate posture, etc. for possible imbalances, but design a program for them.
As the old adage says: "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure," especially in the case of preventing and experiencing first hand: "How hard is squash on the hips."
See Tim Bacon's video on the subject: