17 Common Racquetball injuries (Prevention & Treatment)

All 17 common racquetball injuries, starting with eye injuries from ball impact, then ankle sprains, ACL and meniscus tears and tennis elbow.

Wall contact, sprinting and repeated swings add rotator cuff strain, wrist and back trouble, hamstring and groin strains and dehydration, each with causes, warning signs and prevention pointers.

Injury Rates and Numbers

The figures below come from injury surveillance data and peer reviewed studies. Each row names the population it was measured in, because rates from elite athletes and from recreational players are not comparable.

Finding	Measured in	Source
An estimated 173,000 squash and racquetball injuries were treated in US emergency departments from 1997 through 2016, based on 4,330 recorded NEISS cases.	US patients treated in emergency departments for squash or racquetball related injuries, 1997 to 2016	Nhan, Klyce, Lee, Epidemiological Patterns of Alternative Racquet-Sport Injuries in the United States 1997-2016, Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine
The lower extremities were the most commonly injured body region in squash and racquetball emergency department cases, making up 37 percent of injuries.	US patients treated in emergency departments for squash or racquetball related injuries, 1997 to 2016	Nhan, Klyce, Lee, Epidemiological Patterns of Alternative Racquet-Sport Injuries in the United States 1997-2016, Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine
Strains and sprains were the leading squash and racquetball injury type, making up 73 percent of trunk injuries and 65 percent of lower extremity injuries.	US patients treated in emergency departments for squash or racquetball related injuries, 1997 to 2016	Nhan, Klyce, Lee, Epidemiological Patterns of Alternative Racquet-Sport Injuries in the United States 1997-2016, Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine
Squash and racquetball players aged 5 to 18 had a 52 percent higher relative risk of head and neck injuries than other age groups.	US patients aged 5 to 18 treated in emergency departments for squash or racquetball injuries, 1997 to 2016	Nhan, Klyce, Lee, Epidemiological Patterns of Alternative Racquet-Sport Injuries in the United States 1997-2016, Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine

Overview

Injury	Body area	Typical time out
Eye injuries (from ball impact)	Eye	Days to months, eye doctor decides
Ankle sprains	Ankle	1 to 3 weeks up to 3 months
Knee injuries (ACL, meniscus)	Knee	4 to 12 weeks, 9 to 12 months if ACL
Shoulder injuries (rotator cuff, strains)	Shoulder	6 to 12 weeks, 4 to 6 months if torn
Wrist injuries (sprains, strains)	Hand and wrist	2 to 6 weeks, 6 to 12 weeks if fractured
Elbow injuries (tennis elbow)	Elbow	3 to 6 months, sometimes longer
Back injuries (muscle strains)	Lower back	1 to 3 weeks, up to 8 if recurrent
Hand injuries (blisters, sprains)	Hand	Days for blisters, 1 to 8 weeks sprains
Head injuries (concussions, from falls or ball impact)	Head	2 to 4 weeks, longer if symptoms persist
Foot injuries (sprains, strains)	Foot	6 weeks to several months
Hamstring strains	Thigh	2 to 6 weeks, 3 months or more if severe
Groin strains	Groin and hip	2 to 6 weeks, 3 months if chronic
Cuts and abrasions (from contact with walls or floor)	Skin	A few days to 2 weeks
Hip injuries (strains)	Hip	2 to 6 weeks, 3 months for tendinopathy
Neck injuries (muscle strain)	Neck	1 to 3 weeks, up to 12 after whiplash
Dehydration	Whole body	Hours to 2 days
Heat exhaustion/heat stroke	Whole body	1 to 2 days, weeks after heat stroke

Eye injuries (from ball impact)

A racquetball is small enough to fit inside the bony orbit, so the full force of the impact lands on the eyeball itself instead of being absorbed by the cheekbone and brow. The blow compresses the globe front to back and stretches it sideways, which can tear the iris root, bruise the retina, or bleed into the front chamber of the eye. The typical situation is a player turning to watch a partner hit the ball off the back wall, or a mishit that comes off the racquet at close range.

Symptoms

• Sudden sharp pain in the eye right after the ball or racquet hits it
• Blurred, dim, or double vision, or a curtain or shadow across part of your sight
• Floaters or flashes of light that were not there before
• Visible blood in front of the colored part of the eye
• Strong light sensitivity and watering that does not settle within minutes

How serious it is: The mild end is a bruised lid or a scratched cornea that heals in a few days with no lasting effect. The serious end includes bleeding inside the eye, a torn or detached retina, and an orbital fracture, all of which threaten vision and are treated as emergencies.

Typical time out: A simple corneal abrasion usually keeps you off court for a few days to about a week. Bleeding inside the eye typically means two to four weeks of no racquet sport because of the rebleeding risk, and a retinal tear or detachment often means several months, with the return decided by an ophthalmologist rather than by how you feel.

See a doctor if: Any change in vision, blood visible in the eye, a pupil that looks misshapen, or pain that keeps building means you go to an emergency department or eye clinic the same day rather than waiting it out.

What helps

• Stop play immediately and do not rub or press on the eye
• Cover the eye loosely with a shield, for example the bottom of a paper cup taped over it, instead of a tight pad
• Have an eye specialist examine it whenever vision is affected, not just when it hurts
• Wear polycarbonate protective eyewear made for racquet sports at every session afterward, since a previously injured eye is more vulnerable
• Follow the full drop and follow up schedule, because some retinal damage becomes visible only at a later check

Ankle sprains

Most racquetball ankle sprains are inversion sprains: the foot rolls inward under the leg and the ligaments on the outside of the ankle, above all the anterior talofibular ligament, are stretched or torn. It happens on a hard change of direction toward the front wall, on landing after a stretch shot, or when a foot catches the wall or the opponent’s shoe. The calcaneofibular ligament is involved in heavier sprains, and a twist with the foot turned outward can injure the high ankle ligaments between shin and calf bone.

Symptoms

• A pop or tearing feeling at the moment of the twist
• Pain on the outer ankle just below and in front of the bony bump
• Swelling within an hour, later bruising down into the foot
• Limping, or being unable to put full weight on the foot
• The ankle feels loose or untrustworthy on the next attempt to push off

How serious it is: Grade 1 means the ligament is stretched with little loss of stability, grade 2 a partial tear with clear swelling and some instability, grade 3 a complete tear with a very unstable joint. Pain over the bone rather than the ligament, and inability to take four steps, raise the question of a fracture and should be checked.

Typical time out: One to three weeks for a grade 1 sprain, three to six weeks for grade 2, and two to three months or more for grade 3, especially if the joint stays unstable. The wide spread exists because return depends on regaining balance and confident push off, not on the swelling going down.

See a doctor if: Go to a doctor if you cannot take four steps on the foot, if pressing directly on the ankle bones themselves is very painful, or if the foot feels numb or looks out of line.

What helps

• Start moving the ankle within the first days at a pain adapted level, since early loading returns you to sport faster than immobilizing it
• Use a lace up brace or a semi rigid support for the first weeks and again for the first months back on court
• Train balance on one leg daily, progressing to eyes closed and to unstable surfaces, because balance deficit is the strongest predictor of a repeat sprain
• Add calf and peroneal strengthening before you go back to full sprint and stop drills
• Get imaging if pain over the bone persists past a week, or if the joint still gives way after six weeks of rehab

Knee injuries (ACL, meniscus)

Racquetball loads the knee in the exact pattern that tears the anterior cruciate ligament: a planted foot, a decelerating body, and a rotation of the trunk toward the ball while the knee falls inward. The meniscus, the cartilage wedge between thigh bone and shin bone, is compressed and twisted in the same movement, and can also be pinched during the deep lunge for a low ball. Older players more often tear a meniscus that is already worn, sometimes with no dramatic single moment.

Symptoms

• A pop at the moment of the twist, followed by the knee giving way
• Swelling within a few hours after an ACL tear, more slowly after a meniscus tear
• Pain along the joint line when squatting or twisting
• The knee catching, locking, or refusing to straighten fully
• A feeling that the knee cannot be trusted on a sudden change of direction

How serious it is: Ligament injuries are graded 1 to 3, from stretched to completely torn. A partial meniscus tear at the outer, better supplied rim can heal, while a tear in the inner zone often does not, and a locked knee that will not straighten suggests a displaced fragment and needs prompt assessment.

Typical time out: A minor sprain or small meniscus tear treated conservatively usually means four to twelve weeks. After ACL reconstruction, cutting sports such as racquetball are normally resumed at nine to twelve months, because the graft needs that long to tolerate rotation, not because pain lasts that long.

See a doctor if: See a doctor promptly if the knee swelled up within hours, cannot be fully straightened, or gives way when you walk normally.

What helps

• Get an early clinical examination, since a torn ACL is diagnosed by testing the joint, and MRI is added when the exam is unclear or surgery is being considered
• Begin quadriceps activation and range of motion work in the first days rather than waiting for swelling to vanish
• Follow a structured rehab program with strength, single leg control, and landing technique before any return to court
• Train the hip abductors and external rotators, because a knee that collapses inward is usually a hip control problem
• Discuss surgery only after this base is in place, since many meniscus tears settle with rehab and outcomes after surgery are better from a strong knee

Shoulder injuries (rotator cuff, strains)

The rotator cuff is a set of four tendons that hold the head of the upper arm bone centered in its shallow socket. In racquetball the overhead and high forehand swing repeatedly brings the arm into the position where the supraspinatus tendon and the bursa above it are compressed under the roof of the shoulder, and the deceleration after contact loads the cuff at the back while it brakes the arm. Overuse produces tendinopathy of these tendons, while a fall onto an outstretched hand or an awkward reach can tear them outright.

Symptoms

• Pain on the outer upper arm rather than on the top of the shoulder
• Pain when reaching overhead, behind the back, or across the body
• Aching at night, especially when lying on that side
• Loss of power on the serve and the overhead, before pain becomes the main complaint
• A catching or clicking sensation on the way up

How serious it is: The mild form is a painful but intact tendon that responds to loading. Partial thickness tears still allow good strength, while a full thickness tear leaves clear weakness, for example an arm that drops when lowered slowly from shoulder height, and is more likely to need surgical assessment, especially in younger players after a single traumatic event.

Typical time out: Tendinopathy commonly needs six to twelve weeks of graded loading before full swings feel reliable. After surgical repair, racquet sport is usually resumed at four to six months, and the range is wide because tendon healing pace depends on tear size, age, and how consistently the rehab load is progressed.

See a doctor if: See a doctor if you cannot lift the arm to shoulder height after a fall, if the arm feels distinctly weak rather than only sore, or if pain wakes you every night.

What helps

• Keep training the shoulder at a load that stays within acceptable pain rather than resting it completely, since idle tendons lose capacity
• Build rotator cuff and scapular strength, with slow controlled external rotation and rowing patterns, three times a week
• Reduce the number of overheads and hard serves per session for a period, and keep the rest of the game
• Check technique: hitting late and reaching behind the body increases the compression phase of the swing
• Treat a cortisone injection as an exception, not a routine step, because it can calm pain briefly while making tendon outcomes worse over the longer term

Wrist injuries (sprains, strains)

The wrist in racquetball takes both a constant grip load and sudden shocks, since the light racquet is often flicked with a snap of the wrist and the ball can be struck off center. Sprains involve the ligaments that hold the small carpal bones together, above all the scapholunate ligament and the ligament complex on the little finger side, while strains affect the forearm tendons that cross the joint. A fall onto an outstretched hand against the wall or floor is the other common mechanism and can fracture the scaphoid bone.

Symptoms

• Pain at the base of the thumb or on the little finger side when you grip
• Pain and weakness when you push off the floor or open a jar
• Swelling across the back of the wrist
• Clicking or a feeling of instability when rotating the forearm
• Reduced ability to bend the wrist back fully

How serious it is: A simple ligament sprain settles in a few weeks. Persistent pain in the hollow at the base of the thumb after a fall points to a scaphoid fracture, which can be invisible on the first X-ray and heals badly when missed, so it is treated as a fracture until proven otherwise.

Typical time out: Two to six weeks for a mild sprain or strain. A confirmed scaphoid fracture typically means six to twelve weeks in a cast, and longer if healing is slow, because that bone has a poor blood supply.

See a doctor if: Get it examined if pain sits in the hollow at the base of the thumb after a fall, if the wrist is deformed, or if the hand tingles or feels numb.

What helps

• Have any fall on the hand with persistent thumb side pain imaged, and repeat imaging if the first X-ray is normal but pain continues
• Tape or brace the wrist for play while symptoms settle, and remove it for daily use so the joint keeps moving
• Strengthen grip and forearm rotation progressively once acute pain is down
• Check grip size and grip tension, since an undersized handle forces a harder squeeze and more wrist snap
• See a hand therapist if clicking and instability persist beyond six weeks

Elbow injuries (tennis elbow)

Tennis elbow is a degenerative change in the common extensor tendon where the wrist extensor muscles attach to the bony bump on the outside of the elbow, most often in the extensor carpi radialis brevis. In racquetball the backhand and every off center hit transmit shock through a tightly gripped racquet into that attachment, and the tendon is overloaded by repeated gripping rather than by any single swing. Pain on the inner side, golfer’s elbow, comes from the flexor tendon attachment and is more often provoked by hard forehands and serves.

Symptoms

• Pain on the outside of the elbow that can run down the forearm
• Pain when gripping, shaking hands, or lifting a cup
• Tenderness on one small spot on the bony bump
• Weak grip, with things slipping out of your hand
• Stiffness in the elbow in the morning that eases with movement

How serious it is: The early form hurts only after play and settles quickly. It becomes stubborn when pain appears during play and finally during everyday gripping, which usually means the tendon has been overloaded for months rather than weeks.

Typical time out: You rarely need to stop playing entirely, but symptoms typically take three to six months to resolve, and stubborn cases run past a year. The spread is large because recovery depends on whether the grip load is actually reduced and the tendon is progressively loaded, not on time passing.

See a doctor if: Get it checked if the forearm or hand goes numb or tingles, if the pain is on the inner side with tingling into the little finger, or if the elbow locks or cannot be straightened.

What helps

• Do slow, heavy eccentric and isometric wrist extensor work, which is the best supported treatment for this tendon
• Lower the total grip load: fewer sessions, softer grip pressure, and a break from other heavy gripping tasks
• Try a counterforce strap or a wrist extension brace for symptom control while the loading program runs
• Increase the grip diameter and lower the string tension so less shock reaches the tendon
• Reserve a cortisone injection for exceptional cases, since it relieves pain in the short term but is associated with worse results at one year than exercise

Back injuries (muscle strains)

The lower back muscles, the erector spinae and quadratus lumborum, work hard in racquetball because nearly every shot combines a rotation of the trunk with a bend to reach a low ball. A strain is a tearing of muscle fibers or of the connection between muscle and its fascia, usually on one side, and it happens on an explosive rotation from a stretched position or when standing up out of a deep lunge. The small facet joints at the back of the spine can be irritated by the same movement and produce similar one sided pain.

Symptoms

• Sudden one sided pain in the lower back during a twist or lunge
• A tight, cramping band of muscle you can feel with your hand
• Pain that worsens when you bend or rotate toward the painful side
• Difficulty standing up straight, and stiffness after sitting
• Pain on coughing or sneezing in the first days

How serious it is: Most cases are mild strains that improve steadily over one to two weeks. The important distinction is whether pain stays in the back or runs down the leg past the knee with numbness, which suggests nerve involvement from a disc rather than a muscle strain.

Typical time out: One to three weeks for a mild strain, four to eight weeks when the tear is larger or keeps recurring. Recurrent back pain often takes longer not because the tissue is worse but because trunk strength and rotation capacity were never rebuilt.

See a doctor if: Get urgent help if you lose control of bladder or bowel, if the groin area feels numb, or if a leg becomes weak, and see a doctor if pain follows a heavy fall.

What helps

• Keep moving and keep walking from day one, since bed rest slows recovery of back pain
• Use short term pain relief so you can move normally rather than as a reason to train through it
• Load rotation deliberately: cable or band chops, side planks, and controlled trunk rotation, built up over weeks
• Improve hip mobility, because a stiff hip forces the lower back to supply the rotation
• Ask for imaging only if pain persists past six weeks or if there are nerve symptoms, since scans in the first weeks rarely change treatment

Hand injuries (blisters, sprains)

The skin of the palm shears against the grip on every swing, which separates the outer skin layer from the one beneath and fills the gap with fluid, producing a blister. The finger joints are sprained when the ball hits an extended finger directly or when the hand catches the wall, straining the collateral ligaments at the sides of the joint or the volar plate at its front. Hard hits with an ungloved hand can also bruise the fatty pad of the palm.

Symptoms

• A hot, rubbing spot on the palm or finger base that becomes a fluid filled bubble
• Pain and swelling on one side of a finger joint after a direct hit
• A finger that will not bend or straighten fully
• Bruising along the finger within a day
• Tenderness in the palm when gripping the racquet

How serious it is: A blister is a skin problem and settles within days unless it becomes infected. A finger sprain is mild when the joint is stable and only tender at one side, and serious when the joint is unstable, crooked, or unable to straighten, which suggests a tendon avulsion or a fracture through the joint.

Typical time out: Blisters usually allow play within a few days once padded. A mild finger sprain means one to three weeks of taped play, while an unstable joint or a tendon injury commonly needs six to eight weeks of splinting and rehabilitation.

See a doctor if: See a doctor if the finger is visibly crooked, if you cannot straighten the last joint by yourself, or if a blister becomes red, warm, and increasingly painful.

What helps

• Leave a blister roof intact where possible and cover it with a hydrocolloid dressing so the skin underneath can rebuild
• Buddy tape a sprained finger to its neighbor for play, and move it every day so it does not stiffen
• Wear a glove and replace the grip when it becomes slick, since sliding, not gripping, causes blisters
• Have an X-ray after any direct hit that leaves the joint deformed or unable to move
• Start finger range of motion early, because a stiff finger joint is harder to fix than a painful one

Head injuries (concussions, from falls or ball impact)

A concussion is a functional disturbance of the brain caused by a rapid acceleration of the head, not by visible structural damage. In racquetball it comes from a racquet swung by a partner in a shared court, from a ball to the temple, or from a fall against the wall or floor. Younger players are particularly exposed here: in emergency department data, squash and racquetball players aged 5 to 18 had a 52 percent higher relative risk of head and neck injuries than other age groups.

Symptoms

• Headache that starts within minutes of the impact and does not settle
• Feeling dazed, slowed down, or unable to follow the score
• Nausea, dizziness, or a sense that the court is moving
• Light and noise feeling uncomfortably intense
• Blurred vision or trouble focusing on the ball

How serious it is: A concussion is not graded by loss of consciousness, and most people never black out. What separates a straightforward concussion from something more serious is a deteriorating course: worsening headache, repeated vomiting, confusion that increases, or one pupil larger than the other, all of which point to bleeding inside the skull.

Typical time out: Most adults are symptom free within two weeks and can return to full play after completing a stepwise return to sport over several days, so roughly two to four weeks in total. Symptoms lasting beyond four weeks are less common but do occur and require guided rehabilitation rather than further rest.

See a doctor if: Call emergency services if the player was knocked out, vomits repeatedly, becomes increasingly confused or drowsy, has a seizure, has unequal pupils, or has neck pain after the fall.

What helps

• Remove the player from the court immediately and do not let them finish the match, even if they feel fine after a minute
• Keep the first 24 to 48 hours quiet, then return to light activity, since prolonged dark room rest delays recovery
• Build back up in stages: light aerobic work, then sport specific drills, then contact free play, then full play, with a day at each stage and a step back if symptoms return
• Have a clinician clear the return, especially after a second concussion
• Wear protective eyewear and keep court awareness rules strict, since many head impacts come from the partner’s racquet

Foot injuries (sprains, strains)

Racquetball is played almost entirely on the front of the foot, with repeated hard braking and pushing off, which loads the plantar fascia at the heel and the metatarsal bones of the forefoot. Plantar fasciitis is an overload of the thick band of connective tissue running from heel to toes, while the ball of the foot can develop a bruised joint capsule or, after weeks of increasing pain, a stress fracture of a metatarsal. Sudden pain in the midfoot after landing on a turned foot can also mean a ligament injury between the small bones.

Symptoms

• Sharp heel pain with the first steps in the morning or after sitting
• Pain under the ball of the foot when pushing off
• A localized sore spot on the top of the foot that hurts to press
• Pain that starts later in each session and comes earlier over weeks
• Swelling or bruising across the midfoot after a twist

How serious it is: Overload pain that comes on gradually and eases with warm up is usually a tendon or fascia problem. Pain that is precisely localized over a bone, hurts when you hop, and gets worse session by session suggests a stress fracture and needs imaging rather than more training.

Typical time out: Plantar fascia problems typically improve over six weeks to several months with loading work. A metatarsal stress fracture normally means six to eight weeks off impact, and a midfoot ligament injury can require three months or more, since that joint has to be stable before hard cutting resumes.

See a doctor if: See a doctor if you cannot put weight on the foot, if the midfoot is bruised on the sole, or if a single small point over a bone stays painful for more than two weeks.

What helps

• Do progressive calf and plantar fascia loading, for example slow heel raises with the toes elevated, rather than only stretching
• Manage the training load: reduce the number of hard sessions per week instead of stopping altogether
• Use court shoes with lateral support and replace them once the sole pattern is worn smooth
• Try a heel cushion or an over the counter insole for symptom control, and see a podiatrist if the foot collapses inward markedly
• Get imaging when bone pain is suspected, since continuing to play on a stress fracture can complete the break

Hamstring strains

The hamstrings run from the sitting bone to below the knee and brake the forward swing of the lower leg. They tear most often at the junction between muscle and tendon in the biceps femoris, and in racquetball this happens during a sprint to the front wall or a sudden lunge forward, when the muscle is lengthening while contracting hard. A slower onset strain near the sitting bone, more of a deep ache when sitting or stretching, is a different problem and heals more slowly.

Symptoms

• A sudden grabbing or snapping sensation at the back of the thigh mid sprint
• Immediate need to stop running
• Tenderness at a specific point along the back of the thigh
• Bruising appearing over the following days, sometimes down toward the knee
• Pain when accelerating or when stretching the leg out in front

How serious it is: Grade 1 is a minor tear with mild pain and near normal strength, grade 2 a partial tear with clear weakness and bruising, grade 3 a complete tear or a tendon pulled off the bone, which is felt as a pop with heavy bruising and often needs surgical assessment.

Typical time out: Two to six weeks for a grade 1 strain, six to twelve weeks for grade 2, and three months or more for a tendon avulsion or after surgery. Strains close to the sitting bone take considerably longer than strains in the muscle belly, which is the main reason the range is so wide.

See a doctor if: Get it assessed if you heard a pop with a large bruise, if you cannot walk normally, or if there is a visible gap or bulge in the muscle.

What helps

• Start gentle pain adapted loading within the first days rather than waiting for pain to vanish
• Progress to eccentric strengthening such as Nordic curls and Romanian deadlifts, which is what reduces the high reinjury rate
• Include lengthened position work, for example single leg deadlifts through a full range, before returning to sprints
• Rebuild sprinting in stages, since most reinjuries happen on the first hard acceleration back
• See a physiotherapist if pain sits high near the sitting bone, because that variant needs a different and slower program

Groin strains

The adductor muscles run from the pubic bone to the inner thigh and pull the leg back toward the midline. They tear at or near their tendon on the pubic bone when a player pushes hard off the outside leg to change direction sideways, which is one of the most frequent movements in a racquetball rally. Longstanding groin pain in racquet sports often involves the adductor tendon attachment together with the lower abdominal wall, and needs a different approach from a fresh tear.

Symptoms

• Sharp pain in the inner thigh or groin during a sideways push off
• Pain when squeezing the knees together
• Tenderness along the inner thigh close to the pubic bone
• Difficulty with lateral movement while forward running still feels acceptable
• Bruising on the inner thigh in the days after a larger tear

How serious it is: Graded 1 to 3 like other muscle strains, from a stretched muscle with full strength to a complete tear with marked weakness. The distinction that matters most in practice is between an acute tear with a clear onset and chronic groin pain that has built over months, since the second needs a longer structured program.

Typical time out: Two to six weeks for a grade 1 strain and six to twelve weeks for a larger tear. Chronic adductor related groin pain often takes three months or more, because the tendon attachment tolerates load again only after progressive strengthening.

See a doctor if: See a doctor if there is a bulge in the groin that appears on coughing, if pain radiates into the testicle, or if you cannot bear weight on the leg.

What helps

• Build adductor strength with the Copenhagen adduction exercise, which is well supported for both treatment and prevention
• Load early at a pain adapted level rather than resting until the groin feels normal
• Add lateral movement drills in stages, starting with controlled side steps before sudden direction changes
• Train hip abductors as well, since the ratio between the two sides of the hip matters more than adductor strength alone
• Have persistent groin pain examined, because hip joint problems and hernias produce similar symptoms

Cuts and abrasions (from contact with walls or floor)

A racquetball court has hard walls close to the play area and a smooth floor, so a dive or a slide removes the outer skin layers of knees, elbows, and hands, and a collision with a wall edge or a partner’s racquet can cut deeper through the skin into the fat beneath. Wounds on the elbow and knee sit directly over bone with little padding, which makes them more likely to gape and to need closure.

Symptoms

• Raw, stinging skin over knee, elbow, hip, or palm after a slide
• Bleeding that stops with a few minutes of pressure in the case of an abrasion
• A cut whose edges pull apart when you move the joint
• Grit or court dust embedded in the wound
• Increasing redness, warmth, and throbbing over the following days if infection sets in

How serious it is: A superficial abrasion involves only the outer skin and heals without a scar. A cut is more serious when it gapes, when fatty tissue is visible, when it lies over a joint, or when it goes through a knuckle after contact with teeth or a racquet edge, since those become infected easily.

Typical time out: Most abrasions allow play within a few days once covered. A cut that needs closure usually means one to two weeks before the area is loaded again, and longer over a joint that keeps reopening the wound.

See a doctor if: See a doctor if the wound gapes and will not stay closed, if grit cannot be washed out, if the area becomes red, swollen, and warm with fever, or if your tetanus protection is not current.

What helps

• Irrigate with plenty of clean running water or saline to remove court dust, which is what prevents infection
• Cover with a moist wound dressing rather than letting a scab dry out, since moist healing is faster and leaves less scarring
• Have wounds closed within the first hours if they gape, because the window for clean closure is short
• Change dressings when they are soaked and check daily for spreading redness
• Wear knee sleeves or long sleeves if you dive regularly, and keep the court floor clean and dry

Hip injuries (strains)

The hip flexors, chiefly the iliopsoas and rectus femoris, drive the leg forward on every sprint and lunge, and they strain when the leg is stopped abruptly at the end of a stride. The gluteal tendons on the outside of the hip are loaded when you stand on one leg during a shot, and they can develop a tendinopathy that feels like pain over the bony point of the hip. Deep pain in the front of the hip on twisting can also come from the labrum, the cartilage ring around the socket, which is irritated by repeated deep flexion and rotation.

Symptoms

• Pain deep in the front of the hip or groin when lifting the knee
• Pain on the bony point at the side of the hip when lying on that side
• Stiffness after sitting, easing after a few minutes of walking
• Clicking or catching deep in the joint on rotation
• Loss of push off power on the first step toward the front wall

How serious it is: Muscle strains follow the usual grades 1 to 3. Tendinopathy of the gluteal tendons is judged by how much daily life it limits, and deep joint pain that comes with catching or a restricted range of rotation raises the question of a labral or cartilage problem, which is assessed differently from a muscle strain.

Typical time out: Two to six weeks for a mild flexor strain. Gluteal tendinopathy usually needs three months or more of graded loading, and hip joint problems vary widely depending on whether they settle with rehabilitation or come to surgery.

See a doctor if: See a doctor if you cannot bear weight, if the hip locks or catches so that it will not move, or if there is night pain in the groin at rest.

What helps

• Load the hip progressively with bridges, step ups, and single leg work rather than only stretching a tight feeling flexor
• Avoid strong stretching over the outside of the hip when gluteal tendon pain is present, since compression of the tendon aggravates it
• Reduce total court volume for a few weeks while keeping strength training going
• Work on trunk and pelvic control, so the hip is not braking the whole body alone on each lunge
• Get imaging if deep groin pain persists past six weeks or if the joint range is clearly restricted

Neck injuries (muscle strain)

Racquetball forces constant fast head turns to track a ball rebounding off four surfaces, often with the neck extended while looking up and back. This loads the small muscles between the vertebrae and the larger trapezius and levator scapulae, and a sudden turn can strain them. The facet joints at the back of the neck can be irritated by the same repeated extension and rotation, and a fall or a collision can produce a whiplash type injury with delayed pain.

Symptoms

• One sided neck pain that limits turning the head
• A tight band from the neck into the top of the shoulder
• Headache starting at the base of the skull
• Pain that is worse the morning after a session than during it
• Stiffness when looking up or over the shoulder while driving

How serious it is: Most cases are muscular and improve within one to two weeks. What changes the picture is pain, numbness, or weakness travelling into the arm or hand, which indicates nerve irritation and needs assessment rather than more stretching.

Typical time out: One to three weeks for a simple strain. After a collision or whiplash mechanism, four to twelve weeks is common, and recovery is slower when the neck is kept still, so early gentle movement matters more than the exact timeline.

See a doctor if: Seek care urgently after a fall or collision if there is midline neck pain, numbness or weakness in an arm or leg, or unsteadiness on walking.

What helps

• Keep the neck moving gently within a comfortable range from day one, since collars and immobilization prolong recovery
• Strengthen the deep neck flexors and the scapular stabilizers, which is what reduces recurrence
• Use heat and short term pain relief so you can move rather than to allow harder training
• Review posture and setup off court, since long screen hours load the same muscles as the game
• See a clinician if arm symptoms appear or if neck pain persists past six weeks

Dehydration

Racquetball is played in an enclosed court with limited airflow, so sweat evaporates poorly and fluid losses can be high even in a short match. Losing body water reduces blood plasma volume, which makes the heart work harder at the same intensity and impairs the body’s ability to shed heat through the skin. Concentration and reaction time drop before thirst becomes urgent, which matters in a sport where a ball travels fast in a confined space.

Symptoms

• Strong thirst and a dry mouth that persists between rallies
• Dark yellow urine, or not needing to urinate for hours after play
• Headache and light dizziness, especially when standing up quickly
• Heart racing more than the effort would explain
• Legs feeling heavy and reactions feeling slow late in the match

How serious it is: Mild dehydration causes thirst, dark urine, and lost performance and is corrected by drinking. It becomes serious when there is confusion, fainting, a fast weak pulse, or no urine production, which needs medical treatment rather than a water bottle.

Typical time out: Mild dehydration usually resolves within a few hours to a day of steady drinking with some salt. Significant dehydration that required medical fluids means a day or two of easy activity before hard play, since the recovery depends on the deficit rather than on symptoms alone.

See a doctor if: Get medical help if the player becomes confused, faints, stops sweating despite the effort, or cannot keep fluids down.

What helps

• Drink through the session rather than only afterward, using the rally breaks
• Include sodium in the drink for long or very sweaty sessions, since plain water alone replaces volume less well
• Weigh yourself before and after a hard session occasionally to learn your own sweat rate
• Use urine color in the morning as a simple daily check
• Improve court ventilation where possible and shorten sessions when the court is hot and still

Heat exhaustion/heat stroke

In a closed court with warm, humid air, sweat does not evaporate effectively and body heat accumulates faster than it can be lost. Heat exhaustion is the stage at which circulation struggles to supply both working muscles and skin, producing weakness and nausea while the core temperature is still moderate. Heat stroke is the stage at which the core temperature rises to a level that disturbs brain function, and it is a life threatening emergency.

Symptoms

• Heavy sweating with cool, clammy skin and a weak, fast pulse
• Nausea, headache, and muscle cramps
• Feeling faint or lightheaded when standing
• In heat stroke: confusion, slurred speech, aggressive or strange behavior
• In heat stroke: hot skin, collapse, or a seizure

How serious it is: Heat exhaustion is recoverable within an hour or so of cooling and drinking, and the player stays mentally clear. Any change in behavior, confusion, or loss of consciousness means heat stroke, which is treated as an emergency because organ damage follows quickly.

Typical time out: Heat exhaustion generally means the rest of that day off and an easy day after, so one to two days. After heat stroke, return to sport is staged over one to several weeks under medical supervision, since heat tolerance stays reduced for a period afterward.

See a doctor if: Call emergency services immediately for confusion, collapse, seizure, or a player who cannot be roused, and begin cooling while waiting.

What helps

• Stop play, get the player out of the court into a cool space, and remove excess clothing
• Cool actively and fast with cold water immersion where available, or with wet towels and airflow over as much skin as possible
• Give cool drinks with some salt only if the person is fully alert and able to swallow safely
• In suspected heat stroke, cool first and transport second, since minutes matter
• Acclimatize gradually to hot conditions over one to two weeks and schedule matches for cooler parts of the day

First Aid for Soft Tissue Injuries: PEACE and LOVE

Sports medicine has moved on from RICE. The current guidance, published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine in 2019, splits care into the first days after the injury and everything that follows.

PEACE, the first two to three days

• Protect: unload the area and limit movement that hurts, but only briefly.
• Elevate: keep the limb above heart level when you can.
• Avoid anti-inflammatories: they may blunt the healing you need.
• Compress: a bandage or taping limits swelling.
• Educate: your body heals this on its own; passive treatments rarely speed it up.

LOVE, from day three onward

• Load: return to movement as pain allows, early loading builds tissue.
• Optimism: expectations shape recovery more than most people assume.
• Vascularization: easy cardio that does not hurt brings blood to the area.
• Exercise: restore strength, mobility and balance before returning to play.

Ice still helps with pain in the first hours. What changed is the evidence that long icing and routine anti-inflammatory drugs slow tissue repair.

How to Lower Your Risk in Racquetball

• Wear polycarbonate protective eyewear certified for racquet sports at every session, including practice, since the ball is small enough to enter the eye socket and the injury is preventable rather than treatable.
• Agree and enforce court etiquette before play: no swing when the opponent is in the swing path, call a hinder rather than force a shot, and never turn to watch the ball come off the back wall with an unprotected face.
• Build lateral and deceleration capacity in training, with side steps, controlled cutting, and hard braking drills, because the game demands sudden stops in every direction and the ankle, groin, and knee take that load.
• Strengthen the adductors, hamstrings, and gluteals year round, for example Copenhagen adduction and Nordic curls, which target the muscles that fail in the sport’s sprint and side push movements.
• Manage grip load on the arm: use the largest comfortable grip diameter, replace worn grips, hold the racquet loosely between shots, and increase playing volume in steps rather than jumping to daily play.
• Use court shoes with lateral support and a non marking sole, replace them before the tread is smooth, and keep the court dry, since a slick spot causes the falls that produce head and wrist injuries.

When to Stop and Get Medical Help

Most of the injuries on this page are treated at home. These signs are not.

• Any change in vision, blood inside the eye, or a misshapen pupil after a ball or racquet hit to the face.
• Loss of consciousness, confusion, repeated vomiting, or a seizure after a knock to the head.
• A visibly deformed joint or limb, or a joint that cannot be moved at all.
• Numbness, tingling, or weakness in an arm or leg, or midline neck pain after a fall or collision.
• Inability to bear weight on a leg for more than a few steps after a twist or landing.
• Confusion, collapse, or hot skin with disturbed behavior during play in a warm court.

Sources

• Nhan, Klyce, Lee, Epidemiological Patterns of Alternative Racquet-Sport Injuries in the United States 1997-2016, Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine

This article is general information, not medical advice. If you are hurt, a doctor or physiotherapist who can examine you is worth more than any web page. Last reviewed: August 2026.

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