Return to Sport

Nearly six months passed since my last update.  During this time I've been in rehabilitation for painful neck condition that quite spontaneously appeared overnight.  It is a degeneration of a vertebrae in my neck that is pinching a disc and nerve.  It makes for playing squash impossible.  During the first three months, I played no squash.  I went through weekly adjustments and began doing core exercises and posture corrections.  Slowly, the pain, tinglings, and numbness, subsided and I began going back on court.  I played my first game after just a few sessions hitting solo on my own.  It was a painful experience.  My neck felt achy throughout the games.  That was my first indication I had to slow down the process of returning to sport.  But I didn't quite learn my lesson.  The weeks following I did more adjustments, exercises, strength training. I felt even better.  I got back on court for more solo drills and I could feel pain free for once.  Then I made the fatal mistake.  It was very much by chance, but like all games of chance one can't help resist when an improbable opportunity comes along.  A 5.0 player asked to hit with me.  At that moment, I felt good.  I had been doing solo drills and court sprints for a few weeks.  I was confident in my core fundamentals again.  So I got on court with him and played 3 rather intense games.  They were high quality by coach Richard's standards.  I had good efficient footwork, hitting well off the back wall, moving to the T, and playing to long rallies.  All the while feeling no pain.  That is until I got off the court and sat down to stretch.  On the drive home, the pain set in.  I could not center my posture to ward off the pain.  After that night I knew the disc was inflamed again.  It's been over 3 weeks now since that night of squash.  I got back on court for the first time last night.  The neck felt a little prickly, but no lasting effect.  I have to get back to the feeling a month ago of no pain during activities and build up from there before I play games.  Returning to sport will be long and hard, but now I will do it with much more awareness for good posture and a regimented training routine.