Ramy reveals astonishing history of hamstring injury
By Alan Thatcher, Squash Mad Editor
Former world champion Ramy Ashour has taken to social media to reveal the secrets behind the injury nightmare that has dogged his career for the past three years.
In an astonishing post on Facebook the morning after he limped out of the El Gouna tournament, the world No.5 blames an operation he underwent as a teenager.
Surgeons took a piece of flesh from his hamstring to repair a knee injury but the muscle failed to grow back.
In a detailed post, Ramy reveals the risks involved every time he lunges for the ball, a sudden movement where the leg is extended and pressure is exerted on the muscle groups in the legs to retain balance and return to position quickly after the shot.
Ramy, who has won the El Gouna tournament three times and is arguably the most gifted individual ever to hold a squash racket, also posted a picture which graphically illustrates the lack of muscle growth in his hamstring.
We have grown used to seeing Ramy with his leg strapped up as he bravely tries to battle through these problems. He is undoubtedly the most popular player ever to grace a squash court and we wish him well as he seeks a “doctor who thinks outside of the box” to help him continue his amazing career.
Here is Ramy’s post in full.
‘I need a doctor who thinks outside the box’
Hey everyone,
First I am sorry for disappointing you again. I want nothing but the happiness I see from you when I compete. I am sorry again I can’t deliver that at the moment.
I believe you deserve an explanation to what keeps happening to me. 13 years ago I had an ACL Surgery in my knee and they took a part of my hamstring muscle group to put it instead of the ACL which has been torn. But unfortunately this muscle never grew back again, which is rare to happen and I have been pushing through it.
No doctor or Physio could explain why exactly that keeps RANDOMLY happening and what do I do right for it not to happen and what do I do it wrong for it to happen.
I basically get sudden spasms deep in the hip then goes down to the semimembranosus and the semitendenosus and worsens the more I lunge.
What keeps me going is that sometimes it works and I play full tournaments without problems, which means that there is something no one could understand up till today.
I believe it needs a doctor who doesn’t read from the book.
A doctor who thinks outside the box.
I am still looking for him.
Thank you all for all the support you always give me. It truly means the world to me.?
Anyways I MIGHT be back.
“ I WILL KEEP DARING TO BELIEVE UNTIL I CAN NO LONGER BREATHE”
Pictures from social media and the Squash Mad archive