Cricket injuries are very common amongst both amateur and professional cricket players. The most common injuries are sprains, fractures and bruises. Chronic injuries include shoulder and wrist complaints as well as foot and ankle injuries. Blows to the face and hands may cause fractures and severe bruising. Injuries to the teeth and jaw can occur when a ball hits the face at high speed. Wearing a mouth guard is therefore recommended. Cricketers get mostly injured to the upper limbs, however over-use injuries are also common. Especially fast bowlers may suffer problems in the wrist and also the lower back, due to repeated stress during the bowling action. Stress fractures at other sites are common in fast bowlers and occur primarily in the metatarsal bones, the fibula, and the tibia.
Foot and ankle problems are often experienced by cricket players and they include strain of the plantar fascia, fractures to metatarsal bones and also the calcaneal heel bone, furthermore a bruised heel is quite common as well as tarsal tunnel syndrome or Morton’s Neuroma.
Achilles tendonitis is the inflammation and strain of the achilles tendons. With a fracture to a metatarsal bone swelling and pain is present at the point of fracture with the player unable to stand or walk on that foot. Pain at the back of the heel with redness, tenderness and swelling may indicate achilles tendonitis. Pain in the centre of the heel may be caused by a more chronic problem like plantar fasciitis. Besides having flat feet or low arches, over-pronation of the foot and ankle and tight calf muscles are the most important contributing factors to heel complaints. Fractures to the metatarsals or phalangal bones may happen when a player falls or is hit by a cricket ball. Stress fractures can occur when wearing incorrect, unsupportive footwear. Too much cricket training may cause foot fractures and sprains.
Running injuries include hamstring pulls which can be prevented by rebalancing the muscles i.e. by training the hamstrings to move efficiently while running. Both stretching and strengthening of the hamstrings with exercises is important. Throwing injuries occur because throwing and bowling involve a lot of work from the muscles in the shoulders, particularly the stabilizing muscles such as the rotator cuff. Normally these muscles are not used a lot and exercises to strengthen these muscle groups are paramount for every bowler.
What cause foot problems in cricket players?
The cricket pitch can cause problems especially when the ground is uneven with bumpy surfaces. An uneven wicket can cause balls to rise unpredictably, taking the batsmen by surprise, therefore adequate protection is a must to deal with these balls. Batsmen are the most heavily protected players and these forms of protection include a helmet and gloves. Even so most batsmen will suffer from broken fingers at some point in their cricketing career. The less obvious equipment worn by batsmen includes a groin protector, known as the box. No male batsman wants to take a cricket ball in the groin area, no matter what speed it is travelling at. Also worn under cricket whites are arm guards, leg and chest guards, all offering some vital protection for the ball that gets by the bat. Cricketers with injured plantar fascia, achilles tendon or bursa, foot sprains and strains, fractures or suspected nerve damage may be referred for a foot scan, ultrasound, or X-ray to identify extent of damage. When damage to the foot or ankle is severe, such as bone fractures or breaks and ruptured tendons and ligaments, steroid injections to reduce pain and surgery may be necessary.
