Cricket season is fast approaching and we’re pumped! If you’re a cricket fan like us, and you picture the exciting season ahead, one thing that doesn’t instantly spring to mind is injury. Yet every season without fail, many players sustain injuries that see them not only missing one or two games, but potentially the whole season.

If we get statistical, Australian T20 and T50 cricket has been monitored over the past decade, from 2006 to 2016, and the incidence of annual injuries has been recorded. The results? Every year, the average injury incidence was 64 injuries per 100 players per season¹. That’s a lot of injuries! This meant that annually, on average 12.5% of the team (and 20.6% of fast bowlers) weren’t available for selection during to injury, leaving a massive impact on the team.

For us, these results really tied in to the numbers of cricket players we’ve seen in the past and the importance of being aware of the risks and potential injuries in cricket. While this study examined top Australian cricket teams and not social teams, a risk of injury applies to everyone who enjoys playing this great game. If that’s you (or anyone in your family!), here are 4 common injuries you should look out for:

Hamstring Strain

Hamstring strains came out on top as the number one most common injury in Australian cricket. This can be attributed to by the regular and intense engagement of the hamstrings during fast bowling, running between the wickets during batting and fielding. Your hamstrings are the muscles at the back of your thigh that you feel stretch when you bring your leg up in front of you and straighten your knee. A strain occurs as excess force through the hamstrings causes one or more tears, which feels like a sharp pain at the back of thigh. Poor technique and insufficient warm-ups and stretches often contribute to hamstring injuries.

Stress Fractures

This is what John Hastings was sent home to Australia for while bowling for Worcestershire this August, as well as the reason that bowler Mitchell Starc is missing the current tour of India. Stress fractures occur from a repetitive high load on an area, which in the lower limbs in cricket is often at the metatarsals (the long bones of the foot), though can occur at any bone that is overloaded. The repetitive high-impact force causes small hairline cracks through the bone, weakening it and causing pain on pressure, like during walking and running. As well repetitively partaking in the high-impact activity, poor foot biomechanics/alignment, technique, warm-ups and footwear can all contribute to the development of stress fractures. Interestingly, stress fractures at the spine are also one of the most common cricket injuries. Cricket Australia recently reviewed and updated their injury prevention guidelines for fast bowlers since these recent injuries.

Patellar Tendinopathy (Jumper’s Knee)

Patellar Tendinopathy describes damage to the patella tendon which runs across the front of the knee and attaches the patella (knee cap) and the quadriceps to the tibia (shin bone). It works to help straighten the knee and as such is crucial in our ability to walk and run. Bowling in particular places significant pressure on the knee and the patellar tendon, resulting in pain at the knee. Because patellar tendinopathy can progressively worsen if not effectively managed (and so can the pain), proper must be taken as otherwise the injury can easily become a chronic issue that is much more difficult to treat.

Achilles Tendinopathy

Achilles tendinopathy describes the damage and weakening of your achilles tendon – the tendon that inserts into the back of your heel from the calf muscles – after sustaining an injury. With quick starts during bowling, running between wickets and fielding, the achilles tendon takes on a lot of stress and can become very painful. Like the patellar tendon, the achilles tendon weakens and becomes progressively worse and much more difficult to manage if not treated effectively. Damage to the tendon can also progress from micro tears, to a partial tear or a full rupture of the achilles tendon. Alongside a heavy load on the tendon, poor foot biomechanics, running technique and inadequate stretching/warning up also contribute to the development of this tendinopathy.

These are 4 of many injuries sustained during cricket which also includes plantar fasciitis, MCL (knee) injury, toenail trauma, posterior ankle impingement, shin splints, sever’s disease in kids, turf toe, tarsal tunnel syndrome, morton’s neuroma and many more! If you want to get sorted before the season to minimise your risk of injury or have had an injury in the past that you don’t want coming back then come in and see our expert team! We’d love to help you be at your best, stay injury free and enjoy playing the sports you love! Call us on 1300-FX-FEET

¹ Orchard, J., Kountouris, A., & Sims, K. (2016). Incidence and prevalence of elite male cricket injuries using updated consensus definitions. Open Access Journal of Sports Medicine, 7, 187-194.