Lower Back Injuries in Cricket Players: Cause & Treatment

Every cricketer at some point of time in their cricketing career suffers lower back pain. Especially bowlers due to their back bending bowling action are more prone to a lower back injury. In a few cases, even batsmen suffer lower back pain which troubles them while playing their shots on the front foot. When not treated at the right time, this lower back pain can exacerbate and put the cricketer away from his game for a long time.

Lower Back Injuries in Cricket 

Sprains, strains, bruising and fractures are the most common types of injuries suffered by cricketers. A large portion of the injuries to cricketers involves the lower back, especially the fast bowlers. Since lower back injuries are more prevalent among the fast bowlers we tend to focus more on fast bowlers in this blog today.

So what exactly causes this back pain?

What makes cricketers more prone to lower back pain issues and how does one prevent them? Spinal surgeon in UK, Mr Jwalant S. Mehta explains.

Why Cricketers are more Prone to Injuries?

Given the nature of the game, the scope for an overuse injury in cricket is greater than in any other sport. Be it fielding, running, batting, throwing or bowling – each aspect often presents its own risk of injury if performed when the body is not rested adequately. However fast bowling presents a greater risk of lower back injury due to the magnitude of forces that befall the lower back.

For Example

An average of 8X force is transmitted through the body for every bowl bowled by a fast bowler – the majority falling on the front foot during the delivery stride. This force when coupled with the extreme range of lower back movement puts the lumbar spine at high risk of injury. Given the repetitive nature of this physical activity, the probability of overuse injury is high due to the longer duration of stress the body is put to. This is also exactly the reason why lower back stress fracture or spondylolysis happens to be the most common type of injury suffered by fast bowlers.

What causes Lower Back Pain in Cricketers?

“Trauma, fatigue, overuse muscular imbalance, poor conditioning, sudden unguarded movement, lack of right technique, abnormal increase in the training load, weakness in the core are some of the common reasons of the lower back pain in cricketers we often diagnose in the UK”, says the spine surgeon in UK, Mr Jwalant S. Mehta.

Treatment for Lower Back Pain in Cricketers: 

 A physiotherapist assesses, treats and develops strategies that can help cricketers help recover, and minimize the risk of injuries. They assess the pattern of movement, screen and identify the weakness, and adopt exercises for joint mobilization and strengthening to help cricketers recover and further minimize the risk of injury.

Conclusion

If the lower back pain is showing up even after adequate physiotherapy then the individual will need to consult an expert spine specialist specializing in lumbar spine injuries. If you are living in the UK and are looking for treatment for the lower back injuries then you can contact the Children and Adult Spinal Surgeon in UK Mr Jwalant S Mehta.