Express News Service
KOCHI: Cricket — a game that has touched millions of Indians; whose popularity exceeds even the national game hockey; one every child in India aspires to play. It is no wonder that many cricketers are deemed ‘Gods’ by the people of India.
However, we often forget that these sportspersons are not indestructible. Many players have faced musculoskeletal problems. In that regard, it is imperative to applaud a commendable effort by Rahul Dravid-led National Cricket Academy (NCA) for creating an ‘Injury Surveillance Report’ that identifies the list of most common injuries among Indian cricketers.
A first in its field, this 48-page report states that 262 cricketers (218 men and 44 women) attended rehabilitation programmes at NCA between April 2019 to March 2020. Since cricket involves different postures for different positions (batsmen, bowlers, wicket-keepers, fielders, etc), the injury can occur anywhere from head to toe. It can be acute or sudden-onset, most often due to traumatic injury or chronic/long-standing issues due to overuse of the body.
The most common injury happens on the shoulder joint, and bowlers are more prone to it. A vast majority of them are tall, in the range of 6 feet plus, and hence they have a long lever arm making them more susceptible to rotator cuff tears, SLAP (superior labral tear from anterior to posterior) lesions, etc.
Among the acute injury of the shoulder, traumatic dislocation is the most common. It is said that Kapil Dev had bowled more than 1 lakh times in first-class matches alone. One can only imagine the extent of the damage his shoulder joint might have sustained.
The knee joint is the second most common joint to get damaged. Traumatic injuries of the ACL (Anterior Cruciate Ligament), PCL (Posterior Cruciate Ligament) and multi-ligament injuries are other common acute conditions. A majority of career-threatening ACL injuries usually occur in the initial years of returning after an index injury.
Chronic overuse results in a degenerative meniscal tear that presents with excruciating knee pain accompanied by mechanical symptoms but without any history of trauma. The ankle, thigh and lumbar spine are other susceptible joints to be injured among the cricketers. Plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendinitis, retrocalcaneal bursitis, metatarsal and toe fractures and stress fractures of the foot are some of the common problems afflicting the ankle joint.
Hamstring strain in the back of the thigh is a tear in the muscle that most cricketers are prone to regardless of their position. It is very common among batsmen and fielders during sudden, unexpected movements, such as sprinting, jumping, etc.
Disc diseases, lumbar spondylosis and disc prolapse are some of the major problems of the spine and are more frequently encountered by bowlers. That doesn’t mean other joints and muscles are spared. Tennis elbow is a common condition in both bowlers and batsmen. In fact, Sachin Tendulkar was treated for it.
Small joints like the wrist and fingers are also susceptible to overuse tendon injuries, particularly in spinners. Other injuries include TFCC (Triangular Fibrocartilage Complex) and mallet finger.
Periostitis or runner’s disease is a chronic exertion compartment syndrome of the leg caused due to repetitive stress on the tibia, or shinbone. This illness, among others, emphasises the necessity of wearing appropriate footwear when playing cricket.
It is estimated that Sachin ran a distance exceeding 350 km in-between wickets! Hence, there is little surprise that cricket is associated with manifold stress and strain injuries of the musculoskeletal system.
Sports injuries might be unavoidable under certain circumstances but the players need to remember that prevention is better than cure. Proper learning of the correct technique for individual sports, under a trained person, and wearing safety measures can go a long way in preventing sports injuries.
Players should do warm-ups and general stretching exercises, along with stretching specific to the game. Each sportsperson must know his or her body limits and take care not to over-exert.
After each game, a warm-down period is also crucial and they should give importance to maintaining hydration as well as good sleep. Adequate relaxation and unwinding oneself in between the training sessions are equally important.
Once injured, the player should avoid self-medication and treatment. Instead, they should immediately seek the help of a qualified medical professional. Most injuries are amenable to treatment, and with competent management, normal anatomic and biological functionality can be regained to the satisfaction of the player.
These are relevant for the common populace too. One should never delay getting help for any problem lest it turns from a minor discomfort to a leviathan. Now that the country is in the thralls of IPL season, cricket is once again in the spotlight. We must take this moment to reflect that it is not only important to “play well” but also to “play right”.
The writer is a senior consultant of joint replacement, arthroscopy and a sports surgeon at Welcare Hospital
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