Some Thoughts for Coaches and Parents
by
Dayle Hadlee
Director BIL Cricket Academy
INTRODUCTION
One of the greatest frustrations
in cricket is the high incidence of injuries
that are incurred by pace bowlers from the junior
ranks through to the international level.
Why is this so?
We know that a high percentage
of fast bowlers develop lumbar spinal injuries.
The two main categories of problems are acute
soft tissue strain and over-use or strain-related
injuries such as disc injury or a stress fracture
of the pars interarticularis. There is evidence
that some stress factors, particularly changes
in the disc, start appearing in fast bowlers
at an early age, from 13 to 16 years.
The vast majority of stress
fractures are located on the non-dominant side
of the bowler. Right arm pace bowlers are more
likely to have associated pain on the left side
and vice versa for left arm bowlers. Occasionally
there will be pain on both sides.
At a recent Level 3 Coaching
Course a number of views were canvassed in an
effort to pinpoint the reasons for the escalating
injuries. In this paper I will share with you
the thoughts that were expressed by our coaches
and in the next issue of the NZCCA Newsletter
I will attempt to find some solutions to this
major problem.
SCREENING FOR INJURY
By utilising the support of sports
science a coach and/or a parent can pinpoint
factors that may contribute to injury.
At the Bit- Cricket Academy we
are able to draw upon the expertise of a range
of specialists who screen our athletes for conditions
that may assist the pace bowlers to avoid major
injuries.
The players are given;
• A muscular-skeletal
assessment by a sports doctor and a physiotherapist
to check the curvature of the spine, upper and
lower body imbalance, one-sided musculature,
imbalance of muscle groups, muscle strength
and abnormalities of the rotation of the hips.
An examination of the possible associated disease
state of the lower extremity, including arthritis
and poor circulation, is undertaken. The history
of previous injuries is documented and X-rays,
CT and MRI
scans are taken if necessary.
• An assessment of the
players' feet, gait, knee and foot posture by
a podiatrist. Improperly fitting
or inappropriate footwear is examined and appropriate
orthoses are recommended.
• A nutritional
assessment regarding the diet of each
player and adjustments are recommended to either
decrease or increase weight if necessary. Advice
about the correct food and fluids to consume
prior to, 'during and after performance is provided.
• An in-depth assessment
of the players' physical conditioning.
The testing programme measures aerobic and anaerobic
fitness, strength, flexibility, speed and agility.
Warm-up and warm-down procedures are taught
to the players and they are educated about why
each aspect of physical conditioning is important
for their ongoing development.
• A thorough biomechanical
analysis of their bowling action to
eliminate mixed actions. Perhaps this assessment
is one of the most critical of all as an inappropriate
bowling action is a major contributor to back
injuries for pace bowlers.
An analysis of the run-up is
also relevant as it has a bearing on the ability
of. the bowler to obtain a sound in-posture
position at the crease. The speed of the run-up
may have a relationship of the height of the
front foot lift during the delivery stride and
this may impact on the ground reaction forces
of between four and eight times the bowler's
body weight at the point of delivery.
Because there is less stress
on the spinal joint under load during the delivery
an analysis of good stabilisation from the muscles
of the lower trunk is also required.
• A bowling workload
diary to record the number of deliveries
bowled at practice and during a match, the intensity
level of each bowling spell, the type of surface
bowled on and comments made about how the player
bowled and whether any injuries or niggles occurred.
A cumulative record of the number of balls bowled
each week is collated onto a graph to ensure
that overloading the bowler is avoided.
There is a great danger of
coaches, captains and parents encouraging young
pace bowlers to over-bowl in an effort to win
a match or to impress a selector. Promising
players work at the heaviest rate when striving
to make it to the next level of competition
at a time of rapid physical growth- Factors
such as physical maturity, bowling speed, effort
and playing conditions will determine the workload.
In the interests of player
safety it is strongly urged that the workloads
of our young pace bowlers are carefully monitored
and that the limitations NZ Cricket has written
into the playing conditions for underage cricketers
is adhered to.
The following guidelines have
been introduced by NZC to restrict the workloads
of pace bowlers:
