9 Different Types of Cricket Injuries
Athletes deal with heavy responsibilities every time. They have to train extensively for several hours, they have to maintain their physical fitness by eating more healthy foods, some even adjust their diet and go vegan, and athletes have to face anxiousness in the games. But most critically, athletes deal with excruciating injuries.
In this article, we will be talking about the injuries that cricketers acquire and must endure and how to avoid the injuries, and how to heal them. In cricket, whether you are a bowler, a batsman, and a fielder, you are not invincible against injuries. And it is possible that the following names of injuries in this article are not a stranger to you.
Common Injuries That Cricketers Experience
1. Rotator Cuff Injuries
What are Rotator Cuff Injuries?
A rotator cuff injury occurs when the four sets of muscles (rotator cuff) that help stabilize the shoulder joint are overly exerted or overly stretched. Bowlers, fielders, and batsmen are more prone to this type of cricket injury because they put more power on their shoulders when executing a move in the field.
So basically, this is like an injury in the tendons and this could cause pain and discomfort.
How to Treat the Injury?
In order to treat this type of injury, do not do any sharp movements that require fully moving the shoulders. But if you do, try to move slowly and not too suddenly to avoid worsening the injury. Cricketers can also go to physiotherapists to have support regarding the treatment for the injuries and advice for when a problem worsens, it can easily be paid attention to.
As for avoiding this injury, one must improve their flexibility in order to increase the durability of your muscle and joints. Flexibility also helps in trying to lessen the risk for injuries.
2. Medical Meniscus Tear
What is a Medial Meniscus Tear?
First things first, this injury occurs in the C-shaped cartilage that is located on the bone of the lower leg. This is another joint injury that is very common for cricketers. This C-shaped cartilage protects the joints from too much stress when someone runs, walks, or bends too much.
This happens when someone suddenly runs so fast or it could gradually tear over time. If you are someone who is suffering from this type of injury. Locking and stiffness of the joints could also happen since the C-shaped cartilage has dislodged the joint every tie that this type of injury occurs.
How to Treat The Injury?
Consulting with a physiotherapist can help you with your injuries. Knee arthroscopy or keyhole surgery could also be suggested to you in order to diagnose what happened to your injured body part and determine how to cure it.
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3. Ankle Sprain
What is an Ankle Sprain?
The knees are not the only body part that experiences a sprain but ankles as well. Ankles are pretty prone to injuries since it has softer ligaments and softer tissues than other joints. Ankle sprains happen when the ankles are twisted inwards. This mostly happens to bowlers since they mostly do techniques or movements in order to execute excellent moves against the opponents.
How to Treat the Injury?
For home remedies, a warm compress works well with sprains since it is not that critical. First, apply a warm compress on your injury for about 15 minutes then after that, apply a cold compress. Do not move your sprain too much or else it will worsen the sprain.
But if the sprain is critical, having physiotherapy can actually be beneficial in preventing further injuries and worsening the injury.
4. Contusions
What are Contusions?
Contusions happen when a direct impact occurs on the muscle or it is most likely to be struck by something, like a ball for example. Once you experienced contusions, you will see some bruising and swelling on the injured part. You will also suffer a loss of movements in that particular area.
How to Treat the Injury?
Levels of contusions may vary from mild to critical. Mild bruisings can be treated by some mild circular massaging and warm compress. But if you are experiencing more critical damage like extreme dark purple blotches and mild ruptured capillaries, you must immediately go to the doctor for treatment.
5. Thrower’s Elbow
What is a Thrower’s Elbow?
It is also called medial epicondylitis (similar to tendonitis). It is almost identical to the medial meniscus tear but in the elbow. It happens when the tendons in the elbow are overly exerted. Cricket throwers are mostly prone to this type of injury since this they always throw cricket balls at an insane velocity which is why their elbows are always overly stretched.
How to Treat the Injury?
Thrower’s elbow is also quite minor and it can be relieved with ice; only if heat or warm compress is not available. However, warm or heat packs work best since it relieves the injuries better.
In order to avoid this type of injury if you have not had it before, do some exercises and flexibility training so that when you try to do activities that require immense speed of movement, you would not have to suffer from this injury because your joints are stronger. Ingest more calcium-rich foods and drinks in order to strengthen your bones and muscles.
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6. Side/Intercostal Strain
What is a Side or Intercostal Strain?
This type of injury happens when you lean too much on your side. For example, in bowling, when bowlers have to strike, they lean on their sides to deliver their blows but when it is overly done, chances are, pain in the side of the abdomen could happen and could cause strains or stiffness in the side.
If you are trying to move your body, you will feel discomfort and sharp pain.
How to Treat the Injury?
If you are easily susceptible to this injury, it basically means that you do not stretch enough for your joints and muscles to be flexible. So do some daily stretching especially when you are about to do an activity that requires extreme movements so you would not have to suffer from the sudden jolt of pain or pulling of the muscle. Do not forget to eat oranges or any kind of citrus fruits before you start stretching, exercising, or do something extraneous because citrus fruits help in fighting inflammations and could save you from sore muscles.
If you already have this type of injury, please make sure that you must have enough rest and do not move too much to avoid worsening the injury. Drink painkillers as well to ease the discomfort and do not forget to hydrate yourself because water is a factor for healing ones’ body. So stay hydrated!
7. Lower Back Pain
What is Lower Back Pain?
General lower back pain can be a nuisance because your back is one of the infrastructures of the body and you could not really move so freely if you have this type of injury.
Some back pain is not that serious. Some back pains are just problems in the muscles like soreness or straining them. But in some serious cases, the herniated disc might occur or dislocation of some disc in the spinal cord, which is very critical and needs immediate treatment, or else you will be at a risk for paralyzation.
Younger bowlers are more prone to these injuries and if it happens continuously, this will lead to the gradual deterioration of the bones once they start to age or it could even happen pre-maturely.
How to Treat the Injury?
Symptoms of back pain can be aided by structured rehabilitation programs, assisted by a physiotherapist. In other ways, you can also do an MRI scan to ensure the scope of the injury and what kind of treatment it needs.
Pilates sessions are also recommended when you have back pain. Another thing is you must not do any extraneous activities and always take a break. Refrain from activities that could put more stress on your back injury because the rehabilitation of the back can take not just days, weeks, but months of recuperation. Although the time of healing can be shortened just as long as you have imposed immediate aid to your injury.
8. Hamstring Strains
What are Hamstring Strains?
Hamstring strains happen most of the time in cricketers whenever they sprint so much, or to fielders, or probably an abrupt quick run. Hamstrings are found in thighs. Hamstring strains can also range in how severe they can get. Minor hamstrings feel like an ache in the hamstrings and you could feel a tingling sensation. You might also experience some slight tremors in the limbs due to the amount of exertion that your thighs experienced.
As for the major hamstring strains, this range is very severe to the point that you will even struggle in walking because your hamstrings are completely cramped up and tight, making it hard for you to support yourself when you want to stand.
How to Treat This Injury?
In order to treat this type of injury, you must always have adequate rest and always hydrate yourself with water or drinks with electrolytes just to help speed up the process of your recovery.
You can avoid this injury if you always practice stretching before doing any physical activity that requires so much energy and movement. Take note that when you abruptly move yourself or a certain part of your body without proper warm-up or any preparation for action, it will automatically cramp up because you did not give it some time to prepare for the physical activity that you are about to do.
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9. Impact Injuries to Fingers
What are Injuries to Fingers?
The last bit of the most common injuries in cricket is the injuries to fingers. Cricketers suffer from a great deal of hand-related injuries, especially in the fingers. The brute impact of when the ball hits your hand can actually cause injuries to the fingers. It is either a sprain or fracture. Finger sprains can happen if the muscle of the finger is extremely strained or overstretched. This can also happen when you hold something for too long with a tight grip. For example, holding a bat for too long could restrict blood flow in the fingers.
For finger fractures, this could happen when the cricket ball hits the fingers harshly and the brute force caused a minor crack in the bone.
How to Treat The Injury?
You can perform the PRICE method (Protect, Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation) on the bruised finger/s as first aid and prevent further initial damage.
As for the minor fractured fingers, you need to get your fingers checked by a hand therapist to ensure whether the injury is extremely critical or not. A hand therapist could also provide the right first aid for the fractured fingers that you cannot do on your own.
But if your fractures have gone worse and it has caused splinters from the inside in some of the parts of your fingers, then it is necessary for you to really go to an orthopedic surgeon for proper surgical processes. An X-ray scan might be done to check the extent of the damage inside the fingers in order to figure out the accurate medication and treatment for your injury.
There is a possibility that your injury could persist and you might suffer from not having to mobilize your own fingers, and when this happens, you need to immediately consult a physiotherapist in order to be assisted in trying to repair the damaged nerves in your fingers and get them to move again. A consultation from a physiotherapist could also help you with the proper medication in order to hasten your recovery and get back to your old physical fitness.
Conclusion
Injuries will always be present no matter how hard we try to remain careful but as long as we make ourselves healthy and always follow our doctor’s orders, we will surely recuperate really fast. This article also serves as a reminder to be more careful in every single thing that we do and to stay fit at all times!
Sources:
- https://coastsport.com.au/common-cricket-injuries/
- https://www.bmihealthcare.co.uk/health-matters/mens-health/common-cricket-injuries
Main Image Source: Pixabay
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