Medical App & Medical Advice with Hello Doctor

Train like the Proteas

Dedicated to the late Australian batsman, Philip Hughes, who died representing his country in the sport that he loved.

“Bring it home, boys!” This chant will echo from the mouths of 49 million South Africans, once the 2015 Cricket World Cup, hits fever-pitch. The number-one question on our minds will be: “Is this our year?!” If the latest performances of the Proteas…(ahem, AB de Villiers) are anything to go by, the cup could well be on its way to the Rainbow nation – finally!

With our current team, the fight for the win will push every player to new milestones. Although the loss of a fellow cricketer still lingers fresh in our minds, we trust that our boys will raise their heads, and give it all they’ve got.

Here are some common cricket injuries, and the measures our players take to prevent them:

Bowlers

Dale Steyn’s fiery attitude is legendary. However, it lead to his pulling a hamstring during a match against Australia last year. If he’s planning to keep taking wickets like a machine, Steyn will need to make sure he trains well, to prevent it from happening again.

Hamstring strain: A pace bowlers’ front foot hits the crease with about 7 times his full body weight – think about that for a second! Stiff, weak hamstrings will not be able to hold with that kind of impact. Once a hamstring is torn, the bowler will hobble off the field, and it could cost us a match.

How can they be prevented? The bowler must do the correct warm-up and cool-down exercises before, and after every match. The team captain also needs to make sure he doesn’t over-bowl his pacemen.

Ankle: Ankle injuries are very common, and it’s no surprise: your ankle carries the whole weight of your body! Injuries happen when the soft tissue & ligaments are stretched too far, and tears. An ankle sprain can be prevented by using tape or a brace for support. Good form and balance can also help prevent them from misstepping & spraining their ankles.

Shoulder: About 9% of cricketers can have an injury at any given time. When it comes to fast bowlers, this number increases to about 15%. This is because of the extra strain on their shoulders. According to Dr. Albert Viljoen , the shoulder is the most versatile joint in the body. The fast bowlers use this range of motion to get the best swing & speed. However, if the rotator cuff (the muscles surrounding the shoulder joint) isn’t strong enough, the joint can slip out, or the rotator cuff can tear.

Rotator cuff injuries are best prevented with a decent strength-training program. Sometimes, if there are small tears in the muscle- which happen with overuse – KT tape can be used to help rehabilitate the shoulder.

Batsmen

They stride to the crease in modern-day ‘armour’, but, history has shown that no-one is fully protected.

Head Injury: The freak-accident that lead to Hughes’ death from a nasty bouncer, last year, merited an investigation of the helmet’s design. Masuri, the manufacturing company, revealed their new and improved design on Wednesday, 11 February 2015.
Well-crafted helmets have saved many lives in different sports, and still serve as the gold standard to prevent any head-injury.

Hamstring: The short, fast runs between wickets, can cause a lot of strain on the hamstring. If our batsmen don’t warm up properly before the match, they won’t be able to take those potential match-winning singles!

Broken finger: Batsmen wear plenty of protection. However, when a ball hits the pitch at 150km/h, not even the best gloves can prevent a fractured finger.

It’s not easy to avoid, but a broken finger can often be treated without surgery, and usually recovers well.

Fielders

Fielders face the same issues as the bowlers. Their sprinting and repeated throwing of the ball can cause hamstring, shoulder, or ankle injuries, although they may be less active on the field at any given time.

Are you hoping to play for the Proteas one day? Well, don’t neglect these measures in your exercise routine, and we may very well be rooting for you in our next World Cup! #ProteaFire