Cricket and Australian Culture

Australians play it in the backyard, on the beach or on the hallowed MCG turf. Cricket has been integrated into our Australian culture for decades. According to recent data cricket increased its stance as Australia’s most popular sport. Over 1,311,184 million participating players were recorded over the 2015-2016 season, with a staggering increase of 8.5% from the previous year. With the inclusion of multiple forms of cricket, it’s extremely important for players to improve their awareness on potential injuries that may prevent further participation.

In comparison to Australian Rules Football, rugby union/ league and soccer, cricket is considered a much safer sport to play at all levels. This is due to differing physical demands of the game. Physical requirements of the game still expose players to repetitive actions. These actions involve jogging, jumping, and sprinting. These physical demands have the potential to direct forces of high impact of the structures of the lower limb. The toes, ankles, muscles, tendons, ligaments, fascia, and the bones of the feet are at greater risk of injury as a result. These forces can be up to two-three times our body weight. This is because actions are completed at a faster pace than general walking speed.

Cricket Injuries

Injuries in cricket are varied as there are many positional and styles of cricket played. The most commonly injured cricketers are the fast bowlers. In contrast to batsmen, fieldsmen, wicketkeepers and spin bowlers, the fast bowlers account for 16% of potential playing time missed through injuries.

Potential problems and when to seek the help of a podiatrist

• Heel Pain
• Plantar fasciitis
• Achilles Tendinopathy
• Fractures to the foot and ankle
• Ankle Sprains
• Sesamoiditis
• Posterior impingement syndrome
• Shin splints
• Lower back pain
• Turf toe

The list above demonstrates that more chronic and overuse related injuries are commonly found over acute injuries. The lack of injury awareness and treatments may potentially impact on a player’s physical ability to participate in the sport. Early intervention and a biomechanical review of the patients muscle/joint/ligament integrity and functioning will go a long way towards resolving any physical issues cricket players may have. Information about injury prevention and footwear selection will also minimise the risk of the development of further injuries. This will in turn help improve your function overall. If you have the tendency or have suffered from any form of foot and ankle trauma, come and speak to our friendly Podiatrists at The Foot and Ankle Clinic. They are only to happy to help put you on the right path.

At the Foot and Ankle Clinic our highly qualified team of Podiatrists are all members of the Australian Podiatry Association. Our team offers a combined 50 years’ experience. They are trained to diagnose and effectively treat cricket injuries via a range of treatments.

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