Lumbar Bone Stress Injuries in Cricket Fast Bowlers: A Review
Journal of Clinical Orthopaedics | Vol 10 | Issue 1 | January-June 2025 | page: 53-56 | Parth Bansal, Sarvdeep Singh Dhatt, Vishal Kumar, Sachin Kale, Ojasv Gehlot, Akhil Gailot
DOI: https://doi.org/10.13107/jcorth.2025.v10i01.718
Open Access License: CC BY-NC 4.0
Copyright Statement: Copyright © 2025; The Author(s).
Submitted Date: 25 March 2025, Review Date: 26 april 2025, Accepted Date: 16 May 2025 & Published Date: 30 Jun 2025
Author: Parth Bansal [1], Sarvdeep Singh Dhatt [1], Vishal Kumar [1], Sachin Kale [2], Ojasv Gehlot [2], Akhil Gailot [2]
[1] Department of Orthopaedics, PGIMER, Chandigarh, India, 2Department of Orthopaedics, D Y Patil Medical School and Hospital, Pune, Maharashtra, India
Address of Correspondence
Dr. Parth Bansal,
Spine Fellow, PGIMER, Chandigarh, India.
E-mail: parthbansal93@gmail.com
Abstract
Lumbar Bone Stress Injuries (LBSI) encompass a spectrum ranging from bone stress reactions to lumbar stress fractures (LSF). These injuries are among the most prevalent in cricket players, particularly fast bowlers. This review highlights the epidemiology of LBSIs and explores both modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors associated with their development. Early diagnosis, along with appropriate workload management, plays a crucial role in the effective management of these injuries. Furthermore, structured prevention programs implemented by cricket organizations can significantly reduce the incidence and long-term impact of LBSIs in the sport.
Keywords: Cricket, Lumbar, LBSI, Fast bowlers, Stress reaction
References
1. Saw A, Eales B, Jones N, Obst A, Smith M, Kountouris A, et al. Lumbar bone stress injuries and nonunited defects in elite Australian cricket players. Clin J Sport Med 2024;34:44-51.
2. Keylock L, Alway P, Felton P, McCaig S, Brooke-Wavell K, King M, et al. Lumbar bone stress injuries and risk factors in adolescent cricket fast bowlers. J Sports Sci 2022;40:1336-42.
3. Pardiwala DN, Rao NN, Varshney AV. Injuries in cricket. Sports Health 2018;10:217-22.
4. Singh SP, Rotstein AH, Saw AE, Saw R, Kountouris A, James T. Radiological healing of lumbar spine stress fractures in elite cricket fast bowlers. J Sci Med Sport 2021;24:112-5.
5. Beutler WJ, Fredrickson BE, Murtland A, Sweeney CA, Grant WD, Baker D. The natural history of spondylolysis and spondylolisthesis: 45-year follow-up evaluation. Spine (Phila Pa 1976) 2003;28:1027-35.
6. Alway P, Felton P, Brooke-Wavell K, Peirce N, King M. Cricket fast bowling technique and lumbar bone stress injury. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2021;53:581-9.
7. Orchard JW, Ranson C, Olivier B, Dhillon M, Gray J, Langley B, et al. International consensus statement on injury surveillance in cricket: A 2016 update. Br J Sports Med 2016;50:1245-51.
8. Orchard JW, Kountouris A, Sims K. Incidence and prevalence of elite male cricket injuries using updated consensus definitions. Open Access J Sports Med 2016;7:187-94.
9. Alway P, Brooke-Wavell K, Langley B, King M, Peirce N. Incidence and prevalence of lumbar stress fracture in English county cricket fast bowlers, association with bowling workload and seasonal variation. BMJ Open Sport Exerc Med 2019;5:e000529.
10. Dovbysh T, Reid D, Shackel D. Injury incidence within male elite New Zealand cricket from the early T20 era: 2009-2015. BMJ Open Sport Exerc Med 2021;7:e001168.
11. Farhart P, Beakley D, Diwan A, Duffield R, Rodriguez EP, Chamoli U, et al. Intrinsic variables associated with low back pain and lumbar spine injury in fast bowlers in cricket: A systematic review. BMC Sports Sci Med Rehabil 2023;15:114.
12. Johnson M, Ferreira M, Hush J. Lumbar vertebral stress injuries in fast bowlers: A review of prevalence and risk factors. Phys Ther Sport 2012;13:45-52.
13. Sims K, Saw R, Saw AE, Kountouris A, Orchard JW. Multiple risk factors associated with lumbar bone stress injury in youth cricket fast bowlers. J Sport Exerc Sci 2021;5:92-100.
14. Panagodage Perera NK, Kountouris A, Kemp JL, Joseph C, Finch CF. The incidence, prevalence, nature, severity and mechanisms of injury in elite female cricketers: A prospective cohort study. J Sci Med Sport 2019;22:1014-20.
15. Felton PJ, Lister SL, Worthington PJ, King MA. Comparison of biomechanical characteristics between male and female elite fast bowlers. J Sports Sci 2019;37:665-70.
16. Bartolomei S, Grillone G, Di Michele R, Cortesi M. A comparison between male and female athletes in relative strength and power performances. J Funct Morphol Kinesiol 2021;6:17.
17. Orchard JW, Inge P, Sims K, Kountouris A, Saw AE, Saw R, et al. Comparison of injury profiles between elite Australian male and female cricket players. J Sci Med Sport 2023;26:19-24.
18. Alway P, Peirce N, Johnson W, King M, Kerslake R, Brooke-Wavell K. Activity specific areal bone mineral density is reduced in athletes with stress fracture and requires profound recovery time: A study of lumbar stress fracture in elite cricket fast bowlers. J Sci Med Sport 2022;25:828-33.
19. Saw R, Saw A, Kountouris A, Orchard J. Upper lumbar bone stress injuries in elite cricketers. Clin J Sport Med 2022;32:e121-5.
20. Ranson CA, Kerslake RW, Burnett AF, Batt ME, Abdi S. Magnetic resonance imaging of the lumbar spine in asymptomatic professional fast bowlers in cricket. J Bone Joint Surg Br 2005;87:1111-6.
21. Morton S, Barton CJ, Rice S, Morrissey D. Risk factors and successful interventions for cricket-related low back pain: A systematic review. Br J Sports Med 2014;48:685-91.
22. Engstrom CM, Walker DG, Kippers V, Mehnert AJ. Quadratus lumborum asymmetry and L4 pars injury in fast bowlers: A prospective MR study. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2007;39:910-7.
23. Kountouris A, Portus M, Cook J. Quadratus lumborum asymmetry and lumbar spine injury in cricket fast bowlers. J Sci Med Sport 2012;15:393-7.
24. Kountouris A, Portus M, Cook J. Cricket fast bowlers without low back pain have larger quadratus lumborum asymmetry than injured bowlers. Clin J Sport Med 2013;23:300-4.
25. Foster D, John D, Elliott B, Ackland T, Fitch K. Back injuries to fast bowlers in cricket: A prospective study. Br J Sports Med 1989;23:150-4.
26. Elliott BC, Hardcastle PH, Burnett AE, Foster DH. The influence of fast bowling and physical factors on radiologic features in high performance young fast bowlers. Sport Med Train Rehabil 1992;3:113-30.
27. Orchard J, James T, Alcott E, Carter S, Farhart P. Injuries in Australian cricket at first class level 1995/1996 to 2000/2001. Br J Sports Med 2002;36:270-4.
28. Orchard JW, James T, Portus M, Kountouris A, Dennis R. Fast bowlers in cricket demonstrate up to 3- to 4-week delay between high workloads and increased risk of injury. Am J Sports Med 2009;37:1186-92.
29. Gregory PL, Batt ME, Kerslake RW. Comparing spondylolysis in cricketers and soccer players. Br J Sports Med 2004;38:737-42.
30. Cheung KK, Dhawan RT, Wilson LF, Peirce NS, Rajeswaran G. Pars interarticularis injury in elite athletes-The role of imaging in diagnosis and management. Eur J Radiol 2018;108:28-42.
31. Buck JE. Direct repair of the defect in spondylolisthesis. Bone Joint J 1970;52-B:432-7.
32. Wilson L, Altaf F, Tyler P. Percutaneous pars interarticularis screw fixation: A technical note. Eur Spine J 2016;25:1651-4.
33. Rajasekaran S, Subbiah M, Shetty AP. Direct repair of lumbar spondylolysis by Buck’s technique. Indian J Orthop 2011;45:136-40.
How to Cite this article: Bansal P, Dhatt SS, Kumar V, Kale S, Gehlot O, Gailot A. Lumbar Bone Stress Injuries in Cricket Fast Bowlers: A Review. Journal of Clinical Orthopaedics. January-June 2025;10(1):53-56. |
(Article Text HTML) (Download PDF)