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Don't be bowled out this summer - Bupa warns young cricketers about the dangers of too much bowling 17 April 2003 Too much bowling could cause spinal stress fractures to England's elite young fast bowlers and future professional players. Recent research by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) reveals that of the 10,000 first class county cricket playing days lost last year through injury, nearly half were caused by bowling. The top reason for players missing games was spinal injury. With the junior cricket season starting at the beginning of May, Bupa is warning young players of the risks that could damage their health and their future. "Overbowling, particularly during adolescence can be a real problem. Throughout their teenage years, players experience growth spurts, which, together with excessive bowling, can put added strain on the spine resulting in stress fractures. The main symptom is recurrent back pain when bowling and if this persists for longer than three months, it is very likely to be a stress fracture. It is important to detect any problem early before permanent damage is done," says Dr Phil Bell, sports medicine specialist and clinical director of musculoskeletal medicine, Bupa Wellness. "Damage is caused by movement in the back. If you liken it to bending a spoon, the more the spoon is bent, the weaker the metal becomes. Too much bowling has a similar effect on the young spine as it moves during bowling and unnecessary stress on the back is exacerbated by mixing bowling actions. "There are three safe fast bowling actions: front-on, side-on or midway. They differ by the positioning of the feet and the orientation of the hips and it is important to keep the amount of back twist to a minimum so the emphasis is on quality of delivery and not quantity. "A team's good fast bowler can often mean the difference between winning and losing, so it is important that young talent is nurtured carefully. But because they are in such demand, young cricketers could be bowling themselves out of a future in the game, particularly if they play for their school, club and county teams," said Dr Bell, who is a former medical adviser to the ECB. Mindful of this problem, the ECB has issued directives to protect fast bowlers in their development from school to test cricket. They insist on gradual increases in the amount of bowling throughout the junior years and highlight the necessity for a consistent technique to minimise the chances of spinal problems developing. David Newman, injury surveillance officer of the ECB, said: "Further research is currently being carried out but initial signs of the directive's influence are promising, with one county reporting no spinal injuries in the junior squad two years on following several years of chronic back complaints. The directive is not intended to stop young players from playing. Keeping to the bowling limits of the directive means more time can be spent on other aspects of their game such as batting and fielding, developing better all round experience and a long term future in cricket." More information can be found in the ECB's Coach's Manual and a copy of the directives is available on the ECB website at www.ecb.co.uk. Bupa Wellness has a number of doctors specialising in sports medicine and offers services in musculoskeletal medicine that can provide swift diagnosis and treatment for symptoms of stress fractures on the lumbar spine as well as for other muscular, bone and joint problems. Details of these services are available at www.bupa.co.uk/wellness or by calling 0845 601 4915. (Lines are open between 8am and 6pm Monday to Friday). Bupa encourages everybody to take an active interest in their health by providing information and support to help people attain and maintain a healthy lifestyle. Bupa sponsors several sporting events including Capital Radio Group's first ever Feetbeat, a series of eight simultaneous 10k fun runs taking place on Sunday 18 May, the Bupa Great North Run, the world's largest half marathon, the Bupa Great South Run and the Bupa Bristol Half Marathon. For more information on running, training tips and general health information and advice visit www.bupa.co.uk/health_information/asp/healthy_living/lifestyle/exercise/running/.
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