Citation

Stretch R. Br. J. Sports Med. 2014; 48(7): 663.

Affiliation

Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, Port Elizabeth, South Africa.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2014, BMJ Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1136/bjsports-2014-093494.275

PMID

24620316

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Injury surveillance is fundamental to understanding, preventing and reducing the risk of injury. OBJECTIVES: The objective was to determine the incidence of injuries sustained by elite schoolboy cricketers over five-seasons in order to identify risk factors. DESIGN: Ethics approval for this study was obtained. Participants were required to complete questionnaires relating to cricket injuries sustained in the previous year. This included (i) anatomical site; (ii) month; (iii) cause; (iv) whether it was a recurrence of a previous injury, (v) whether the injury had reoccurred again during the season, and (vi) biographical data. SETTINGS: Cricketers competing in national age-group tournaments participated. PARTICIPANTS: Provincial age-group cricketers (n=3 600) participates in the study with 2 081 (58%) questionnaires completed. RISK FACTOR ASSESSMENT: Injuries were grouped according to the anatomical region injured. The Sample Statistical Analysis System was used to compute univariate statistics and frequency distributions. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Injury patterns for young cricketers would be similar to that of adult cricketers, with slight variations at different age-groups. RESULTS: 572 cricketers sustained 658 injuries with the U15, U17 and U18 groups sustaining 36%, 35% and 29% of the injuries, respectively. U15 cricketers sustained less serious injuries (unable to play for 1-7 days) (58%). The U17 (54%) and U18 (51%) groups sustained more serious injuries (unable to play for more than 8 days). Injuries were predominantly to the lower limbs (38%), back and trunk (33%) and upper (26%) limbs with bowling (44%) the primary mechanism of injury. These injuries occurred primarily during 1-day matches (30%), practices (29%) and gradual onset (21%). CONCLUSION: Similar injury patterns occurred in studies of adult cricketers, with slight differences in the nature and incidence of injuries found for the various age-groups. Fast bowlers of all ages remain at the greatest risk of injury.

Language: en