Cricket, especially for fast bowlers, places intense demands on the body. Training hard is
important – but training smart is critical if you want to stay injury-free.
1. Hamstring Strains / Tears
What is it?
A hamstring tear occurs when the muscle is stretched or loaded beyond what it’s prepared for – often during sprinting or sudden changes of direction. It’s often common in cricketers who don’t play a winter sport or sprint regularly
Why it happens
Sudden sprinting or fielding efforts early in the season, especially with deconditioned hamstrings, lead to injury.
How we avoid it
- Incorporate sprint training into pre-season.
- Strengthen hamstrings eccentrically.
- Use dynamic warm-ups with active lengthening
Good exercises to include
Single-leg hamstring bridge (on 60cm box, knee at 20° flexion, 20 reps) – targets end-range hamstring strength.
2. Lower Back Pain
What is it?
Lower back pain in cricketers can fall into several categories, including bony stress injuries, muscular strains, or general stiffness.
Quick Facts
- 67% of fast bowlers will sustain a lumbar stress fracture during their career
- Ongoing lumbar stress injuries are what Cameron Green is currently returning from
Why it happens?
Due to repetitive extension and rotation in bowling, especially when loads are high and recovery is low. In young players, bony structures are particularly vulnerable.
How we avoid it
- Gradual return to high-intensity bowling after a break is key.
- Ensure your action is either front-on or side-on, not a combination of both
Good exercises to include
- Jefferson Curls – improve controlled spinal flexion and hamstring mobility
- Lateral flexion on GHD – improve lateral flexion strength and mobility
3. Rotator Cuff Tear / Tendinopathy
What is it?
- Tear: a rupture of one or more rotator cuff muscles, usually from throwing or awkward landings
- Tendinopathy: irritation and degeneration of the rotator cuff tendons due to overload over time
A couple of facts
A study showed that more than 40 throws in a session increases shoulder injury risk
Why it happens
These injuries are usually load-related. Either a sudden spike or chronic under-preparation, especially in the off-season.
How we avoid it
- Maintain consistent shoulder and rotator cuff strength
- Train overhead ranges year-round. Keep some bowling and throwing in training schedule year-round.
Good exercises to include in your program
External rotation with load in overhead positions – develops resilience where you use your shoulder most.
4. Side Strains
What is it?
A side strain is usually a strain or tear of the internal oblique muscle, often at its attachment
near the lower ribs.
A couple of facts
- Most common in bowlers, especially those under 24 years old.
- 30% of bowlers who experience a side strain will re-injure it, with most re-injuries
happening within 2 years of the first incident
Why it happens
These injuries are usually load-related. Either a sudden spike or chronic under-preparation, especially in the off-season.
How we avoid it
- Stop falling away during your delivery by building trunk strength
- Avoid making the first training back, your first proper bowling session, build up
gradually.
Good exercises to include in your program
Elevated side plank hip dips – targets obliques and trunk control under load.
5. Calf Strains / Tears
What is it?
A calf strain is a tear in either the gastrocnemius or soleus muscle, usually due to sudden force
or fatigue.
A couple of facts
Bowlers with a history of lumbar stress fractures are 4 times more likely to sustain a calf
strain
Why it happens
These injuries tend to occur after a period of inactivity or when sudden sprinting exceeds the
calf’s conditioning.
How we avoid it
- Prioritise calf strength and endurance in training.
- Include sprinting and hopping drills in your pre-season.
- Warm up properly before matches and training.
Good exercises to include in your program
Single-leg calf raises on a 10° incline at a constant tempo – improve endurance and tissue
capacity.
Final Thoughts
Prevention is always better than cure. Load management, progressive strength training, are
your best tools. If you want to stay injury free next season, or have an injury you want fixed by
pre-season, get in touch!
Bibliography
- Orchard, J. W., Blanch, P., Paoloni, J., Kountouris, A., Sims, K., Orchard, J. J., &
Brukner, P. (2017). Side strain injuries in sport: A retrospective analysis of 43 cases.
BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine, 3(1), e000255.
https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjsem-2017-000255 - Saw, R., Dennis, R. J., Bentley, D., & Farhart, P. (2011). Throwing workload and injury
risk in elite cricketers. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 45(10), 805–808.
https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsm.2009.061309 - Charest, K., Samuel, D., Khan, K. M., & Romero, J. (2023). Lumbar stress fractures in
sport: Diagnosis, management and return to play. BMC Sports Science, Medicine and
Rehabilitation, 15(1), 50. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13102-023-00732-1 - van Dyk, N., Behan, F. P., & Whiteley, R. (2019). Including the Nordic hamstring exercise
in injury prevention programmes halves the rate of hamstring injuries: A systematic
review and meta-analysis of 8459 athletes. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 53(21),
1362–1370. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2018-100045 - Herbert-Losier, K., Reilly, K. T., Garcia, J., Simpson, D., & Speirs, A. D. (2017).
Normative data for the heel-raise test and a minimal clinically important difference in
healthy adults. Physical Therapy, 97(8), 904–912. https://doi.org/10.1093/ptj/pzx062 - Crewe, H., Elliott, B. C., Couanis, G., Campbell, A., & Alderson, J. (2012). Pace bowlers
in cricket with a history of lumbar stress fracture have reduced trunk muscle size. Open
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