Injury surveillance in community cricket: A new inning for South Africa

Published injury rates amongst elite and club-level youth cricketers highlight the need to implement injury risk-reducing strategies amongst the youth cricketing population. Data from sports injury surveillance systems are a prerequisite for the development and evaluation of strategies to reduce injury risk. Therefore, collecting injury surveillance data is a positive move towards reducing injuries in cricket. In South Africa, a systematic, standardised, evidence-informed injury surveillance system currently does not exist for community levels of play, namely, in cricket-playing high schools and cricket clubs. Although injury surveillance systems exist at elite levels, the obvious differences in elite versus community cricket settings mean that these systems cannot be implemented in their current form at community-level cricket. An innovative model is required to implement an injury surveillance system in community cricket. Clinical implications: This article proposes and describes a new research–practice partnership model to implement a systematic, standardised, evidence-informed injury surveillance system at cricket-playing high schools or cricket clubs within South Africa. Once this model has been employed, database systems will need to be established to allow long-term data management and sharing

Kinematic differences between left- and right-handed cricket fast bowlers during the bowling action

Background: Despite differences between left- and right-handed athletes in other sports, minimal evidence exists regarding biomechanical similarities and differences between left- and right-handed cricket fast bowlers performing an equivalent task. Objectives: This study aimed to compare the kinematics between left and right-handed fast bowlers performing an equivalent task (i.e. bowling ‘over the wicket’ to a batter of the same handedness as the bowler). Methods: Full body, three-dimensional kinematic data for six left-handed and 20 right-handed adolescent, male, fast bowlers were collected using the Xsens inertial measurement system. Time-normalised joint and segment angle time histories from back foot contact to follow-through ground contacts were compared between groups via statistical parametric mapping. Whole movement and subphase durations were also compared. Results: Left-handed players displayed significantly more trunk flexion from 49%-56% of the total movement (ball release occurred at 54%; p = 0.037) and had shorter back foot contact durations on average (0.153 vs 0.177 s; p = 0.036) compared to right-handed players. Conclusion: Left- and right-handed bowlers displayed similar sagittal plane kinematics but appeared to use non-sagittal plane movements differently around the time of ball release. The kinematic differences identified in this study can inform future research investigating the effect of hand dominance on bowling performance and injury risk

Altered sagittal plane mechanics is associated with functional movement screen deep squat score

DATA AVAILABILITY : Data supporting the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author, O.L.O., on request.BACKGROUND : The Functional Movement Screen (FMS) assesses the quality of movements, including the deep squat (DS), which is used in sports settings. The validity of the individual item scores has yet to be established. OBJECTIVES : To investigate the validity of the FMS DS by comparing the sagittal plane kinematics of participants who achieve different observer scores. METHOD : Seventeen injury-free, adolescent male cricket bowlers were assessed. The movement was captured using the Optitrack® motion capture system. Simultaneously, observers scored participants’ execution of the DS according to the standard FMS scoring criteria. Participants were grouped into Group 1 (lowest score), Group 2 (altered movement mechanics) or Group 3 (perfect score) according to observer scores. Specific joint angles of each group were compared using the Kruskal–Wallis and Mann–Whitney U tests. RESULTS : There were significant differences in the degree to which the femur passed the horizontal between Group 3 and Group 1 (p = 0.04, r = 0.61) and Group 2 and Group 1 (p = 0.03, r = 0.66) and the difference in the degree to which the torso was kept vertical between Group 3 and Group 1 (p = 0.02, r = 0.66) and Group 2 and Group 1 (p = 0.02; r = 0.72). CONCLUSION : Kinematic differences exist between participants who achieve different observer scores for the FMS DS. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS : While differences in sagittal plane kinematics have been observed in participants scoring high on the FMS DS and participants scoring low, further investigation into the validity of the frontal plane kinematics is warranted, as well as the concurrent validity of the individual scoring criteria.http://www.sajp.co.zaam2024Sports MedicineSDG-03:Good heatlh and well-bein

Kinematic differences between left- and right-handed cricket fast bowlers during the bowling action

BACKGROUND : Despite differences between left- and right-handed athletes in other sports, minimal evidence exists regarding biomechanical similarities and differences between left- and right-handed cricket fast bowlers performing an equivalent task. OBJECTIVES : This study aimed to compare the kinematics between left and right-handed fast bowlers performing an equivalent task (i.e. bowling ‘over the wicket’ to a batter of the same handedness as the bowler). METHODS : Full body, three-dimensional kinematic data for six left-handed and 20 right-handed adolescent, male, fast bowlers were collected using the Xsens inertial measurement system. Time-normalised joint and segment angle time histories from back foot contact to follow-through ground contacts were compared between groups via statistical parametric mapping. Whole movement and subphase durations were also compared. RESULTS : Left-handed players displayed significantly more trunk flexion from 49%-56% of the total movement (ball release occurred at 54%; p = 0.037) and had shorter back foot contact durations on average (0.153 vs 0.177 s; p = 0.036) compared to right-handed players. CONCLUSION : Left- and right-handed bowlers displayed similar sagittal plane kinematics but appeared to use non-sagittal plane movements differently around the time of ball release. The kinematic differences identified in this study can inform future research investigating the effect of hand dominance on bowling performance and injury risk.http://sajsm.org.za/index.php/sajsmam2024Sports MedicineNon

The effectiveness of neuromuscular injury prevention strategies versus standard strategies on injury rates in the adolescent male playing sport : a systematic review protocol

Objective: This review will assess the effectiveness of neuromuscular injury prevention strategies on injury rates among adolescent males playing sports. Introduction: Adolescent athletes are predisposed to injuries during this period of growth. Growth-related injury risk factors can be mitigated by implementing appropriate neuromuscular injury prevention strategies. This is the first review to include all sporting disciplines in summarizing the components and assessing the effectiveness of injury prevention strategies in the adolescent male population. Inclusion criteria: Randomized controlled trials investigating adolescent males, between the ages of 13 and 18 years, participating in organized sports, in any setting and level of participation, will be included. Studies reporting on participants with growth abnormalities will be excluded. Methods: Databases searched will include MEDLINE (Pubmed), CINAHL Complete (EBSCO), CLinicalKey, SPORTDiscus (EBSCO), Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro), Scopus (Elsevier), ScienceDirect (Elsevier) MasterFILE Premier (EBSCO), Academic Search Complete (EBSCO), Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) and ClincalTrials.gov. Gray literature and unpublished studies will be searched via Health and Medical Complete (ProQuest Dissertations & Theses). Study screening and selection against inclusion criteria will be performed. Data extraction and critical appraisal will be performed using the standardized JBI templates and checklists for qualitative research. All stages will be performed by 2 independent reviewers, with conflicts resolved by a third reviewer

THE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN MENSTRUAL CYCLE PHASE, MENSTRUAL IRREGULARITIES, CONTRACEPTIVE USE AND MUSCULOSKELETAL INJURY AMONG FEMALE ATHLETES: A SCOPING REVIEW

The aim of this scoping review is to provide a descriptive overview of the extent, range and nature of research related to the effect of the menstrual cycle phases, menstrual cycle irregularities and contraceptive use on injuries among female athletes

Do South African international cricket pace bowlers have similar bowling volume and injury risk associates compared to other elite fast bowlers?

BACKGROUND : Although many cricket-playing nations have conducted research on bowling volume (BV) and injury risk, this relationship amongst international South African pace bowlers is yet to be investigated. Environmental, socio-economic and training strategy differences warrant similar research in a South African context. The purpose of this preliminary study was to establish whether South African pace bowlers have similar BV and injury associates compared to other elite fast bowlers. METHODS : This study was a prospective, observational, cohort study that monitored match and training BV and injuries amongst pace bowlers playing for the South African national team between April 2017 and April 2019. A sample of convenience that included 14 bowlers was selected. Bowling volume was quantified as the number of deliveries bowled during training and competition. Acute-, chronic- and acute:chronic BV ratios were independently modelled as association variables. RESULTS : There were 39 injuries with the most being to the lumbar spine (25.64%). Moderate-to-low and a moderate-to-high acute:chronic bowling load ratios were associated with a lower risk of injury. Chronic bowling load was associated with injury (z  =  2.82, p  =  0.01). A low acute workload, low chronic workload, moderate-high chronic workload and moderate-low acute:chronic ratio were also associated with an increased risk of injury. CONCLUSION : These findings confirm that there appears to be a dose–response effect between training BV and the likelihood of an injury occurring with a moderate-to-low and a moderate-to-high BV ratio being optimal. Considering the small sample size, the findings should be interpreted with caution.https://journals.sagepub.com/home/SPOhj2023PhysiologySDG-03:Good heatlh and well-bein

Human biliary epithelial cells from discarded donor livers rescue bile duct structure and function in a mouse model of biliary disease

Biliary diseases can cause inflammation, fibrosis, bile duct destruction, and eventually liver failure. There are no curative treatments for biliary disease except for liver transplantation. New therapies are urgently required. We have therefore purified human biliary epithelial cells (hBECs) from human livers that were not used for liver transplantation. hBECs were tested as a cell therapy in a mouse model of biliary disease in which the conditional deletion of Mdm2 in cholangiocytes causes senescence, biliary strictures, and fibrosis. hBECs are expandable and phenotypically stable and help restore biliary structure and function, highlighting their regenerative capacity and a potential alternative to liver transplantation for biliary disease