ACUTE LUMBAR STRESS INJURY, TRUNK KINEMATICS, LUMBAR MRI AND PARASPINAL MUSCLE MORPHOLOGY IN FAST BOWLERS IN CRICKET

This study examined the relationship between lower back injury and various etiological factors in 48 professional fast bowlers. Bowling action, lumbar spine appearance via MRI scans and lumbar paraspinal muscle asymmetry were investigated. Thirty-five percent of subjects sustained a lower back injury (more than 6 days missed cricket) within ± 1 season of testing and 25% suffered an acute lumbar stress injury. The latter group used less lower trunk side-flexion (%ROM) during the delivery stride and a non-significantly increased amount of lower trunk extension than bowlers who did not suffer lower trunk injury. The appearance of the non-dominant pars and absence of intervertebral disc degeneration was related to acute stress injury occurrence.