Cricket Injury Screening test to determine areas of improvement in cricketers

Did you know that you can reduce your chances of injuries while playing cricket? Wouldn’t it be great to know what injury risks you hold so that you can do the needful to keep playing to your full potential? Cricket injury screening or clinical movement screening is a compilation of clinical tests that can help the sports physiotherapist determine what fitness areas of the cricketer needs to be worked on to reduce the number of injuries and improve performance.

Injury is often unavoidable in cricket but it certainly can be minimized. Clinical movement screening tests have gained a lot of popularity in the clinical setting as a tool to predict injury and guide injury prevention programs/training. Your sports physiotherapist will be able to guide you on these tests, how to determine results and the fitness regime to follow as per the results.

Some of the tests performed as a part of this protocol are:

1. Drop jump test- Drop off of a box and upon landing on the ground, immediately explode up into a vertical jump. Any deviations from the normal pattern would indicate musculoskeletal impairments.

2. Tuck jump test- Jump as high as you can and repeat jumping. This test tells us about ligament dominance, muscle imbalance, core strength and coordination.

3. Speed training drills are designed to develop quick feet, power and acceleration.

4. Agility testing to assess the speed and the ease with which the player changes direction while moving rapidly.

These tests will give a better picture about the body and the demands that will be placed while playing the sport. If the requirements aren’t met, the player can be trained accordingly and this will substantially reduce the injuries. While the sports physiotherapist usually evaluates co-ordination, balance, flexibility, strength and endurance, these screening tests are additionally used to identify specific requirements.

Fitness improves bowling speed, hitting power, reaction times and running speed. It does this for everyone without fail. Agreed that not all the injuries are preventable, but can be reduced significantly if good screening tests are done before the game.

So don’t wait to get an injury; be proactive and schedule an appointment for a cricket screening program with your sports physiotherapist. Keep training, stay fit, stay injury free!