The Impact of COVID-19 Related Disruption on Injury Rates in Elite Men’s Domestic Cricket

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the impact of COVID-19 enforced prolonged training disruption and shortened competitive season, on in-season injury and illness rates. Injury incidence and percent proportion was calculated for the 2020 elite men’s senior domestic cricket season and compared to a historical average from five previous regular seasons (2015 to 2019 inclusive). The injury profile for the shortened 2020 season was generally equivalent to what would be expected in a regular season, except for a significant increase in medical illness as a proportion of time loss (17% compared to historic average of 6%) and in-season days lost (9% compared to historic average of 3%) due to COVID-19 related instances (most notably precautionary isolation due to contact with a confirmed or suspected COVID-19 case). There was a significant increase in the proportion of in-season days lost to thigh injuries (24% compared to 9%) and a significant decrease in the proportion of days lost to hand (4% compared to 12%) and lumbar spine (7% compared to 21%) injuries. These findings enhance understanding of the impact prolonged period of training disruption and shortened season can have on cricket injuries and the challenges faced by practitioners under such circumstances.

Key words

epidemiology - covid-19 - injury - conditioning - cricket, training

• References

• 1 Toresdahl BG, Asif IM. Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19): Considerations for the competitive athlete. Sports Health 2020; 12: 221-224
• 2 Cabinet Office. Guidance on staying at home and away from others (social distancing) [UK Government website] (2020). In Internet: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/full-guidance-on-staying-at-home-and-away-from-others (Accessed 13 July 2020)
• 3 Stokes KA, Jones B, Bennett M. et al. Returning to play after prolonged training restrictions in professional collision sports. Int J Sports Med 2020; 41: 895-911
• 4 Orchard JW, Kountouris A, Sims K. Incidence and prevalence of elite male cricket injuries using updated consensus definitions. Open Access J Sports Med 2016; 7: 187-194
• 5 Goggins L, Peirce N, Ranson C. et al. Injuries in England and Wales elite men’s domestic cricket: A nine season review from 2010–2018. J Sci Med Sport 2020; 23: 836-840
• 6 Johnson M, Ferreira M, Hush J. Lumbar vertebral stress injuries in fast bowlers: A review of prevalence and risk factors. Phys Ther Sport 2012; 13: 45-52
• 7 Bayne H, Elliott B, Campbell A. et al. Lumbar load in adolescent fast bowlers: A prospective injury study. J Sci Med Sport 2016; 19: 117-122
• 8 Alway P, Brooke-Wavell K, Langley B. et al. Incidence and prevalence of lumbar stress fracture in English County Cricket fast bowlers, association with bowling workload and seasonal variation. BMJ Open Sport Exerc Med 2019; 5: e000529
• 9 International Cricket Council. ICC back to cricket guidelines (2020). In Internet: https://resources.pulse.icc-cricket.com/ICC/document/2020/05/22/b75e57b7-ed1e-4025-a542-a4059ceb9efb/ICC-Back-to-Cricket-Guidelines-May20-final-.pdf (Accessed 12 January 2021)
• 10 Pop KL, Ackerman KE, Rudolph SE. et al. Changes in volumetric bone mineral density over 12 months after a tibial bone stress injury diagnosis: Implications for return to sports and military duty. Am J Sports Med 2021; 49: 226-235
• 11 Rae K, Orchard JW.. The orchard sports injury classification system (OSICS) version 10. Clin J Sport Med 2007; 17: 201-204
• 12 Orchard JW, Ranson C, Olivier B. et al. International consensus statement on injury surveillance in cricket: a 2016 update. Br J Sports Med 2016; 50: 1245-1251
• 13 Mansingh A, Harper L, Headley S. et al. Injuries in West Indies cricket 2003-2004. Br J Sports Med 2005; 40: 119-123
• 14 Frost WL, Chalmers DJ.. Injury in elite New Zealand cricketers 2002-2008: descriptive epidemiology. Br J Sports Med 2014; 4: 1002-1007