Cricket pace bowler with anatomical overlays showing injury risk factors.

Cricket Injuries: Are Young Bowlers at Risk?

Rhea Morgan in Health & Wellness December 2025 • 4 min read.

"A systematic review reveals potential risk factors for non-contact injuries in adolescent cricket pace bowlers. Learn how to protect young athletes."

Cricket, a sport celebrated worldwide, places unique demands on its athletes, particularly pace bowlers. Adolescent players are especially vulnerable to injuries due to the repetitive, high-impact nature of their bowling action. Understanding the specific risks faced by these young athletes is the first step in creating effective injury prevention strategies.

While adult cricket injuries have been studied, adolescent players present a different picture. They're more prone to back and trunk injuries, overuse issues, and growth-related conditions affecting their lower limbs. This underscores the need for research specifically focused on this age group.

This article breaks down the findings of a systematic review that investigated risk factors for non-contact injuries in adolescent cricket pace bowlers. We'll explore biomechanical, workload-related, and neuromuscular factors that contribute to these injuries, offering insights for coaches, parents, and young athletes themselves.

Decoding the Risks: What the Research Reveals

Cricket pace bowler with anatomical overlays showing injury risk factors.

A comprehensive review of sixteen studies, encompassing 687 participants, has shed light on several key risk factors for non-contact injuries in adolescent cricket pace bowlers. These factors can be broadly categorized into biomechanical, workload-related, and neuromuscular components.

Here's a closer look at the identified risks:

Bowling Biomechanics: Excessive lateral trunk flexion (bending to the side while bowling) and atypical pelvis/hip movements increase injury risk.
Reduced Trunk Endurance: Weakness in the muscles supporting the spine can make young bowlers vulnerable.
Poor Lumbo-Pelvic-Hip Control: Difficulty coordinating movement between the lower back, pelvis, and hips contributes to instability and injury.
Early Signs of Lumbar Bone Stress: Changes detected via MRI may indicate increased risk of stress fractures.

It's important to note that some factors, such as mixed bowling techniques, bowling workload, and quadratus lumborum asymmetry, showed conflicting results across studies. More research is needed to clarify their role in injury development.

Protecting Young Bowlers: Practical Steps and Future Directions

The findings of this review offer valuable insights for developing targeted injury prevention programs. Coaches can focus on improving bowling technique to reduce excessive trunk flexion and optimize hip/pelvis movements. Strength and conditioning programs should emphasize trunk endurance and lumbo-pelvic-hip control.

It's also crucial to monitor bowling workload and ensure adequate rest between sessions. While the ideal workload remains unclear, avoiding spikes in activity and providing sufficient recovery time are likely beneficial.

Future research should focus on prospective cohort studies with injury-free participants at baseline, careful control of confounding factors, and detailed monitoring of bowling biomechanics and workload. Further investigation into the role of mixed techniques and QL asymmetry is also warranted.

About this Article -

This article was crafted using a human-AI hybrid and collaborative approach. AI assisted our team with initial drafting, research insights, identifying key questions, and image generation. Our human editors guided topic selection, defined the angle, structured the content, ensured factual accuracy and relevance, refined the tone, and conducted thorough editing to deliver helpful, high-quality information.See our About page for more information.

This article is based on research published under:

DOI-LINK: 10.1007/s40279-017-0778-z, Alternate LINK

Title: Risk Factors For Non-Contact Injury In Adolescent Cricket Pace Bowlers: A Systematic Review

Subject: Physical Therapy, Sports Therapy and Rehabilitation

Journal: Sports Medicine

Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC

Authors: Mitchell R. L. Forrest, Jeffrey J. Hebert, Brendan R. Scott, Stefano Brini, Alasdair R. Dempsey

Published: 2017-09-06

Everything You Need To Know

Why are adolescent cricket pace bowlers at a higher risk of injury?

Adolescent pace bowlers are at heightened risk of non-contact injuries because of the high-impact and repetitive nature of their bowling action. The sport's demands, coupled with their developing bodies, make them susceptible. Specifically, excessive lateral trunk flexion and atypical pelvis/hip movements during the bowling action contribute to injury. Also, reduced trunk endurance, poor lumbo-pelvic-hip control, and early signs of lumbar bone stress are significant risk factors. These factors combined increase the vulnerability of young athletes.

What are some of the key biomechanical risk factors for injuries in young bowlers?

Biomechanical factors refer to the way a bowler's body moves during the bowling action. In the context, excessive lateral trunk flexion (bending to the side) and atypical pelvis/hip movements are identified as key risks. These movements can place undue stress on the spine and surrounding muscles. Adjusting bowling technique to optimize these movements is crucial for injury prevention. Coaches can play a major role in modifying these movements. Strength and conditioning programs can also assist.

How do workload-related factors influence injury risk for young bowlers?

Workload-related factors influence injury risk by the amount of bowling a young player does, which includes the number of overs bowled per session, the frequency of sessions, and the overall training load. While this is mentioned, the research shows conflicting results across studies. The amount of bowling can significantly impact the risk of injury, with higher workloads potentially increasing vulnerability. Though it is not the key point, balancing training, rest, and recovery is vital. Ensuring that bowlers do not exceed a safe workload is essential for injury prevention.

What are the neuromuscular risk factors associated with injuries in young bowlers?

Neuromuscular factors relate to the interplay between the nerves and muscles. Poor lumbo-pelvic-hip control is a key neuromuscular risk factor. This means the inability to coordinate movements between the lower back, pelvis, and hips properly. Weakness in the muscles supporting the spine, also known as reduced trunk endurance, is another factor. Addressing these issues involves targeted strength and conditioning programs to improve core stability and control. This will help reduce the risk of injuries.

What steps can be taken to protect young cricket bowlers from injuries?

Coaches, parents, and young athletes can work to prevent injuries by focusing on several areas. Coaches can improve bowling technique to reduce excessive trunk flexion and optimize hip/pelvis movements. They can also develop strength and conditioning programs to emphasize trunk endurance and lumbo-pelvic-hip control. Young athletes should be taught proper techniques, recognize early signs of stress, and understand the importance of rest and recovery. Parents should ensure that their children are not overworked and have access to appropriate training and medical support.