" 'Ow – zat! Don't let injuries catch you out"

• Friday, 09 September 2005

Cricket fever is sweeping the nation and while everyone is dreaming of England triumphing over the Australians this weekend, the British Chiropractic Association is warning potential Michael Vaughan’s and Andrew ‘Freddy’ Flintoff’s that playing unprepared could cause potentially long lasting injuries.

The fourth test attracted record viewing figures and the number of people playing for fun is extremely high – an estimated 660,000 adults and children play cricket recreationally, coupled with 1.1million children who play in schools nationwide.

Tim Hutchful, BCA Chiropractor warns: “Many cricket injuries are caused by repetitively twisting your body, moving at speed or stopping suddenly when bowling, fielding or batting.

People who bowl are probably the most at risk from injury, as Tim explains: “When you're generating pace through your torso like a fast bowler does, it puts the abs, shoulder and back under a lot of stress. Remember you need strength and flexibility to play. That's why it's so important to be at the peak of your game and at peak fitness. Both Simon Jones and Andrew Flintoff have had various injury problems throughout their careers, many of which are the direct result of bowling”.

No matter where you play on the field, The British Chiropractic Association has put together some guidelines to follow when recreating the Ashes:

Playing in general:

·Warm up. If muscles aren’t prepared by a good stretching routine this can lead to lack of flexibility and injury. A warm down may also help with those post match aches

·Watch the pressure points. Your knees, shoulders and ankles are the most obvious joints at risk for cricketers due to the repetitive nature of actions such as bowling, batting and fielding

·Keep drinking fluids – muscles and joints work better when you are not dehydrated

·Remember, it is better to be fit to play cricket then playing to get fit


When batting and bowling:

·Bowling is a complex action that works almost all your joints. Make sure you stretch these joints during your warm up

·Wear proper shoes for stability and correctly fitting pads to help you move freely and provide your body with support


When fielding:

·Try to move around when fielding. Standing in the same position causes tension in your joints and will increase the chances of injury

·Keep warm, wear a jumper, warm muscles can respond quicker to sudden movements. You don’t know when you may be called on for that winning throw from the boundary

·Pain is a warning sign – do not ignore it. If you do injure yourself, use ice rather than heat and if the pain persists, seek help from your doctor or BCA chiropractor


Tim Hutchful concludes: “A healthy back will improve your batting ability and the accuracy of your bowling. If you suffer pain during or after their game they should not ignore it – see a BCA chiropractor who can easily advise on treatment”

To find details of your nearest BCA chiropractor call the British Chiropractic Association on 0118 950 5950 or visit www.chiropractic-uk.co.uk

-Ends-

Press Enquiries: Julie Doyle/Liz Harding/Jon Temerlies, icas public relations,
Tel: 020 7632 2400; Fax: 020 7240 2520; Email: julie@icas.co.uk

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