Bowling: Occupational Hazards of the Wrist and Hand in Elite Tenpin Bowlers.

Lee Yj,Gunasagaran J,Jamal-Azmi Is,Ahmad Ts,Harmony Tcy

doi:10.5704/moj.2103.017

Abstract

Introduction:Bowling is an immensely popular, but scarcely researched sport associated with overuse injuries in its participants. The purpose of this study was to investigate and report on the incidence of common upper extremity complaints in elite bowling athletes.Materials and methods:All Malaysian national level bowlers (n=39) were evaluated via questionnaire on their upper limb symptoms. A focused, relevant clinical examination was performed on each subject to exclude de Quervain’s tenosynovitis, tennis and golfer's elbow, carpal tunnel syndrome and trigger finger. The athletes were then allowed to resume bowling for two hours before completing another symptom-related questionnaire.Results:Pain was the predominantly observed symptom, with a predilection for the wrist, ring and middle fingers, and thumb. De Quervain’s tenosynovitis was found in 53.8% (n=21) of the subjects, with 52.4% and 42.9% of them experiencing pain during and after training, respectively. Other repetitive injury-related disorders were also considerably more common than in their non-playing limb and the general population.Conclusion:The incidence of de Quervain’s tenosynovitis was exceptionally high in this population. Further studies on sports kinematics are needed to prevent long term morbidities in these athletes.

Highlights

Bowling is an immensely popular, but scarcely researched sport associated with overuse injuries in its participants
A majority were right-handed (87.2%, n=34) and the majority bowled with their right hands (87.2%, n=34); two right-handed athletes bowled with their left, and another two left-handed ones bowled with their right
Two-thirds (74.4%, n=29) of the athletes bowled with a fingertip grip, and all of them (n=39) utilised heavy bowling balls

Summary

Introduction

Bowling is an immensely popular, but scarcely researched sport associated with overuse injuries in its participants. In a game of tenpin bowling, a weighted ball that is gripped using only the thumb, middle and ring fingers, is swung and subsequently launched at speed along an 18m long alley, in an attempt to knock down as many of the pins as possible, accumulating as many points as possible. When performed repetitively, these movements could result in overuse injuries in the elbows, wrists and hands of its participants. The commonest mechanisms of injuries described in the article, of tripping and falling, or being hit by the bowling ball, and injuries as a result of dropping the ball, are less likely to occur in more seasoned athletes and do not represent or occur as a result of, repetitive stress[4]

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