Injury profiles in sub-elite Women's Cricket: Exploring incidence, prevalence, nature, onset and body region

Abstract

IntroductionThe rise in participation in sports, like women's cricket, is linked with increased injury risk. Providing high-level longitudinal data is the first step in implementing evidence-based injury prevention strategies. DesignProspective cohort study. ObjectiveThis cohort study aims to describe the injury profiles in sub-elite women's cricket in South Africa during the 2022/23 season. MethodsInjuries were prospectively recorded using injury surveillance questionnaires, injury surveillance database, and logbooks completed by each team's medical staff. Injury rates were investigated for match and training days, body region, player role, nature, and activity at the time of injury. ResultsThree teams with a total of 44 players (20.86 ± 1.6 years) were included in the study. Injury incidence was 85.23 per 1000 player match days, 15.91 for match time-loss and 69.32 for non-time-loss, with 2.95% of players unavailable for match selection on any day. Fast bowlers had the highest injury incidence. Fielding caused 46.67% of all injuries. Injury incidence was higher in training than in matches. The wrist/hand had the highest injury incidence and caused the most match time-loss. ConclusionThis study provides valuable insights regarding the current injury rates in sub-elite female cricket players.