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Cricket - Knee Injuries
The most common
injuries occurring to cricketers
knees are either to the ligaments or
to the cartilage.
LIGAMENTS
These are short bands of tissue that
connect bones in and around joints
and prevent excessive movement at
the joint.
There are 4 major ligaments in the
knee
-
Medial collateral
ligament
-
Lateral collateral
ligament
These are either
side of the knee.
Injury;
Injury to the ligaments occur more
often to bowlers as result of a
twist or turn often on a fixed foot,
such as catching the stud in the
turf, sliding or landing awkwardly.
The injury can either be a strain,
or in extreme, cases a tear.
Strain;
A minor strain will heal in a couple
of weeks.
A major strain can take a few months
to heal.
In both cases treatment as early as
possible is recommended with Rest,
Ice and Elevation, being the first
things to do.
Followed by physiotherapy, which
will include stretching and
strengthening exercises.
Tear;
This does not necessarily need
surgery, it depends on the extent of
the tear which will need to be
ascertained by a scan.
CARTILAGE There are two cartilages in the
knee.
These are crescent shaped pieces of
gristle that lie on the articulating
surface of the tibia (shin bone).
They form the shock absorbers of the
knee.
They do not have a blood supply so
if they are torn they do not repair
themselves.
Causes of injury;
Twisting strain, as in moving
forward with the foot fixed if the
foot has got caught in a rut or
during
a fall.
General wear and tear, as with
excessive compression and force
through the knee as in bowling.
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