Is there an association between external workload and lower-back injuries in cricket fast bowlers? A systematic review.

Objective: To examine the level of evidence for an association between external bowling workload and lower-back injuries in cricket fast bowlers.

Methods: Six online databases were searched using four sets of keywords (relating to cricket, bowler, lumbar, workload). Risk of bias was assessed using the NIH quality assessment tool, while quality of evidence was assessed according to the Cochrane Back and Neck (CBN) group guidelines.

Results: Eight articles were found to fit the inclusion/exclusion criteria. It was found that overall, there was a low quality of evidence amongst the included studies. A high risk of bias was present - both in the measurement of external workload and lower-back injuries.

Conclusion: The association between external workload and lower-back injuries has minimal strength. Technological advancements that allow total workload to be measured accurately would potentially allow the association between workload and lower-back injury to be examined more precisely, possibly leading to effective injury prevention interventions in fast bowlers.