Cricket is viewed as a gentle game by those who do not play. What these people do not realise is that some matches can last for up to five days, which can take a toll on the body. What’s more, the sheer weight of a cricket ball can cause lasting damage if you happen to be hit by one. However, there is one injury in this sport that is more common than all the rest, and that is RSI.
What Is RSI?
RSI stands for repetitive strain injury, and it usually only occurs in one part of the body at a time. This is because you can develop RSI by repeatedly using the body part too much. As a result, the muscles begin to grow tender.
Common symptoms of RSI include numbness in the affected area or constant throbbing pain. Cricketers are susceptible to this type of injury because both the acts of bowling and batting require them to engage in the same hand actions over and again. RSI is unpleasant but not untreatable; however, it can put you out of commission for a few days. Therefore, cricketers should use the following solutions to avoid RSI.
Pace Yourself
As you now know, the most common cause of repetitive strain injury comes from overexerting a specific joint or muscle. Imagine the affected area rubbing against a hard surface, and you can start to see the type of pressure under this part of your body. You should also be able to see how taking a break to relieve this pressure can help prevent this type of injury from occurring.
Try and picture a sponge pressed against a window. When you take the sponge away, the object begins to reform into its original shape. However, the longer you press the sponge against the surface, the longer it takes to regain this shape. This is what is occurring inside your body, so make sure that you are giving your muscles plenty of time to reform like a sponge. It’s all about pacing yourself.
Exercise Good Posture
The average cricket player will experience RSI in their wrist or elbow. This is because of the repetitive arm movements that are necessary to be an effective bowler or batsman. However, batsmen are likely to receive another form of RSI in their lower back because of the position they need to take at the stumps.
A batter is required to squat close to the ground and then straighten up to hit the ball. This is often followed by a period of running before they assume the same squatting position once again. Repeatedly taking this stance is going to cause strain on the muscles in the lower back, which is an extremely painful place to contract RSI. A good way to prevent this type of injury is by straightening up your posture whenever time allows, and not just during a cricket game.
Standing up straight can alleviate some of the struggles of the muscles in your lower back, giving them ample time to recover so they do not become strained. Try to avoid lengthy periods of hunching at any time during the day, and you should start to notice an improvement.
Use Muscle Relaxing Solutions
You can’t always ensure that you are going to get the chance to relax your muscles during a vigorous game of cricket. Therefore, you may have to look at aftercare to avoid developing a repetitive strain injury. Fortunately, there are plenty of solutions out there that can help you in this regard.
You could use a CBD balm to soothe your muscles. Offerings from Naturally CBD can provide a soothing effect that can give your muscles a chance to repair themselves after a few hours on the field. CBD comes in a few different forms, but you will find CBD muscle balm being the most useful application for your skin. It can be applied to the affected area to help release the tension that is the main cause of RSI.
Strengthen The Affected Area
If you have ever suffered from a repetitive strain injury first-hand, then chances are that you do not want to go through the same experience again. One benefit of contracting RSI is that you receive knowledge about what area of your body is likely to be affected. Therefore, you can go about strengthening these muscles.
Strengthening a sensitive area with regular exercises makes the muscles more resilient. This means that you can work to improve the amount of tension that your muscles can withstand, making it less likely that they will succumb to the pressure that causes you to develop an RSI. Your doctor should be able to provide you with a list of resistance exercises that are used to strengthen specific muscles and joints, so don’t be afraid to ask for the appropriate advice.
Breathing Exercises
Your body requires the oxygen in your blood to aid in the repairs necessary for muscle recovery. Unfortunately, high levels of stress can prevent your body from getting the oxygen it needs by disrupting your blood flow, and there is nothing more stressful than trying to win a game of sport. This stress can come from the physical exertion on your body, tension between teams, or just a closely matched game. Therefore, you will benefit from some stress relief techniques.
A key strategy for managing stress is deep breathing exercises. Controlling your breathing helps to lower your heart rate, but it also ensures that your body is receiving the necessary oxygen to recover from the stress reaction. As a result, your muscles will receive aid much faster once you calm down, which means that they are less likely to become tense and develop RSI.
Take A Break
Your body is not designed to be on the go all the time. This means that a lengthy five days on the cricket pitch is not an ideal situation for your body to be in. Unfortunately, you have a job to perform, and there is no relaxing until you have finished the match.
However, just because you cannot take a break during the game, that does not mean that a lengthy period of relaxation after the fact is not beneficial to you. Your body can only work on high alert for so long, so make sure that you take additional time so that your body doesn’t over-exert itself.
Eat Well
While exercise can train your muscles against the symptoms of RSI, you can also help them by eating the correct foods. Certain nutrients, such as vitamin C, are designed to improve muscle cells and fibre, which are necessary for building your strength and keeping them healthy. Therefore, eating plenty of green vegetables should give your body the boost it needs to protect against these types of injuries. All sportsmen need to eat a balanced diet to achieve success, even cricket players.
Summary
A repetitive strain injury is not something that you should be overly concerned about, especially since there are so many methods that you can use to avoid it. Try to keep RSI at the forefront of your mind next you take to the field, and you should find that you have an easier time combatting the effects.
