Investigating the biomechanical validity of the V-spine angle technique in cricket fast bowling

Abstract

The effective utilisation of braking ground reaction forces is considered an essential biomechanical characteristic of fast bowling in cricket. The configuration of the trunk and legs during the delivery stride phase has been hypothesised to increase braking forces, causing the upper body segments to increase their angular momentum and thereby increase ball release speed. This study investigated the relationship between V-spine angle, front shank angle (plant angle) and front knee angle with braking ground reaction forces and ball release speed. Three-dimensional kinematic and kinetic analyses were performed for 17 male pace bowlers (17.2 ± 1.7 years) of New South Wales grade club level using data from a Cortex 2.0 motion analysis system (200 Hz) and Kistler force plates (1000 Hz). V-spine angle was strongly and significantly correlated with braking ground reaction force (r = −0.691), plant angle (r = −0.806) and front knee angle (r = −0.606). In addition, stepwise multiple linear regression analysis revealed that front shank angle was the strongest predictor of braking ground reaction force. The data suggests that V-spine angle and plant angle may play an important role in generating high braking ground reaction forces in bowling, with the front knee angle possibly playing a supporting role. Coaches may need to consider these findings when assessing the techniques of pace bowlers.

Kinetics of the front-arm technique in cricket fast bowling

“…This sample was also used for the paper Ferdinands and Singh. 22 The subjects provided informed consent and reported that they were free from any injury or physical dysfunction, which may have affected bowling performance at the time of data collection. Ethical approval for this study was obtained from the research ethics committee of the University of Sydney before data collection.…”

Cross-Sectional Study to Explore the Prevalence of Shoulder Impingement and Its Association with Training Volume Among Cricketers in Sport Academies of Faisalabad

“…Another study conducted in 2019 by M Mohammad Rashaduzzaman et al on cricketers of city Dhaka, revealed that 97 cricketers experienced musculoskeletal pain, with the most reported pain being in the upper limb (33.3% In a recent study, the use of Biomechanical theory aids in explaining the potential link between training duration and shoulder impingement in cricketers. Human biomechanics is concerned with how forces act on the musculoskeletal system and how body tissue reacts to these factors (10). By considering the biomechanical aspects of cricket training routines, including exercises and drills involving the shoulder joint, researchers can uncover how the cumulative mechanical stress on the shoulder during training sessions may correlate with the development of shoulder impingement syndrome.…”