Uncomfortable playing shots...

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BONED!

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Uncomfortable playing shots...

I have been practicing my batting before I make my return to opens cricket from an injury to my ACL over a year ago, but I find I am having trouble with my technique.

When I play any sort of back or front foot drive (where you raise the bat, vertically in line with your body, to the height of your shoulders), I find that my shoulders offer alot of resistance, like my body is no longer comfortable with the motion. I can play push and pull shots and basic slogs, but my back and front foot drives (an important part of any batter's game) are suffering because it just doesn't feel comfortable.

Has anyone ever had an experience like this? Or can anyone offer any advice as to how I may get past this small obstacle and get back to enjoying my cricket?

PS: I apologise for a lack of video. I neither own a video camera nor have the resources to acquire one at present!
 
Re: Uncomfortable playing shots...

Welcome to the board!

Seems like this may be one for Liz, as it sounds like it may be a 'fitness' matter rather than technique (assuming that you didn't have this problem prior to your injury?)

Also, no worries about the video, if people can post one, then great, if not, it's not a problem, we'll work with what we have!
 
Re: Uncomfortable playing shots...

Hi Boned!

When you say 'uncomfortable' can you explain?

Is this in the shoulder joint or the shoulder blade?

Do you feel it in arms at all?

Did your ACL need surgery?

What sort of rehabilitation and/or fitness programme have you been working on since the injury?

It would help me if you could let me know how old you are.
 
Re: Uncomfortable playing shots...

Hi Liz!

When I say 'uncomfortable' I mean I feel pain and resistance in my anterior deltoid, around the joint area, which makes holding the bat in such a position difficult.

I do not feel it in the biceps, triceps or anywhere else on my arm.

My ACL did not require surgery. I suffered what was referred to as a 'microtrauma' and 'edema over the ACL' which caused severe pain when placing my weight on the leg when bowling and also to pivot when batting. This saw me refraining from sport and lower body exercise for over 6 months on the advice of my doctor. To be overly cautious, the injury occurred during December of 2006. I took all of 2007 off of sport and lower-body exercising. Since the 1 year on mark, I have been jogging and balancing medecine balls between my knees.

As for my age, I am 19 years old, turning 20 in a matter of weeks!

And if it helps, I am 6'2" (188cm) and weigh around 70-75 kg!
 
Re: Uncomfortable playing shots...

All sounds really good.

Just a few questions:

Are you a student; do you spend a lot of time hunched over a desk?

From what you say, you sound like you would be familiar with free weights. If so, how do you find performing the bench press and more importantly, the upright row, with respect to the anterior deltoid?

Is this pain felt on both sides, or just the one?
 
Re: Uncomfortable playing shots...

I am indeed a student, but at Film School, so pretty much never hunched over a desk. I am usually sitting on a couch watching movies with my class or standing behind a camera. No hunching! ;)

I am familiar with free weights. With the bench press' I find that the pressure is more on my elbows and biceps, at least, that is where I feel the tension. The upright row is similar in that I find no real tension in my ant-del.

Perhaps I can help by adding a bit more perspective. Say I am playing the frontfoot drive. I step forward, and bring the bat from my legs up my body, bringing my right elbow across to be in-line with my left side. Thus, my right shoulder is brought forward and pointing towards the left because my right arm has dragged it across.

http://aus.cricinfo.com/db/PICTURES/CMS/64100/64105.jpg

That picture displays the front foot drive. Notice since he is right handed, the right shoulder is coming across the body towards his left. That is where my problem is stemming from. It is that area of movement that is pressuring my ant-del.

The pain only occurs on my right shoulder, because I am right handed.
 
Re: Uncomfortable playing shots...

I see... makes a lot of sense ;)

How is the bowling and throwing (again, with respect to the a.del)?
 
Re: Uncomfortable playing shots...

Bowling, after a spell of maybe 5 overs, begins to make the area sore. But I don't feel it resisting the movement, it just hurts from stretching during the bowling action.

Throwing wise, there is no real pain in my ant-del. My throwing action is left arm out in front, right arm launches the throw from the position of holding the ball in line with my right shoulder. Any further back and I WOULD experience something in my ant-del.
 
Re: Uncomfortable playing shots...

I am not sure we are talking a.del here Boned!

Click the following link...
http://www.harrowdrive.com/how-to-protect-your-shoulder-from-cricket-injury/
...have a close look at my poor artwork ;)

I suspect your problem is with your rotator cuff, particularly the subscapularis. It originates at the subscapular fossa and inserts at the lesser tubercle of the humerus. It is responsible for medially rotating the humerus.

I know you are feeling it during batting most but it is a 'movement' problem. Try the exercises at the bottom of the article and let me know how they feel. I would also like you to spend significant time on press ups. Narrow armed then, if you feel strong enough, "walk" forward/backwards and sideways in the 'press up' position.

Let me know how you get on in a few days.
 
Re: Uncomfortable playing shots...

Liz, would rowing movements help? What about Y-T-L-U's?

I'm no PT but I'm thinking about the movement of the shoulder as a whole.
 
Re: Uncomfortable playing shots...

Yes David, all would be great, especially Y-T-L-Us.

The rowing machine in particular is a great non-impact aerobic modality that emphasises the upper and lower body. The major muscles utilised during the rowing movement are the quadriceps, hamstrings, hip flexors, soleus, biceps, trapezius, latissimus dorsi and deltoids... great value for effort and money ;) Then there is the seated rows (low pulley or lever) with latissimus dorsi, trapezius, posterior deltoid, biceps and brachialis as prime movers. All cricketers should be including both movements at some point in their programmes; including the under 18s.

Unfortunately, without seeing boned! It is extremely difficult for me to diagnose the problem, even then, I would need to see an MRI scan to be 100% sure.

The subscapularis is an [educated] hunch and if I am right, Boned! will need to strengthen this area with the inclusion of medial rotation to prevent tears but yes, the shoulder must also be moved as a whole to prevent any muscle imbalance. It is one of those, movement vs isolated muscle, moments :D
 
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