Howzat! Your feet when playing cricket?

Yes, to some people, it looks like all you do in cricket is stand around in a field in the sun, but in reality, cricket is a game of endurance mixed with sprints. It's tough on the body; keeping muscles warmed up and ready to run out in the middle isn't easy. When batting, your body needs fast reaction times, followed by short sprints with immediate stopping. The bowler often runs over 10km during a game of cricket; they need to be at peak performance to keep that up.

The whole body is involved in cricket; you won't achieve a max bowl or hit when you have weakness or pain in your feet, let alone a fast run.

Hiren recently spent a day at The Ageas Bowl (The Rose Bowl) in Southampton. The professionals are incredible; their focus, determination and passion are clear. I know they have a team of experts keeping them at their peak performance for all the matches.

 
Local club players don't have the luxury of a team of healthcare professionals, which is why I write these blogs; to help you get the best from your sports, prevent injuries, and know when to seek treatment.

My initial advice to anyone regularly playing a specific sport-invest in the correct shoes. Even then, there's a lot to consider, the position you play in, the conditions and your biomechanics. For personalised advice, you'll need to book an appointment so that we can fully assess your gait, but generally, you'll want to look for arch support, cushioning and ways to improve grip.

Everyone should take care of their feet daily, wash thoroughly, dry properly and moisturise. If a problem develops, you are more likely to spot it. For example, most cricketers will have toenail problems due to the fast deceleration. Toes will bump into the front of shoes if they are too small or if there is too much movement inside the shoe. This will increase the chance of damaged nails and ingrowing toenails.

Common foot problems from cricket

-Plantar Fasciitis

-Achilles Tendonitis

-Heel Bursitis

-Stress Fractures

-Sever's Disease

-Shin Splints

-Turf Toe

Foot and heel pain are so commonplace for cricketers because of the hard ground, the force through the foot when bowlers throw and the length of time out in the field.

Some of the conditions above can be treated with our laser and shockwave treatments. We can prescribe custom orthotics to support your foot and reduce future painful flare-ups.
 

Sever's Disease is more common in youth players, whereas Achilles' problems are seen mostly in older players.

We cannot be on the side of every cricket pitch to help (although Hiren would love to be!), but we hope this is useful and help you enjoy the game this season. If you are experiencing any foot problems, contact your local podiatrist. Here at Flawless Feet, we have four clinics in London; Croydon, Sydenham and Covent Garden. If you are local to us, we'd love to treat you;  contact us here.