Back stress fractures not career-threatening
Back stress fractures not career-threatening. Millions of Jasprit Bumrah and Team India fans can sigh relief now.
While he may miss the 2018 T20 World Cup in Australia due to a stress fracture in his back, ICC Medical Advisory Committee member Dr. Dinshaw Pardiwala assures fans that this will not be the end of the great bowler’s brilliant career.
Back stress fractures are neither life-threatening nor fatal. “Once you rest and heal the injury, the bowler returns to total normalcy,” Pardiwala told TOI on Thursday.
Though stress reactions mend rapidly, stress fractures take much longer, and recovery is frustratingly sluggish because there isn’t much that can be done other than empty the area and then gradually reintroduce loads once healing is complete. In contrast to traumatic fractures, rest is essential in treating stress fractures. He then remarked, “Once you do that, it recovers.”
How likely is it that India will risk bringing an injured Bumrah to the World Cup, hoping the fast will show up for a game after taking painkillers? Professional sports doctor Pardiwala, who has worked with Neeraj Chopra, Saina Nehwal, and superstar allrounder Ravindra Jadeja, advised against it.
Remarks
You could think, “Well, I could just take some strong painkillers and play,” but that would be a mistake for a few reasons. Meanwhile, you’ll probably make it even worse. It’s preventable unless it’s a truly life-altering competition,” he remarked.
Unfortunately, the healing process can’t be sped up. You should move cautiously. An athlete can decide to play through the discomfort of a stress fracture to compete in a competition that could change his life. He or she will survive. He emphasized that the injury would likely worsen and would take longer to recuperate.
What causes a stress fracture in the back?
Pardiwala broke down the ailment: “Any fast bowler is prone to stress fractures in the low back and this often happens on the side opposite to the bowling arm.” When a bone breaks, it’s usually due of an accident or other trauma. A stress fracture, on the other hand, results from cumulative micro-damage; that is, the pain doesn’t start until the level of injury reaches a certain threshold, which can take weeks or months.
This isn’t a typical break, doctor. A stress fracture is a type of bone fracture caused by excessive strain. It’s not a broken bone or an injury that prevents the victim from walking, running, or jumping. Pain will be present, but you can get things done. So many people have dealt with this injury, yet they have continued to play despite the discomfort. But it’s tough to give your all when you’re in that much pain,” Pardiwala said.
Is Bumrah, for whom this has been a recurrent problem, at a higher risk of suffering another stress fracture in his back?
Bowling causes a counter-rotation of the trunk. Not as much lumbar spine rotation occurs when looking straight ahead. However, there is also the occasional in-between state. Your entire upper body, chest, and trunk are rotating. If you keep turning and bearing the strain, the loading pattern on your lower back may eventually lead to tiny tears.
At first, you won’t even be aware of it. Slowly, though, when it accumulates, you experience what is known as a stress reaction, which manifests as an increase in size. He warned that if the swelling doesn’t go down soon, it could lead to a stress fracture.
Pardiwala stated, “Rest, not surgery, is the only cure for this damage.”
This is a frequent injury that can be treated without surgery. If you need to rest it, you probably don’t. It will get better after some rest. Depending on the severity of the break, you may need to take a few days off work or be in bed for a few weeks. He said that stress fractures of varying severity could take a few weeks to several months to heal.