The Fast Bowlers’ Ankle

England v Bangladesh - Assam Cricket Association Stadium, Guwahati, India - England’s Lauren Bell in action bowling REUTERS/Mihir Singh

Fast bowling is the most physically demanding action in cricket. Fast bowlers typically bowl from the first over of a match and are expected to set the tone for their team. The best bowlers bowl fast and accurately, sustaining this over long periods. Fast￾bowling places significant demands on the entire body. Clinicians have focused their attention on stress-related lumbar spine injuries in fast bowlers. However, the biomechanical demands on the fast bowler’s ankle are also significant. The front foot has a substantial role in dissipating and redirecting force from the point of landing in the delivery stride. The repetitive forces produce characteristic findings in the fast bowler’s ankle. 

Table 1: Phases of Fast Bowling

Phases of Fast Bowling

There are four main phases of fast bowling: the run-up, pre-delivery stride, delivery stride, and follow-through (see table 1)⁽¹⁾. The front foot typically denotes the leg opposite to the bowling arm, and the back foot the same side as the bowling arm. The delivery stride is a critical phase and involves both front foot contact (FFC) and back foot contact (BFC) (see figure 1).

“Fast bowling is the most physically demanding action in cricket.”

The Demands of Fast Bowling

Ground Reaction Force
Ground reaction forces (GRFs) can be up to three times body weight at BFC and can peak at eight to nine times body weight at FFC(2). The bowler absorbs the forces primarily through the ankle and redistributes the forces proximally to assist in generating faster bowling speeds. The back foot contact in the follow-through is also significant and produces the highest tibial accelerations of the bowling action⁽³⁾. 

Stride Length 
Stride length during the run-up plays a pivotal role in ankle load. Longer delivery strides displace the center of mass further behind the lead ankle. This increases plantarflexion angles and causes negative joint work. A greater plantarflexion angle increases susceptibility to posterior impingement⁽⁴⁾. Long strides may increase ball release speeds but may lead to a trade-off between performance and injury.

Action Type
Bowling actions are commonly described as side-on, front-on, semi-open, or mixed. Mixed and front-on actions lead to higher vertical GRF loading rates at front-foot contact compared with semi-open actions⁽⁵⁾. Higher loading rates, combined with rapid plantarflexion, predispose bowlers to both acute ligament injuries and posterior impingement.

Footwear and Shear Forces
Footwear can significantly modify ankle loading mechanics. Cricket-specific shoe designs reduce front-foot lateral shear force and knee external-rotation moments⁽⁶⁾. Bowlers often modify their footwear for comfort, but should be cautious not to increase ankle shear stresses and impingement risk inadvertently.

Range of Motion
Rapid dorsiflexion that occurs at FFC leads to high plantar flexion eccentric loads. Restricted ankle dorsiflexion can lead to altered trunk and hip mechanics during delivery. Compensatory load distribution leads to greater joint reaction forces through the ankle⁽⁷⁾. Conversely, excessive plantarflexion increases the risk of posterior impingement. Screening tests such as the knee-to-wall assessment of dorsiflexion range can provide valuable insight into potential injury risk.