PROTECTING THE BOWLER’S BACK: THE ROLE OF CORE STABILITY AND POSTURAL TRAINING IN LUMBAR STRAIN PREVENTION

Abstract

Background: Lumbar strain is one of the most common injuries among fast bowlers due to repetitive spinal loading during the delivery stride. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of core stability and postural training in preventing lumbar strain among fast bowlers. Methods: Fourthly male fast bowlers aged 15–35 was recruited from the Health and Wellness Physio Rehab Center, Swabi, through purposive sampling. Participants were randomly divided into two groups: Group A received a 4-week core stability and postural training program, while Group B performed general flexibility and stretching exercises. The outcome measures included the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), Visual Analog Scale (VAS) for pain, and plank endurance test. SPSS v26.0 was used for data analysis with paired and independent t-tests. Results: Group A showed a significant improvement in VAS (p<0.001), ODI (p<0.01), and plank endurance (p<0.001) compared to Group B. The post-intervention mean ODI in Group A decreased from 22.4±5.8 to 10.1±3.7, while VAS reduced from 5.3±1.2 to 2.1±0.9. No adverse effects were reported. Conclusion: Core stability and postural training effectively reduce lumbar strain symptoms and enhance spinal endurance among fast bowlers. Implementing structured preventive training may reduce lumbar injury incidence in cricket athletes