Measuring elbow kinematics in cricket bowling

• Main Author: Eftaxiopoulou, Theofano
• Format: Dissertation
• Language: English
• Published: Imperial College London 2011
• DOI: 10.25560/9133

In the sport of cricket the objective of the ‘no-ball’ law is to allow no performance advantage through elbow extension during ball delivery. Since the advent of high-speed video photography it has been revealed that some straightening occurs in bowlers who have actions that are traditionally considered in accordance with the law. Measuring the three-dimensional movement of the elbow is vital when assessing bowling legality in cricket. However, the elbow joint is a complex structure with a remarkable range of motion and tracking its movement through skin-based techniques can be highly erroneous due to the thick layer of skin overlying the joint. Within this work, a biomechanical model was mathematically developed and experimentally validated to assess bowling legality in cricket. The new model meets all of the specifications of a measurement method to be used in sports-related biomechanical studies for non-invasive measurement of joint kinematics at high speeds whilst allowing for the subject to move freely within a large volume. The model was compared with existing methods via a series of sensitivity analyses and was found to significantly improve repeatability compared to available elbow measurement techniques particularly in measuring subtle elbow rotations, such as elbow abduction and forearm pronation. In addition this model can be easily implemented within the existing experimental protocol for assessing bowling legality in cricket as proposed by the England and Wales Cricket Board and will be used in future clinical and sport-related studies.