Jasprit Bumrah to Reportedly Sit Out Of WC: What Is Stress Fracture?

Down with a back stress fracture injury, Indian cricketer and fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah may sit out of ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022, which is to be played in October, said a report from news agency PTI.

Bumrah had recently returned to the Indian team after recovering from an injury that saw him spending two months on the sidelines, but the speedster is now expected to be out of action for another four to six months.

On Tuesday, Bumrah complained on back pain during India’s training session, and subsequently missed the T20I series-opener against South Africa on Wednesday. The BCCI has since confirmed he will sit out of the remainder of the series due to the ‘back injury’, adding that he is under the supervision of the board‘s medical team. Reports suggest the injury may be serious enough to rule him out of next month’s T20 Workd Cup, but there has been no confirmation from the board.

But what is a stress fracture? Is it a critical health injury?

What Is Stress Fracture?

According to Mayo Clinic, a stress fracture is a tiny crack in a bone. The website says that stress fractures can be caused by “repetitive force, often from overuse.”

A common sports injury, stress fractures can be a result of repetitive physical exertion or exercise.

But one can also suffer from a stress fracture if their bones are weak or brittle, which is common for those who suffer from osteoporosis. People whose diet lacks a sufficient amount of vitamin D and calcium might also suffer from a stress fracture.

To put it simply, you might suffer from a stress fracture if you do too much or too intense of an exercise (workout) too quickly. This happens because when you increase the intensity or amount of exercise without giving your bones the time to readjust to that capacity (or remodel), the bone ruptures.

Symptoms of a Stress Fracture

With pain and swelling being the only obvious symptoms, the telling signs of a stress fracture are not exclusive, and such that you might not even recognise the problem until you see a doctor. Doctors conduct MRIs or nuclear bone scans to ascertain if the injury is a stress fracture.

However, WebMD has listed certain activities that might increase the probability of a stress fracture:

• Excessive alcohol

• Smoking

• Osteoporosis

• Vitamin D deficiency

• Using improper footwear

• Unsupervised or too intense of an exercise regimen

What To Do in Case of a Stress Fracture?

Doctors say that proper rest for a few weeks helps heal stress fractures. It’s only in certain cases that surgery might be required for the injury, which is usually the case when the patient already has a history of chronic illness.

However, according to MayoClinic, the thumb rule to prevent a stress fracture is – “Avoid increasing the amount you exercise by more than 10% a week.” Other preventive methods include having a nutritious diet and adding “low-impact activities” to one’s workout.

(With inputs from PTI, Mayo Clinic, and WebMD.)