Flat feet and ill-fitting shoes at root of injuries to Sri Lankan players

According to Australian podiatrist Nicholas Sprenger, the Sri Lankan cricketers have been sustaining serious injuries more often because most of the players are flat-footed and are wearing ill-fitting shoes. Last year, as many as nine of the 12 Lankan fast bowlers were forced out of action with various injuries.

In the recent past, senior players like Lasith Malinga, and captain Angelo Mathews, have skipped crucial matches because of recurring injuries. Sri Lanka Cricket had contracted Sprenger to get to the bottom of the injury woes. The expert proceeded to observe and examine more than two dozen cricketers from the national side. Based on his findings, he detected a running pattern.

Sprenger told reporters in Colombo, “Most players are flat-footed. What we need to do is to get them to wear the right shoes.”

The squad has been kitted out with customised innersoles and special orthotics

To prevent such injuries in the future, the squad has been kitted out with customised innersoles to be used by the players during training and on the global circuit. Some of the team members will even be wearing the special orthotics in the upcoming ODIs against Zimbabwe at Galle.

Sprenger further said that the orthotics have been designed so as to decrease the stress on the bones, thus improving muscle activating and reducing pain. Although he will be flying back to his country on Friday, his expertise will be available to the Lankan side for the next couple of years when there is an injury.

SLC chief executive Ashley de Silva side-stepped questions about the cost of fitting out the entire squad with customised orthotics instead describing it as an investment that would reap rich benefits in the future.

Sri Lanka are set to play five ODI matches and one solitary Test match against Zimbabwe, in what will be the African country’s first tour of the island in 15 years.