industry & reseArch
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into that. I teed up a supervisor who used
to lecture me, then we alighted on ideas
and areas where we thought we could start
to look at ways to improve performance in
sport, both at elite and community-based
levels. I was working with the Queensland
Bulls, so I was able to ask them if they wanted
me to do some work. They were more than
happy to do it, so we rolled on from there.
Why the hamstring?
Because hamstring strain is so prominent in
most elite sports, and it’s such an expensive
type of injury as well.
What surprised you most about the findings?
Hamstring theory
A fresh look at the strain on
the muscles of cricketers leads
to newly focused strength
training that reduces injuries.
Wade Chalker interviewed by Patrick Avenell
W
ade Chalker has a passion
for hamstrings and cricket.
Originally from Penrith in
New South Wales and now based on
the Gold Coast, where he completed
a bachelor of sport science degree
at Bond University, he and associate
professor Justin Keogh recently
completed research showing that while
elite cricketers play much more intensely,
their hamstring strength is no greater
than that of school-level players, which
is potentially causing the high number
of hamstring injuries seen at the game’s
top level.
Cricket is a sport where much of the action
happens side-on, with more strain placed on
one leg than the other. You tend to think the
hamstring on a batsman’s back leg – which
does the lion’s share of the work – would
be stronger and more conditioned than the
one on the front leg. A bowler’s giant stride
approaching the popping crease is also an
asymmetric action you’d think would lend
itself to unequal outcomes.
The study found otherwise. Chalker and
20
Keogh summarised their findings thus:
“