Introduction: Acute latissimus dorsi tendon injuries are uncommon, having not previously been described in cricketers. The leg spinner's stock ball bowling technique and the fast bowler's back-of-the-hand slow ball, which is used much more widely in T20 cricket, produce a significant eccentric contraction load on the latissimus dorsi muscle.
Methodology: A retrospective review of a case series of acute latissimus dorsi tendon injuries in 3 elite cricketers (2 fast bowlers and a leg-spin bowler). We compare the outcomes using patient-rated scales and objective strength testing. Two patients underwent operative repair and had excellent outcomes. One of the nonoperatively managed patients had mild ongoing symptoms at 7 months.
Discussion: An associated injury to teres major did not affect the outcome of this injury. Operative repair is a viable alternative and may produce better outcomes in cricketers.
Conclusion: The short T20 form of cricket has lead to an increase in the number of back-of-the-hand slow balls, a risk factor for Latissimus injury, whereas leg-spin bowling is another risk.