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Enrolling by invitationNCT07260318Updated Dec 3, 2025

Acute Effects of Cricket Fast Bowling on Bone Turnover and Signaling Markers

An interventional study of Exercise in Health Adults, sponsored by Loughborough University. Enrolling by invitation at 1 site in United Kingdom. Open to male participants aged 18 Years to 30 Years, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2025-12-03.

Sponsored by Loughborough University · Not applicable, Interventional, and Basic science

Phase
Not applicable
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
14
Allocation
Non-randomized
Ages
18 Years to 30 Years
Sex
Male
01

Study summary

The goal of this study is to investigate the acute effects of cricket fast bowling on the bone turnover and signaling markers in healthy young males.

The main question aims to answer:

  • Does a single bout acute fast bowling change serum C-terminal telopeptide of type I collagen (CTX-I) and other bone turnover and signaling markers levels?

Participants complete both the bowling and control trials, with a minimum washout period of one week between trials. During each trial, blood samples are collected at three time points: pre-, immediately post, and 2-hour post bowling/rest.

02

Conditions studied

  • Health Adults

Keywords

  • Cricket
  • Fast bowling
  • Bone turnover
  • Stress injuries
03

Who can participate

Ages eligible
18 Years to 30 Years
Sexes eligible
Male
Accepts healthy volunteers
Yes

Inclusion criteria

  • Healthy male
  • Aged 18 - 30
  • Cricket fast bowlers (a ball speed of \~100kmh) playing for a university team or above, such as British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS) or University Centre of Cricketing Excellence (UCCE)
  • Injury free for the last 3 months

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Diagnosed with any disease or use of any medication that affects bone turnover
  • Fracture experienced within the previous year/season
04

Study design

Phase
Not applicable
Primary purpose
Basic science
Allocation
Non-randomized
Intervention model
Crossover assignment
Masking
None (open label)
Enrollment
14 participants (estimated)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    Arm Bowling + Control

    Participants first perform the bowling trial, followed by the control trial, with a minimum interval of one week between the two trials.

    Behavioral: Exercise

  • Experimental
    Arm Control + Bowling

    Participants first perform the control trial, followed by the bowling trial, with a minimum interval of one week between the two trials.

    Behavioral: Exercise

Interventions

  • BehavioralExercise

    During the bowling trial, participants perform 8 sets of 6 deliveries (bowl at match intensity throughout), followed by 2-hour rest. Each set is interspersed by a 3-minute randomized fielding simulation. During the control trial, participants rest throughout instead of bowling.

05

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Serum C-terminal telopeptide of type I collagen (CTX-I) concentration

    Serum CTX-I concentration is measured using electrochemiluminescence immunoassay (ECLIA) and reported in nanograms per milliliter (ng/mL).

    Time frame: Blood samples are collected at baseline, immediately after the bowling or the corresponding rest period, and 2 hours after the second blood sample collection.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Serum N-terminal propeptide of type I collagen (PINP) concentration

    Serum PINP concentration is measured using electrochemiluminescence immunoassay (ECLIA) and reported in nanograms per milliliter (ng/mL).

    Time frame: Blood samples are collected at baseline, immediately after the bowling or the corresponding rest period, and 2 hours after the second blood sample collection.

  2. Serum parathyroid hormone (PTH) concentration

    Serum PTH concentration is measured using electrochemiluminescence immunoassay (ECLIA) and reported in picograms per milliliter (pg/mL).

    Time frame: Blood samples are collected at baseline, immediately after the bowling or the corresponding rest period, and 2 hours after the second blood sample collection.

  3. Serum sclerostin concentration

    Serum sclerostin concentration is measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and reported in picograms per milliliter (pg/mL).

    Time frame: Blood samples are collected at baseline, immediately after the bowling or the corresponding rest period, and 2 hours after the second blood sample collection.

  4. Serum dickkopf Wnt signaling pathway inhibitor 1 (DKK1) concentration

    Serum DKK1 concentration is measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and reported in picograms per milliliter (pg/mL).

    Time frame: Blood samples are collected at baseline, immediately after the bowling or the corresponding rest period, and 2 hours after the second blood sample collection.

  5. Serum osteoprotegerin (OPG) concentration

    Serum OPG concentration is measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and reported in picograms per milliliter (pg/mL).

    Time frame: Blood samples are collected at baseline, immediately after the bowling or the corresponding rest period, and 2 hours after the second blood sample collection.

  6. Serum irisin concentration

    Serum irisin concentration is measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and reported in picograms per milliliter (pg/mL).

    Time frame: Blood samples are collected at baseline, immediately after the bowling or the corresponding rest period, and 2 hours after the second blood sample collection.

  7. Bowling speed

    Bowling speed is measured using a radar gun during the 8 overs of bowling and reported in miles per hour (MPH).

    Time frame: Bowling speed is measured during the bowling trial.

06

Study locations

1 site
  • Loughborough Univeristy
    Loughborough, Leicestershire LE11 3TU, United Kingdom
07

References and documents

Individual participant data

Plan to share: No

No publications or documents are linked to this record.

08

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT07260318
Lead sponsor
Loughborough University
Responsible party
Katherine Brooke-Wavell (Professor, Loughborough University) — Principal investigator
First posted
Dec 3, 2025
Start date
Feb 20, 2023
Primary completion
Dec 31, 2025 (estimated)
Completion
Dec 31, 2025 (estimated)
Last update
Dec 3, 2025

Study contacts

Katherine Brooke-Wavell
principal investigator · Loughborough University

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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