Hilal Suhaib of islandcricket, 26 July 2010 — http://www.islandcricket.lk/news/64940727/muttiah_muralitharans_arm
Muttiah Muralitharan is unable to fully extend his arm due to a congenital deformity of the elbow. Let’s take a closer look at Muralitharan’s magical arm that produced a world record 800 Test match wickets. The following is republished here with permission from Dr. Ravindra S. Goonetilleke P.h.D. from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology where Muralitharan was tested in 1996. Muralitharan’s arm cannot be fully straightened (see figure 1 below). He does not have the 0-150 degree range of motion at the elbow joint as specified by the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (see figure 2 below). His elbow range of motion is limited and well below this range.
Depending on the angle/direction of viewing, his arm may appear straight or bent.
Web Editor’s note: the full range of pictures canbe found in islandcricket. I add some of my own below the next two from island cricket and Dr. Goonetilleke. For Goonetilleke’s credentials and impressive curriuclum vitae, see http://www1.ielm.ust.hk/faculty/professor-ravindra-s-goonetilleke
