The rare therapy used by NBA icon O'Neal to get Sciver-Brunt fit

England women's cricket captain Nat Sciver-Brunt is employing an unusual treatment method – electromagnetic field therapy – which has been associated with NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal. Sciver-Brunt uses the machine twice daily at home and at the team hotel. Her wife and former England teammate Katherine Sciver-Brunt said she has barely seen her partner because she has been busy with the treatment regime.

Physiotherapist Nick Worth, who has worked with elite athletes for 30 years, explained that the procedure involves applying an electromagnetic field around the injured area. Each session lasts about an hour and is repeated seven to eight times. The energy promotes natural cell healing without the need for medication. Worth noted that while evidence is limited, there have been positive results. He emphasised that the treatment is safe and does no harm. This type of therapy is uncommon, but in elite sport, practitioners often push boundaries to gain even a small advantage.

Sciver-Brunt first injured her calf on 29 April while playing domestic cricket, suffering what was described as a 'minor' tear. She subsequently missed series against New Zealand and India before returning for England's World Cup warm-up matches. She played in warm-ups against Australia and India and the first World Cup match against Sri Lanka, but reported tightness after a win over Ireland ten days ago. She has not played since, and England's semi-final is scheduled for next week.

Worth said recovery requires time to allow the muscle to repair and strengthen properly. The timeline is tight, especially given previous injuries in the same area, but not impossible. Calf injuries are common in cricket – for example, James Anderson struggled with them later in his career. Worth attributed this to cricket-specific movements such as batters sprinting from a standing start and bowlers slamming their front foot into the crease. The weak point is where two types of tissue meet: the calf muscle and the Achilles tendon. Rehabilitation is tricky because of the sudden acceleration demands; balancing work on the muscle without overdoing it is difficult.