I've been told not to lift my kids up - Wood on injury

Mark Wood has taken 119 wickets in 37 Tests for England

England bowler Mark Wood says he has been told to “stop picking his kids up” with his right arm because of his elbow injury.

Wood, 34, has been ruled out of the rest of 2024 with “bone stress” in his right elbow.

He is targeting a return for England in the new year but will have further tests in the coming days to establish the extent of the injury.

“There is nothing I can really do on my right side,” Wood told BBC’s Test Match Special.

“I have been told to stop picking my kids up with my right arm. I have to do everything with my left.”

Wood’s injury was revealed last month during the Test series against Sri Lanka. He was initially sidelined by a groin issue but when scans revealed the elbow injury he was ruled out of England’s Test tours of Pakistan and New Zealand this winter.

Wood, who previously had surgery on his elbow in 2022, has established himself as a key member of England’s bowling attack because of his ability to bowl with extreme pace. That is seen as crucial to England’s hopes of regaining the Ashes in Australia in 2025-26.

“It was a bizarre injury,” he said.

“I had a bit of a groin tweak and went for a scan with a stiff elbow, which is not uncommon for a fast bowler.

“I was thinking I might need an injection, which would give me a perfect time period with having the groin injury."

Wood said the doctor was concerned by the results of the scan on his elbow and said it required more checks.

“They said I have some bone stress in my elbow," added Wood. "I must have been playing with it.

“They were worried it would be a stress fracture but I have got to see a specialist in another few days to determine that.”