Managing a shoulder injury can sometimes be the most unbearable pain that most of us will ever experience. Not only is it excruciatingly uncomfortable, but it also affects our entire range of motion and can impact our quality of life, if gone untreated. Over and above this, there are so many aspects of your shoulder that are prone to injury. And when one engages in a sport like paddling, these problems are often amplified.
Paddlesports include canoeing, kayaking, rowing and even paddleboarding and all can be exhilarating ways to exercise, but with inadequate stretching and care taken, you may end up injuring yourself quite quickly. We always recommend that patients seek medical attention from a Massey Physio, at the first sign of pain to help your shoulder promptly recover.
With any sport, Physio Connect believes in taking precautionary measures to help prepare your body best for strain and high impact. And that’s why we encourage you to visit a professional (even if you have no injuries) to give you the support you need to perform optimally without hurting yourself.
Here are some of the prevention recommendations we may offer to the avid paddle boarder.
Remember Your Posture
Before making it onto the water, you may think that all you really need to do for a successful session is to stretch sufficiently. However, on wavering water, we often forget about our posture and how it affects our bodies. We generally tend to slouch almost to absorb the impact of water, but this puts pressure on the motion of your shoulder and can cause more damage than you realise.
Be Cautious Of Positioning
Under strenuous conditions, we do not take notice of how our limbs are positioned or react to movement. This is especially evident in paddle sports, as our shoulders, need to rotate quickly to propel ourselves forward and so we may end up causing strain to nerves without meaning to do so.
Rotation Inaccuracies
Form plays a vital role in all types of sports and often dictates higher performance as well as decreased injury rates. It’s almost likened to a recommended way to function during endurance sports, and paddleboarding is no different. Stroke movement that has poor form makes you more susceptible to inflammation and overworked tendons.
A Massey Physio can quickly diagnose the way your body moves, assessing your technique and form to help improve it. We refer to this process as the conditioning and strengthening of your body, which will combat potential injuries and tears. Additionally, professionals will also assess your performance and provide helpful suggestions to improve without damaging your shoulder or rotator cuff. To make a booking with one of our expert physiotherapists today, to help you paddle better – give us a call.
