I tend to strain and knot muscles in my shoulders from paddling. I do stretch, probly need to do a better job. I ride an 8 foot board but still paddlee pritty hard. Should I paddle earlier to get up to speed or could I be holding up my head too far. Do you guys hold your head up while paddling. Any thougfhts that may help? I am tired of being in pain all the time. I generally go out 3 to 4 times per week.
You're probably too tense and strain too much. Yes, hold you head up, but try to relax a little. You don't need to be doing a lower back extension like you're working out. If you're not, try using your lats to help paddle; that could help out your shoulders.
ive had some stress in my neck and shoulders from when i paddle really hard and then i quickly look left and right to see whats better. But im still a grom so i have infinite flexibility...
The same thing started to happen to me, I turned thirty this year. I'm going to go for a massage. The doctor told me some neck stress exersizes that ease. It's the muscle that attaches the base of your neck to your shoulder blade.
Yea, I am 36 as well and deff not as limber as I use to be! Base of the neck to shoulder blades is exactly where it is. I think it was hit on the nose that I am straining too much and need to just relax while paddling. Next time I go out, I will try and be more aware of this and see if that is the case. Thanks all
i have a herniated disc in my neck (c5-c6). it definitely sucks, but i work constantly on my posture and do exercises for my middle back. surfing i think helps because i try to keep my neck long and almost look up to keep my spine in a natural curve. rolling shoulders helps. try massage/chiropractic care
A lot of it has to do with technique. Are you hyper extending on each stroke? (ie a full stroke that brings your arms back all the way to your hips? Or are you bringing your arms out of the warm in a more sideways motion and then just going down half way and coming out of the water. Try this technique some paddling gloves with holes in the fingers. This will really help. Just relax and paddle pulling with your lats and don't hyperextend. Also, do you have problem with overhead movements? Try strengthening your rotator cufffs and also the support structure that includes your back. Try doing some rows and scap pinches. Take it easy with the weights. Don't go to heavy.
I just saw this. This isn't your shoulders or neck. It's your back. I thought you were talking about shoulder pain. Try doing some scapular exercises and rows. It should help. Don't try to go through pain. If your really in pain go to a physical therapist. Their the experts obviously and will nail down the problem and start a treatment program. I'm just giving my advice as best as I know from experience.
I think I am going to see my dr to get e referal to a physical therapist. I was out this past Sunday. Hurt Sunday night and into Monday. Went out last night and by no means was it strainful. Nice clean waist to stomach lines coming in and was out for about an hour and a half and again I am back in pain. Of course I did not rest and heal enough from Sunday probly.
I have the same issue. Here's a link to a book that REALLY helped me (although did not fully cure my problem) http://www.amazon.com/Mind-Over-Bac...=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1282162593&sr=8-4 This book is supposed to be better but much harder to read: http://www.amazon.com/Mindbody-Pres...=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1282162593&sr=8-3 These books prove to you that your back hurts simply from stress. Sports (surfing) for example triggers the pain since we were all brainwashed to think that our backs are very fragile etc... My back still hurts from time to time, but not half as often or half as bad as previously
Get the book and video, Yoga for Surfers. It helps give you a total body awareness so you're not just using the immediate muscles for paddling. But using your bigger muscles. When you're paddling yes hold your head up biut not all the time. If you're driving to get outside or setting up for a duck dive keep it down. Always look ahead so you know where you're going when your head is down.. Raising your legs while paddling will also help. Takes strain off the lower back ind inevidably takes pressure off your neck and upper body muscles. Hope this helps.
I do have the first video for yoga for surfers and it does help. I need to get into a schedule though since I do not do it near enough. Yea I am always paying over attension so I don't cut anyone off or anything. I am super conses about this cause I don;t like when people do it to me. I will try not to raise my head as much and will try the raising my legs to see how that help. That may help catching waves some to since it will shift more of the weight forward. Just gonna watch the dipping nose. Thanks
beck pain To the guy who mentioned a herniated disc in his neck, I'm curious what does the pain feel like and where exactly is it. I ask this because my neck and shoulder on my right side is so screwed up, I think I have a rotator cuff problem, but my neck and trap muscle hurts as well, in fact when I try to look up at the ceiling its extremely painful! Just wondering if I have a herniated disc in my neck as well? Thanks
you may want to try stand up paddling...easier on the neck and back, more waves, more fun. definitely will get you back on the water much faster.
the pain varies a lot. sometimes it's sharp, sometimes it's dull, sometimes there is none at all. when the pain is bad, it goes into my arm and all the way to my fingers. i do a lot of stuff at the gym to strengthen my back and neck, like rows and rear delt exercises in attempt to keep my spine straight and posture good. surfing i think helps more than hurts because when paddling, it forces me to use my middle back to keep my neck up, which brings the spine into alignment. you may have a disc. if you did, the pain would be more originating in the spine and branching out w/ the nerves. the looking up thing suggests it being a possibility. you should see a doctor for sure
you probably just dont stretch or workout enough, which isnt a lot. ive never had any problems with my back or neck and i rarely workout nowadays (although ive been a varsity athlete for 8 years). just do pullups whenever you can and other back, shoulder, trap exercises. the traps are that bulging muscle behind the neck that all those big lifters have, thats right around the area it sounds you are straining and i bet a little increase of those muscles will remove this problem. you just need a little bit of work to get the muscle used to working. thats what i would say. workout/exercise the area a tiny bit. im also a little drunk so take that into consideration
roller Suggestion: get a hard foam back roller. Approx 20 bucks. All the good PT folks unequivocally tell you this item will solve alignment issues, lower back issues, shoulder blade tightness / pain.....I agree. I tore my rotator AND my labrum, same shoulder. Couldn't even lift hand to forehead. Did PT for 2 months. Turned out it was my back muscles & discs, all out of alignment, which contributed to wrecking my other motions like throwing & paddling & thus I ripped up my shoulder. I bot the hard foam roller on the strong advice of my PT. Wow, wow, wow. I do it every day for 4-6 mins. Have not had one single back or shoulders issue since. Avoided that nasty shoulder surgery, too. No kiddn.....the hard foam roller is quite possibly your solution. Get your regimen from the best PT in your region. BTW, you can often find reviews on PT's, who is good & who sucks, on Yelp & Yahoo. Although it must be noted that Yelp is kinda filling up with bs reviews lately.
