Hello friends,
I do allot of paddling as I accompany people out both for lessons and for fun sessions.
Our house reef is about 1 km at sea so there is always some sweet to get out and specially to come in after 2-3 hours...
When I have to go 4-5 days in a row my shoulder start to hurt quite bad.
I think is more like an inflammation of the tendons more then the muscle...
Any how! If I use a Carbon paddle I'm a wreck after 2 days... After I started to use a fiberglass paddle (more flexible) I can normally endure a bit longer..
But I'm not getting any younger and lately I have been in the water 7 out of 7..
So I started to experiment with the length of the paddle. Having all the sizes for the school makes life easier.. My normal size is always been about a shaka and 1 cm over my head. Lately I tried longer one and shorter one..
Today I used a paddle that is just over my head and I have to say I felt less pain in my shoulder!! I just had to adjust my technique a bit..
Having a short paddle your arm never go higher then the shoulder.
Anyone else?
Bye Jankie
Hi Jankie,
I found the same thing when I shortened just a small amount of height from what I was used to when I got a new paddle. Even when my wife wants to change paddles when we are SUPing and I use her shorter one my shoulders definately feel much less fatigued.
It must have something to do with the tension on your shoulders when they and the other muscles in your body engage in your paddle stroke?? - well thats my unqualified opinion anyway!
I guess if it hurts your shoulders less then it's a good thing to use the shorter paddle every now and then to give them a bit of a rest, so long as you don't start aching in other parts of your body by changing your stroke and stance.
Most importantly look after your shoulders - one of the guys here at work is just coming back to full fitness 6 months after surgery for a tear.
Time will tell...
I never really feel pain on my lower back!
Also I don't really have to change my stance or bend more to paddle.
Bye Jankie
If you havnt had to change your stance or your stroke with the new paddle then its possible your original one was too long to start with.
To answer to few questions:
In have been paddling on a SUP for over 3 years and I made it my profession.
I also use to teach kayaking many years ago.
Sometime I pick up the first paddle that come on hand, so I really use all sizes!
The paddle I use today is by far the shorter of all the one on the school quiver.
(just cut it yesterday as I wanted to change the handle!)
I always went with the rules of the shaka over the head and felt I like better just to have 1 to 2 cm longer then that.
Now my top hand doesn't go over my chin..
Maybe my stroke is a bit shorter but it doesn't really matter!
I'm totally into waves compare to flat water paddling and no racing or downwinder so board speed is not of a concern.
Yes I found the a shorter paddle is more agile in waves.
I'm not saying that a shorter paddle is better then the classic shaka rules...
Just that a short paddle seems to give less stress to the shoulders.
Try one day the paddle of your wife and see!
Bye Jankie
DJ: Sorry no VID... I may try some pics next few days. Tomorrow should be windy so Kiting is the word!
Lacey: yes I know what you mean my back stroke is with the blade wide and very close to the water to minimize.
Last couple of days I use the paddle I normally give to girls and shorter people.. And I found it OK.
Then yesterday I decide to change handle to my favorite paddle and by doing that I cut at least 10 cm...
This morning paddling all the way to the waves and back I was surprise that I felt less discomfort.
A friend of mine is having a wooden paddle made for me in USA and I think I'm going to tell him to make it a bit shorter..
Bye Jankie
My wife has been suffering pain under her shoulder blade for 6 months. She has been using short paddles for 3 years.
She just keeps going smaller on the blade trying to reduce loading. I hope less stress at the catch helps her.
I'm still not sure the manufacturers have gone small enough on blade sizing.
it's like boxing holding your hands up for too long tends to hurt till you drop them but then it could hurt more
Most shoulder pain from paddling results from impingement of various inflammed soft tissues within the shoulder joint (specifically the rotator cuff tendons and the subacromial bursa).The higher that you lift your arm above shoulder height,the greater the impingement-it would stand to reason therefore that a shorter paddle would see you working in a lower arc.As a result,potentially less pain.
As already mentioned however it may result in other issues elsewhere if you go too short.
Well Jankie perhaps 7 days a week is overdoing it a little for men of our seniority.
Last time I saw Dave Muir messing around locally he was using a paddle about the size of a long handled cricket bat.
See you when the Dengue subsides.
Any news from Big John M btw?
Hei DOCsup,
are you are the doctor also in real life?
This is exactly what I think I have: "impingement of various inflammed soft tissues within the shoulder joint"
If yes can you suggest some over the counter medicine..
Anti Inflammatory?
I know that been out every day doesn't help! But what can I do..
If I don't SUP I go kiting and the pain doesn't go away either!!
Basecurve: John is back and he was kiting yesterday.
Bye Jankie
Hi Jankie
Yes I am a doctor in real life-but what you really need is probably a physio!
Ideally you should have an ultrasound to see what is going on in your shoulder
Shoulder issues are very common in surfers over the age of...ahem..40 or so
I happen to own a problem one myself!
Some simple anti-inflammatory medicine like Ibuprofen could be helpful and is reasonably safe for a short period of time.
Google 'surfers shoulder' and you will keep yourself busy for a month or so of light reading
Cheers
Rod
Thanks Doc..
Age 44!!! and yes I don't give much break to my shoulder..
But when I kite 80% of the time and 20% SUP is not too bad..
When is 80% SUP and 20% kite is worst!
I hope that with the shorter paddle it could get better.
Bye J
