Author Topic: Elbow pain?  (Read 11446 times)

PaddlesurfRMI

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Elbow pain?
« on: April 23, 2011, 06:17:15 PM »
Hey, anyone else having elbow pain or back strain from surfing sessions?

Is this from my paddle? or is it from overuse or bad techinque or maybe my paddle is too short?

I am unsure of paddle specs but it is a Carbon fiber, swallowtail/ heart shaped blade about 8" face, and 8-9" plus my height (for surfing)...

Any suggestions?

esskay1000

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Re: Elbow pain?
« Reply #1 on: April 24, 2011, 04:55:02 AM »
I got elbow pain from a hard flatwater workout session last weekend.  No idea what I was doing to cause it.  There were times during the paddle that the wind was almost blowing me backwards so I had to dig really deep, I just figured it was a strained muscle
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Absolutetrip

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Re: Elbow pain?
« Reply #2 on: April 24, 2011, 05:35:37 AM »
Your bending your elbow on a stroke. Don't do that... Usually while knee paddling. I have tendonitis in both elbows and if I bend an elbow while pulling the paddle I feel it almost instantly. I use a longer paddle 11" over my head for surfing and pay attention to my paddle strokes.

corran

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Re: Elbow pain?
« Reply #3 on: April 24, 2011, 08:32:41 AM »
Generally this is something you'll get from either paddles that are too long or too stiff. Kayakers suffer from the same affliction. Its not bad to have a back up flexy paddle to use during recovery periods. Wood shafts are a good idea.

Corran

TallDude

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Re: Elbow pain?
« Reply #4 on: April 24, 2011, 09:18:33 AM »
My shoulder is a little sore from a session yesterday. 4 to 5' and bumpy. I'd paddle hard into it, and most of the time the wave would kind of mush out. If you stuck with it, you just bounce down the face. All that irregular paddling just uses different mussle groups. I was paddling from a low position, then the next second I'm swinging in the air when the chop hit me. When I'm just distance paddling, I just focus on my stoke. Here is a great shot I found of Danny Ching in perfect reach form. Look at the rotation he in his shoulders. His elbow is locked straight. This is the image I keep when I'm reaching and anchoring. This will reduce shoulder, elbow strain.
It's not overhead to me!
8'8" L-41 ST and a whole pile of boards I rarely use.

PaddlesurfRMI

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Re: Elbow pain?
« Reply #5 on: April 24, 2011, 12:57:37 PM »
Thanks for all the advice... sounds like my problem is two fold , improper form and wrong equipment.  My paddle is super stiff!  When catching waves I thought a lighter, stiff, small blade paddle would be the easiest to wrangle ( I surf a pretty quick drop reef slab).
So, I guess I never thought I had to use  a certain technique when paddling for surf.   Is there a specific form for surf paddling?  ???

corran

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Re: Elbow pain?
« Reply #6 on: April 24, 2011, 01:58:56 PM »
No form always remains the same. Rotate, plant,THEN pull. Don't pull until the paddle is all the way into the water or you have two problems. A jerk strain on your joints ans loss of energy (the splash requires energy to make that pu had to generate and that energy did not translate into going forwards). Your abs, lats, obliques an dorsal muscles are MUCH bigger than your arm muscles so use the bigget ones to create the pull. I don't train at all but I've won kayak and sup races because of stroke efficiency, and this abovenis the general rule to follow. Also, the meniscus and ligaments in your elbow are not as strong as shoulders etc. So reduce impact on those- it is possible
To take the entire forward stroke without any arm bend at all - this is in fact good practice.

Hope this helps.

Tom

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Re: Elbow pain?
« Reply #7 on: April 24, 2011, 02:18:04 PM »
Here's how you can cure the pain. Buy one of these:

http://www.amazon.com/Thera-Band-Flexbar-Hand-Exerciser-Tennis/dp/B000P7YMW0

do Eccentric exercises like this

http://youtu.be/12wPGvpHvNE

guaranteed to work
 

PonoBill

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Re: Elbow pain?
« Reply #8 on: April 25, 2011, 11:18:46 AM »
I have crap shoulders, elbows, knees and hips from a wide variety of abusive sports (largely motorcycles) and simple age. The first line of defense is Team Advil. I'm sure someone has something bad to say about it, but when you hit sixty if you're still seriously active, you'll be buying it in giant economy size.

Second, clean up your technique. I know people pay a lot more attention to how they paddle when they race or downwind than when they surf, but technique always matters. If you're pulling the paddle past your feet, flailing like mad to catch waves you're not only grossly inefficient, you're also doing damage. It's gonna hurt. Spend some time on Dave's blog reading the technique articles. It will help.

Get your paddle length right. People still talk about paddle length like there was a thumb rule. I don't think that's true, and it's just not necessary. You want your blade fully in the water when you're doing your best reach with your best form. That will vary with how thick your board is. Measure it directly and you'll have numbers for each board you use that will be optimal:
http://www.kenalu.com/2010/04/measure-twice-cut-once/

Corran is absolutely right, if you're having elbow problems you need a paddle you can use when your elbow is acting up. Wood works great--my Malama paddle is fantastic on my joints, unfortunately I overcooked it and cracked the shaft, so now it's wall art. Now my goto paddle for when joints are killing me is a Jimmy Lewis Kenaha. You can paddle it all day and never feel a twinge. I generally prefer a stiffer paddle, but when you're hurting, the JL is da kine.

Foote 10'4X34", SIC 17.5 V1 hollow and an EPS one in Hood River. Foote 9'0" x 31", L41 8'8", 18' Speedboard, etc. etc.

PaddlesurfRMI

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Re: Elbow pain?
« Reply #9 on: April 26, 2011, 03:30:23 PM »
Thanks for all the feedback!  Here what I figured out so far...
 I video taped my last surf session to check out my form and I discovered that my paddling technique dissapears the instant I start digging for a wave.
 It also looks that my paddle might be a tad short because I do have a bit of a stoop or bend at the waist when I am digging in.
This video has helped me tremendously in providing clues to what I am doing right and wrong and I was able to brush up my technique for the next session. (Too bad! I almost had my husband convinced that a  new Kiaola Methane paddle was going to help) 
Also, I did try several paddles,  with different length, blade size and stiffness but I found just buffing up on technique has made a huge impact!
 
Thanks for all the suggestions and support!

jordanzs

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Re: Elbow pain?
« Reply #10 on: April 26, 2011, 03:47:02 PM »
I was having this problems with the insides of my elbows hurting on both arms.  It felt like I did way too many bicep curls at the gym, you know, that kind of feelling.  My arms would start hurting mid session.

I'm sure the problem was multiplied by the fact that I'm surfing offshore winds and I felt like I was fighting to generate my wave catching speed.

Well today I switched from a Pohaku paddle that was cut to 80" to a Kialoa Methane paddle cut to 76".  It made a world of difference!   Not only is the methane shorter, but the blade is a lot narrower, and it starts quicker and doesn't fight me when I try to catch waves, even in today's side-offshore conditions.  Today is easily the best I've surfed on a SUP.

Tell your husband that I can vouch for the Methane making that big of a difference!

Ruby_The_Paddledog

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Re: Elbow pain?
« Reply #11 on: May 08, 2011, 06:49:45 PM »
Here's how you can cure the pain. Buy one of these:

http://www.amazon.com/Thera-Band-Flexbar-Hand-Exerciser-Tennis/dp/B000P7YMW0

do Eccentric exercises like this

http://youtu.be/12wPGvpHvNE

guaranteed to work
 


I can attest to this being a very effective cure for paddler's elbow.  I had "dragon boat elbow" for months.  I quit paddling for 3-4 months trying to heal mine with little improvement.  I read about this therapy for tennis elbow and purchased the bars.  I also purchased an elbow brace called "Band-It" that I always wear while SUP paddling or dragon boat paddling.  Within 2-3 weeks of "therapy," I experienced significant improvement.  Now, when I feel a tinge of pain, I do the exercise a few times a day for about a week and all pain disappears.

I definitely recommend both the flex bars and the band-it elbow brace for anyone with any kind of elbow pain.  It will prevent a long term injury and well worth it.

Boludo

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Re: Elbow pain?
« Reply #12 on: May 09, 2011, 05:59:45 AM »
How many pound force do you find the best.  It looks like they have several to choose from.  Or is it something that you start with the small one and work your way up as it strengthens?

Tom

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Re: Elbow pain?
« Reply #13 on: May 09, 2011, 06:52:12 AM »
I think the green works well. You can just increase the number of reps rather than go to a stiffer band.

Ruby, glad it's worked out for you.

Boludo

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Re: Elbow pain?
« Reply #14 on: May 10, 2011, 09:01:36 AM »
Good stuff.  I just ordered that theraband.  Thanks

 


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