Author Topic: Paddling with a bum shoulder  (Read 3419 times)

mittenkitten

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Paddling with a bum shoulder
« on: June 13, 2014, 08:26:56 AM »
Anyone here deal with a rotator cuff injury, bursitis, tendonitis or impingement in their shoulder? Any adjustments you made to your paddling that helped? I'm okay when paddling leisurely, but add intensity and I start to suffer  :(
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paddlebuilder

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Re: Paddling with a bum shoulder
« Reply #1 on: June 13, 2014, 09:21:10 AM »
totally bad shoulders, here.  Partial new shoulder joint.....I try to stabilize the joint and "lock" the muscles around the joint with every stroke and really concentrate on form.  Mine won't ever get any better unless I go for a full replacement which  I am close to doing.  Rehab exercises every day I don't paddle.

LaPerouseBay

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Re: Paddling with a bum shoulder
« Reply #2 on: June 13, 2014, 09:45:10 AM »
It was the intensity thing that got me too.  Not bad if going easy, but I like to downwind.  Sprints are necessary. 

So I switched to the surfski.  No more pain at any intensity.  Fixed my lower back too.

I can still fart around on standup, but if I want to clear my head with a good workout, it's the boat.   
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Caribsurf

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Re: Paddling with a bum shoulder
« Reply #3 on: June 13, 2014, 11:29:27 AM »
dealt with this last summer and it was terrible.  I could SUP surf for hours with no problems, but long distance paddles would kill my left shoulder.    I found that shortening the length of my distance paddle helped a lot and kept my elbow lower than my shoulder.  I lost a little reach, but shoulder pain reduced as well
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Bulky

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Re: Paddling with a bum shoulder
« Reply #4 on: June 13, 2014, 12:13:05 PM »
Sorry to hear about that, kitten.

I had a nagging shoulder impingement that wouldn't go away.  I paddled through most of it, but realized I was developing some bad habits to compensate for it.  When a knee injury sidelined me for 9mos, I thought at least a positive outcome would be that the shoulder would heal.  It didn't, just a couple times out and the pain came back.  Went to the doc for a Cortisone shot and about 24 hrs later it was gone.  Been logging more miles than ever and it hasn't come back.
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Re: Paddling with a bum shoulder
« Reply #5 on: June 13, 2014, 12:45:32 PM »
Paddle leisurely ;)

Both my Rotators are toast. I leave burst intensity for the surf. Paddling regular 5-6 mile flat-water sessions on my surf SUP, is strictly for my enjoyment.... the workout comes with duration.

PonoBill

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Re: Paddling with a bum shoulder
« Reply #6 on: June 13, 2014, 02:13:21 PM »
Both of my shoulders are toast.  Step one is get a good doctor to take a look at you. Get an MRI and find out what's going on. I thought I had a minor Supraspinatus tear two years ago as a result of a fall coming onto the beach--put my left hand out to save my weak right shoulder and bam!  But I still had a little bit of beans raising my arm to the side, so I thought it was a minor tear that would improve with exercise. Didn't slow me down at all, and I was doing well until I did a second injury this winter in Maui. That looked like a straightforward subscapularis tear from the motion diagnostics an osteo doc in Maui did. So I set up for surgery in Portland when we returned home.

The MRI revealed that the minor supraspinatus tear was actually completely severed and the supraspinatus was retracted and turned to lumpy jello. Completely idled muscles turn to fat and clumps of calcium. In addition, my long biceps tendor was completely severed, my subscapularis was torn nearly in half, and my infraspinatus was torn.

All this is to say, don't assume it's minor just because you can still use it. I did the Paddle Imua race and did pretty well a few days before we left Maui. I have no idea what muscles were actually working in my shoulder, but it wasn't much. The doc who worked on me is one of the best in the world, and he said it was perhaps the worst he's seen in his long career. Four hours of surgery.

So yeah, get it looked at before you decide to just push through.

Then, if the doctor says it's OK, look long and hard at xTuf shafts. Maybe not even the xTuf(S), maybe the standard one.

Since my shoulders suck so bad, I spent a lot of time fiddling with shafts to help me race and paddle long distance. I pretty commonly do 20 miles in a day (two downwind runs) and even 40 if I'm training for the CCBC. I consider the xTuf shafts to be medicine. What you want is some flex between your lower and upper hand, so your shoulder doesn't take impact on the catch and pull. A tapered shaft helps, but what helps even more is a shaft that flexes initially and then gently locks up.

I don't have any financial interest in Ke Nalu anymore, but it's all I paddle, and the Xtuf shafts are very easy on my shoulders.
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paddlebuilder

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Re: Paddling with a bum shoulder
« Reply #7 on: June 13, 2014, 03:13:04 PM »
I completely agree with Bill about getting good imagery before you paddle through the pain make things worse.  The shoulder joint is the most complicated joint we have.....and one we can't paddle without.

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Re: Paddling with a bum shoulder
« Reply #8 on: June 20, 2014, 07:05:36 PM »
After you get it checked out by a doctor for anything serious (and are cleared to continue) be sure to seek out a good physical therapist. 

I have an old shoulder injury and my job causes additional issues with the joint and my back, but after finding a quality PT (and following her exercise regimen) I am paddling again 3-4 times a week. 

 


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