# Anybody have any shoulder problems?



## basstardo (Jun 5, 2006)

I think I've gone and screwed my shoulder up good this time. Didn't paddle for a little over a month due to family illness, work, etc, and finally went out for the first time about 2 weeks ago. Went out on a Saturday night, did about a mile, then went out the next day and did my longest paddle ever at 7 miles. Skip two weeks ahead to this past Sunday night, and I did a little over 4 miles, and my shoulder is flat out throbbing right now. Feels like I've torn something in my rotator cuff. Weird part is I felt nothing while paddling, and it didn't hurt until the next day, and it's steadily gotten worse yesterday and today. 

I'm off to the Ortho tomorrow morning, and I really hope this isn't the end of the season for me. :redface:


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## J_Lannon (Jul 23, 2003)

basstardo said:


> I think I've gone and screwed my shoulder up good this time. Didn't paddle for a little over a month due to family illness, work, etc, and finally went out for the first time about 2 weeks ago. Went out on a Saturday night, did about a mile, then went out the next day and did my longest paddle ever at 7 miles. Skip two weeks ahead to this past Sunday night, and I did a little over 4 miles, and my shoulder is flat out throbbing right now. Feels like I've torn something in my rotator cuff. Weird part is I felt nothing while paddling, and it didn't hurt until the next day, and it's steadily gotten worse yesterday and today.
> 
> I'm off to the Ortho tomorrow morning, and I really hope this isn't the end of the season for me. :redface:



I have had the same problem with kayaking and golfing. I now use more stomach, and pivot at the hips. Basicaly ...it eases the stress on the shoulder and elbow joints. I wish I could express it in more detail....but im sure you get the picture. My arms and shoulders are a little more quiet during the stroke. This stroke also keeps my cranky lumbar loose since it is moving more when I'm paddling.


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## Jesse Lockowitz (Feb 13, 2006)

had problems w/ my hands/wrists and the feeling goes up into my elbow @ night. happened last year bout same time when putting in alot of time in the kayak and alot of hammer slinging @ work. hands go asleep/numb fast, and tendons seem to hurt. tendonitis perhaps? iuno.


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## basstardo (Jun 5, 2006)

J, Vic explained to me what you're talking about at ARC one day. He said I should feel it more in my stomach than in my arms, but for some reason it just doesn't work out. I guess I need to watch some videos or something or go pick Vic's brain again.


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## J_Lannon (Jul 23, 2003)

basstardo said:


> J, Vic explained to me what you're talking about at ARC one day. He said I should feel it more in my stomach than in my arms, but for some reason it just doesn't work out. I guess I need to watch some videos or something or go pick Vic's brain again.


 Just take it slow at 1st. My stomach muscles were sore as hell the 1st few times out because I over did it. But it will come to ya.


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## Too Busy (Sep 7, 2007)

check out my youtube video. It's hard to cram a paddling lesson into 2 1/2 minutes, but I tried.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zNHdmLZmZg0


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## basstardo (Jun 5, 2006)

That's great video, and echos exactly what Vic told me to do. I'm guess I'm going to have to really focus on my paddling for a bit to get it to where its second nature.


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## uncdub13 (Aug 9, 2003)

I'm no doc, but it might be a dislocated shoulder. Do you do any kind of strength training for your shoulder muscles outside of kayaking? If not, the nature of forward paddling could lead to muscle strength imbalance around the shoulder (rear stronger than front) and leave you prone to a dislocation.


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## BIG FINN (Jul 14, 2009)

its tough but yes you have to use more of your torso to stay in the game longer I have to remind myself when doin long or difficult conditions.


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## Openboat (Oct 19, 2007)

No medical training but fwiw my experience with a bum shoulder stretched out for years before it was fixed. With the last dr I made it clear that I wanted to be back in the kayak (life not over at 50), and he offered me three options. Conservative (low key approach), medium (physical therapy), and aggressive. With this dr I took the aggressive and was glad I did. Cortisone shots on the first visit. When that did not work, directly into an MRI (insurance paid because of the cortisone not working), that showed a need for surgery. Surgery was a bit iffy as the torn rotator sometimes heal themselves, but I had put up with it for years. Surgery reduced my arm to nothing for three months, and rehab was a difficult road (find the therapist who the aids look to for direction, ask for one that specializes in shoulders, and go Tuesday/Thursday as it gives them time to focus on you since everybody is supposed to go Mon/Wed/Fri). But by late spring I had no pain from mowing the yard, and by the end of the summer I had my eskimo roll back (most of the time).


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## LEW1 (Feb 5, 2009)

Hope this is not off thread but should relate to overall topic. Reply to Jesse L. Numbness, tingling in hands, etc sounds like carpal tunnel syndrome caused by tightness in connective tissue at the wrist joint from repetitive concusive injury. This is ususally seen in keyboard operators or other repetitive hand tasks. Check it out with your MD. Injury can become chronic and progressive if not attended to. LEW1 in Knoxville.


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## Wilber (May 20, 2003)

Terry, to try and isolate the ab part of paddling, move the yak forward without bending your elbows, ie., keep your arms straight and only use torso rotation to paddle. It sucks but it will get you paying attention to the way you paddle. Good luck, hope you don't have to go with the pedel drive stuff.


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## dirtyhandslopez (Nov 17, 2006)

It appears you are destined for the planks. Can't paddle a kayak cause it hurts, can't walk down the beach a ways cause it hurts....


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## O Shin Rin (Aug 31, 2009)

i'll buy his yak for a buck ....lol or he could put a trolling motor on it 


jerry


:beer: drink more hurts less


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## basstardo (Jun 5, 2006)

dirtyhandslopez said:


> It appears you are destined for the planks. Can't paddle a kayak cause it hurts, can't walk down the beach a ways cause it hurts....


A "ways" huh. Try 13 miles ya goober! While pulling a surf cart. I'm sadistic sometimes. 

O shin, you'll have to pry that paddle from my cold dead hands! 

looks like I'm only out for about 2 weeks. No dislocation, just some severely strained muscles in my rotator cuff. Doing some PT starting Monday to get some muscle balance exercises an I hope to be back out in a couple weeks.


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## forrest gump (Jun 6, 2006)

Just keep fishing every night(pt on the water for 2 weeks)....after a while you get use the pain. Of course, squeezing a 7' torso in a 4' cockpit doesn't help either.
Forrest


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## basstardo (Jun 5, 2006)

Forrest I wish I could, believe me. Being out for two weeks during some great fishing is going to suck. Only problem is I literally have use so limited on my right arm it hurts to drink a cup of coffee.  Once I'm back up and running, we'll have to get out after some fish. Went out with Justin the other night, and caught a bunch of schoolies and tried the ditch for trout, but no dice. 

My pops always said it, and I didn't believe him, but getting older sucks. :redface:


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## O Shin Rin (Aug 31, 2009)

basstardo said:


> .
> 
> O shin, you'll have to pry that paddle from my cold dead hands!
> 
> s.


Glad to hear you'll get better Terry for me it will be next year for my yak, so for now I'm off to lesner for night fishing tonight . So stop on by and give that ol back a rest be out at 1 am after work.


jerry


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## basstardo (Jun 5, 2006)

O Shin Rin said:


> Glad to hear you'll get better Terry for me it will be next year for my yak, so for now I'm off to lesner for night fishing tonight . So stop on by and give that ol back a rest be out at 1 am after work.
> 
> 
> jerry


Jerry if I could get out there I would, but I have to work in the AM. Going to take it as easy as possible until the weekend, and maybe get out for some beach fishing if my arm'll hold up to it. If you decide to head out this weekend, give me a shout.


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## Openboat (Oct 19, 2007)

Good luck with the PT’s, they were the best place for me to buy a professional (complete shoulder) reusable ice pack. I had tried several large ones, but the fitted one with straps was worth the $$$. 
Cold water after every shower (2 x 15 sec) also helps if you have no time for ice.


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## red_fish (Jul 22, 2007)

A lil bit of exercise will go along way won't make you bulletproof but close 2 days strength training and 3 cardio and if you wanna feel invincible throw in a few mauy Thai classes in place of strength training there will still be plenty of fishing time left


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## Orest (Jul 28, 2003)

*This sounds like Carpal tunnel syndrome*



Jesse Lockowitz said:


> had problems w/ my hands/wrists and the feeling goes up into my elbow @ night. happened last year bout same time when putting in alot of time in the kayak and alot of hammer slinging @ work. hands go asleep/numb fast, and tendons seem to hurt. tendonitis perhaps? iuno.



I had surgrey on both wrist about 13 years ago. Haven't had a problem since.


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## Mark G (Nov 15, 2004)

Jesse Lockowitz said:


> had problems w/ my hands/wrists and the feeling goes up into my elbow @ night. happened last year bout same time when putting in alot of time in the kayak and alot of hammer slinging @ work. hands go asleep/numb fast, and tendons seem to hurt. tendonitis perhaps? iuno.


As others said-- carpal tunnel.

I have it mildly from the computer keyboard-- but if I go to slinging a framing hammer around for any period of time it can inflame the heck out of it-- the vibrations from the repeated hammer blows can really set it off.


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## basstardo (Jun 5, 2006)

My Dad has/had carpal tunnel really bad. 3 decades of finish carpentry and cabinet making'll do that to you I guess. He went under the knife for it and if I remember right it helped him out quite a bit, but he still gets numbness from time to time.


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## jay b (Dec 1, 2002)

Something else to remember when padding in order to not let the arms and shoulders do all the work is to use your legs along with your torso. I keep my seat and foot peddles close enough so that I use my entire body to stroke with from the feet to the hands, kinda like a rowing exercise machine.


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## Rockstar (Jun 23, 2004)

I am rough on myself... downhill/slalom skating, kayaking, running, and lifting... I do a plyometrics workout atleast 3 times a week, keeps the muscles elasticy and makes you much more durable.


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## Gonondo (Oct 8, 2009)

If I may add some suggestions please....In South Africa, we have to negotiate some pretty gnarly surf and need to start with strong, deep and meaningful strokes to literally get out of the shore-break. Once outside, we can slow it down and use long deep strokes at a slower pace. In order to acchieve maximum performance you need to lean forward slightly and transfer the power from your back to your core muscles.

That UTube video is perfect, but you do need to lean forward and not backward.

Gym is excellent for maintaining fitness and repairing damaged muscles. Bumb-bell flys ( +/-6 kilos per hand). Alternate with just extending both arms and holding them at 45 degrees behind your head while lying on the bench. The longer you hold, the more you abdomen will feel the strain. Do about three to five reps of each.
Your abdomen is paramount to good paddling. Do lots of core excersizes. Another good one is straight-arm pull-down. About 30kilos - 40 kilos depending on your strength. It's better to go lighter but faster, rather than heavy weights.
I also sit on a bech with feet up. Grip a bar with light end weights ( 13 kilos) and paddle 30 strokes per rep. Each stroke is broken into a left then a right side, all the time ensuring that you pivot your torso.
The fitter you get, the more you will enjoy your paddling.
_"I never said it would be easy...I said it would be worth it!"_

I am happy to respond if you have any questions.

[email protected]


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## beachfishin1 (May 4, 2008)

*Shoulder Pain*

Tore up my rotatoe cuff a few years ago. Accupuncture (about 6-8 treatments) fully restored usage.


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## kq6 (Dec 16, 2003)

Do a search for "Physical Examination of the Upper Extremity" if you try these tests, u can kinda narrow it down. lifting heavy is not what you want to do. these rotator cuff muscles are "stabilizers" and require light weight with certain ranges of motion. could be bursitis or your labrum.

ken c


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