Paddling Fitness and Injury Prevention:

1. 1 Paddling Fitness and Injury Prevention: How to Maximize Your Kayaking Experience and Stay Healthy

2. 2 What Are the Consequences of Ignoring Your Physical Condition as a Paddler?

3. 3 Recreational Paddling Fitness Why do we paddle? Fun, social interaction, physical fitness, personal challenge, and to experiencing and enjoy the beauty and playfulness of water-based travel all come to mind as answers. Most recreational paddlers fit into the �weekend warrior� stereotype � due to the limitations of weather, climate, work, family and other commitments we cannot spend as much time in our boats as we would like. As a result, our paddling muscles are subject to repeated and sporadic cycles of �use and dis-use� which make us prone to fatigue, strains, sprains and in some cases, worse. Paddling fitness and injury prevention as considered here will be broken into four areas which will be addressed individually: Awareness Prepwork � Easing Into the Season General Conditioning Pre and Post � Paddle Considerations

4. 4 Awareness Overall body consciousness is key to the recognition of problems which may lead to injury. Awareness of proper paddling technique in conjunction with an understanding of the muscles employed and their susceptibility to strain are fundamental requirements for injury prevention. Awareness also means proper evaluation of your personal energy reserves, fitness, skill level and a respect for the risks involved to avoid situations where you are more likely to be injured � this is can be considered �knowing your limitations�. General Tips to Remember on Fitness and Injury Prevention: You are not an Olympic athlete (sorry!) � be realistic with your fitness and paddling goals, common sense is paramount. Learn to honestly appraise your skill and experience level. Never stop learning � buy a book, take a refresher course, practise those drills. There is always the opportunity to improve. Better skills means more efficient form which should mean less chance for injury. Spend as much time as possible in your boat � the best fitness program for kayaking is�. kayaking. Read your body � don�t turn a small injury into a big one by being stubborn.

5. 5 Injuries - Introduction General Injury Recognition & Treatment: One of the most important things for any paddler to recognize in his/herself is the difference between normal soreness or fatigue vs. the early symptoms of pathology (such as decreased range of motion, weakness and pain). The sooner a potential problem is identified and addressed, the better chance for a quicker and healthier recovery. If you ignore the pain, the inflammatory response will increase and make the pain more global. This makes it harder to pinpoint a diagnosis and focus the treatment on the source of the problem. Remember the acronym RICE: Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation for injury treatment. Acute vs. Chronic Injuries: Acute injuries are those that are new or have just happened, typically from a one-time incident. Examples include cuts, scrapes, fractures, etc. In kayaking terms, this could be an accident such as striking one�s hand on a rock. Chronic injuries are those that tend to be persistent and repetitive � ie. back injuries which take a long time to heal and cause long-term pain. Common examples in kayaking are tendonitis in the elbow which is exacerbated each time you paddle.

6. 6 Kayaking Injury Statistics An injury survey was conducted in 2000 to gather data on acute and chronic/overuse injuries in whitewater canoe and kayak paddlers by the Wilderness Medical Society (www.wemjournal.org) Results from 319 survey responses showed the shoulder/arm as the most commonly injured body part resulting in a high incidence of medical visitation, surgery and chronic problems affecting paddling. Acute injury breakdown (388 total reported or 1.2 per person): Sprain/strain � 26% Laceration � 17% Contusion � 17% Fractures � 9% Dislocations � 6% Chronic injury breakdown (286 total reported or 0.9 per person): Tendonitis � 44% Sprain/strain � 27% Of the people injured, 47% with acute conditions sought medical attention compared to 36% of people with chronic conditions. Injuries due to portages were very common due to slips and falls and had a higher incidence rate in women (cumbersome boats?)

7. 7 Kayaking Injury Statistics (2) Notes on Equipment: Bent shaft paddles were used by 12% of kayakers. Majority of respondents (46%) used a paddle with a feather angle of 45 degrees. 13% reported they had decreased feather angle due to wrist problems, 73% of these felt the change had helped their wrists. More Details on Injuries: As expected, injuries typically rose with increased exposure (days paddled). Although most injuries were found to occur above the waist, the back/chest and hip areas accounted for 19% of acute injuries with a high incidence of fractures and long recuperation periods. One might ask is this is due to the increased playboat use in kayakers and the current trend of running higher and higher waterfalls. Also of Interest: Giardia infection was reported by 14% of respondents. Water filters, anyone?

8. 8 Mighty Movers Kayakers rely on the muscles and tendons of the following body parts to contribute to strength and stability while paddling: Shoulders (scapular stabilizers, rotator cuff) Arms (biceps, triceps) Wrists, Elbows (tendons) Core/Torso (abdomen, back, hips) The following information will explain in basic terms how these body parts function when you paddle and how they can become irritated or injured.

9. 9 Shoulder Anatomy What is commonly known as the �shoulder joint� actually consists of 3 joints: Glenohumeral Ball and Socket Helps move shoulder forward, backward Allow arm to rotate in circular fashion or hinge out, up and away from body Middle ring includes small stabilizing muscles � the rotator cuff Outer ring composed of the great movers of the shoulder (deltoid, pecs, lats, trapezius) Scapulothoracic Connects shoulder blade and back Stabilizes and increase mobility of glenohumeral joint Plays a huge role in paddling and is commonly ignored in most strengthening programs. Acromioclavicular (AC) Connects shoulder blade and collarbone

10. 10 Common Shoulder Injuries Instability �Looseness� of the shoulder joint, common in junior and women paddlers Can be made worse by over extended dufek strokes or bracing in holes that places extreme force on shoulder The only way to prevent this from leading to injury is to develop strength of the shoulder complex Overuse/Strains Sudden increase in paddling can place extensive stress on the shoulders and lead to fatigue, decreased flexibility Common early in the kayaking season as people try to �catch up� or at end of season when they forget to allow sufficient rest and recovery between paddles. Can usually be treated with activity modification, ice, anti-inflammatory medication and stretching exercises. If pain persists more than 72 hours, consult a medical professional.

11. 11 Common Shoulder Injuries (2) Dislocations Problem for paddlers � occur infrequently but are still one of the most common serious injuries. Trauma causing humerus to pop out of the shoulder socket (joint). Recommend immediate treatment by trained professional if possible Repeated dislocation may require surgery to repair torn ligaments. Exercises to strengthen the rotator cuff muscles can decrease susceptibility. Technique Note: Most first time dislocations are related to poor form while performing a brace or roll. To prevent this painful and hard to rehabilitate injury, keep your arms low and in front of your torso when performing a roll or brace. Slouching your back puts stress on the shoulder by reducing both boat stability and your rotation.

12. 12 Shoulders (Cont�d) & Arms Pro-Active Prevention of Shoulder Injuries: Backwards paddling is one of the most effective means of full shoulder development. Warm-up and cool-down should include 2-10 minutes of backwards paddling Arms: Efficient paddling doesn't require a great deal of arm strength however some conditions do require a bit more arm power - surfing, sprinting, and paddling against a strong wind. But especially for sea kayaking, most of the time on a kayak trip you'll be trying to keep the boat moving forward at the cruising pace of 2.5 to 3.5 knots. They key will be endurance and efficiency, not brute force. The two arm muscles utilized in the paddling stroke are the bicep and the tricep, which work in opposition to each other. These are the easiest muscles to develop through exercise and the least prone to injury. Suggested activities to develop strength of these muscles requiring minimal equipment include pull-ups, push-ups, tricep and bicep curls using free weights.

13. 13 Wrists, Elbows Tendonitis in the elbows and wrists is the most frequent and least severe paddler�s complaint and is classified as the onset of tenderness and swelling. Tendons are made up of long fibers which connect the muscle to the bone and are indirectly responsible for motion. Overuse and age causes the fibers to break down, weaken and eventually interfere with the normally smooth process of movement. Incomplete healing causes scarring and thickening of the tendon which exacerbates the problem and results in pain, swelling and tenderness at the origin or insertion of the abused tendon. Recognition: Irritation of the lateral tendons will be felt on the outside of the elbow and back of the wrist/hand. Medial tendon inflammation will be felt on the inside of the elbow and wrist Prevention: Conditioning, technique and equipment are all factors in tendonitis. Age can play a significant role � younger paddlers tend to have fewer problems are their tendons, muscles and connective tissue are more resilient.

14. 14 Wrists, Elbows (2) Prevention Continued�. Weight lifting, yoga and specific exercises to work all aspects of each joint (flexion, extension and rotation) can help. Go slowly, muscles gain strength faster than tendons so it is easy to overtrain. Technique Tips: Tendonitis in the elbows and wrists along with spasms in the forearm muscles can be caused gripping the paddle too tightly and paddle rotation. Lighten up on the grip and relax when you rotate the paddle. Let the paddle move itself. A Quick Stretch You Can Do in the Boat: The key here is to be gentle! The elbow should be extended and not flexed to increase the amount of stretch as required. These stretches should be held for 20-30 seconds and repeated 5 to 10 times. Vigorous movements should be avoided. Do not stretch to the point of pain.

15. 15 Core, Torso (Abs, Back, Lats, Hips) This catch-all category addresses the real power centre of your paddling ability. The torso provides the power for strokes and braces. Strong abdominal, hip and back muscles help maintain your core stability, improving your posture and facilitating proper torso rotation with each stroke. In terms of distress and injury, off all these areas your back muscles are the most likely to be affected by paddling activities. Easily prevented sources of back irritation are: Improper paddling technique (lack of torso rotation) Poor posture and improper boat outfitting Carrying your boat 1. Proper Stroke Technique (Torso Rotation): Will generate far more power than your arms alone could ever generate. Shoulders should rotate approximately 45 degrees to each side of center with each stroke. The easiest way to practice it is to try paddling without bending your elbows, keeping your arms straight so that you are forced to rotate your torso in order to pull each blade through the water. Try doing this for a few miles or a few hours and you will gradually condition your torso to become a habitual component of your forward stroke.

16. 16 Core, Torso (Abs, Back, Lats, Hips) (2) 2. Why is Boat Posture Important? Your body is in the action position with a the spine in a comfortable, vertical position. This also maintains your centre of gravity in the middle of the boat and helps prevent flipping, especially in lower volume whitewater playboats. When you are slouched back, your strokes are inefficient, placing strain on your back muscles. Why do people slouch? Their muscles used to maintain erect posture are out of tone. Their seat backs don�t give them proper support. A well fitted back band can help remedy the situation by providing strong lumbar support. Working out to develop the abdominal, lateral and lower back muscles can also help to prevent back strain.

17. 17 Core, Torso (Abs, Back, Lats, Hips) (3) Carrying Your Boat � Considerations Listening to your body is the most important factor to consider in preventing injuries to your back. If you don�t feel comfortable or the position feels awkward, stop and find a different way to do it. Back injuries can be cumulative � poor posture and frequent repetitions increase the risk. Before Carrying Your Boat - Ask Yourself the Following Questions: How fit are you? Tight hamstring muscles increase your risk of lower back injury. Do you have previous injuries that might limit how you can move your boat? Are you tired? Be aware of fatigue � it can be a contributing factor to injury. Are you with a group? It�s easier to get help than it is to be a burden to the rest of the group because you are injured. Is your footwear appropriate for the terrain? Where is the safest route? How heavy is the kayak � loaded or unloaded?

18. 18 Core, Torso (Abs, Back, Lats, Hips) (4) General Principles of Lifting Your Kayak to Avoid Back Injury: Avoid bending forward or arching backward at the waist and twisting, use your stronger leg muscles and keep your back in a neutral position with the weight close to your centre of gravity. Avoid reaching out too far. Co-ordinate movements with your partner if applicable. Bend at the hips and knees, not the back. Hug the boat close to your body with elbows bent as you stand up. Keep the kayak tucked close to you as you carry it. Use slow, controlled movements and follow the process in reverse for unloading. For solo lifting, crouch beside the kayak shifting the kayak onto one knee as you come into a half stand with knees bent, head up and back straight. Rest the edge of the cockpit on your shoulder as you straighten up to stand. Maintain a slight bend in your knees and avoid arching your back. Place one hand at the front of the cockpit rim to stabilize the boat as you move.

19. 19 Core, Torso (Abs, Back, Lats, Hips) (5) Consider how some additional aspects of body placement and core fitness come into play as you paddle your boat: Hip Flick A strong and forceful hip flick � one of the main components of a successful eskimo roll is dependent on exertion of your lats and hip flexors. Leg Angle in the Boat Another source of back and thigh pain could be the angle of your legs. Is your deck so low that you can�t bend or raise your knees? You want your knees bent to give a stronger, more natural grip on the deck. It makes it easier to lean/tilt/edge the kayak when bracing and turning giving you more control. Leg Position If your legs splay out too far to the side, this will cause you some hip pain. You can add foam to the side of the kayak to keep your knees from flopping out too far; just remember to leave enough room between that and your thigh braces to get your knees in and out safely. There are also thigh risers available that fit in front of the seat to rest your thighs on, giving more support to your raised legs.

20. 20 Maximizing Paddling Energy Food: The most important energy source for exercising muscles is your body�s carbohydrate stores � a little from blood glucose and a larger amount from glycogen stored in your muscles. Your body can only store about 2 hours worth of carbohydrate energy and must be constantly refilled by the carbohydrates in your diet. During a long day paddle, this translates into roughly 30-60 gm of carbs per hour. The following is a selection of carb-rich foods each providing 50 gm: 3 medium pieces fruit 1 large piece bread with banana 2 breakfast bars Timing of intake is also important � eating at least 1 gm of carb per kg of body weight (ie. 50-100 gm for most people) within the first 30 minutes of heavy exercise helps speed up the recovery process by restocking the muscles with glycogen.

21. 21 Maximizing Paddling Energy (2) Liquids: Dehydration can cause early fatigue during exercise and decreases performance, impairs cardiovascular function and can pose serious health problems. Greater sweat losses during paddling result from higher temperatures, increased exertion levels, overall body size, length of paddle (longer vs. shorter) and fitness level (fitter people sweat more). Water is an effective fluid replacer before and during a paddle lasting 60 minutes or less. Sports drinks (5% carbohydrate) are useful in enhancing performance when exercise lasts 1 hour or longer as they can boost energy supplies and aid fluid adsorption from the stomach.

22. 22 Preparation: Winter Training for Paddlers It may be a couple more months until you get your boat in anything other than pool water but you can jumpstart your season now to become a better, stronger and faster paddler. In the pre-season you should be aiming for a fitness program with an emphasis on cardiovascular workouts with a lesser focus on strength and flexibility. Since paddling is an outdoor sport, when you can make the effort to train outdoors. Let the elements help condition you. Look for options such as cross country skiing or snowshoeing. Make certain to put those poles to good use. Poling should done properly by reaching forward to plant the poles, swinging your arms back behind you to propel yourself forward, and bending forward at the waist to get that extra oomph. Correctly executed it provides a tremendous workout for the back, triceps, pectorals and latisimus dorsi, all muscle groups essential to your paddle stroke. While exercising think about the past paddling season and how you might like to improve or what goals you could set for the upcoming year � off-side roll, better braces, more endurance�.

23. 23 Preparation: Winter Training for Paddlers (2) For pre-season fitness training, a simple program to help you ease into the season should consist of 3 parts (repeat at least 3x�s per week): Cardiovascular Component At least 30-40 minutes per workout should be dedicated to elevating your heart rate Additional indoor options include elliptical trainer, Nordic Track, combination of rowing machine and stationary bike, or laps in the pool. All of these options minimize impact on knees, joints. Strengthening Component Focus on developing the muscle groups mentioned earlier using weight training. Crunches, pull-ups, push-ups can be done anywhere. Buy yourself some small handweights and/or an exercise ball to perform the routine we will show you here tonight. Total cost for equipment from Canadian Tire is ~$30. Lack of motivation? Join a class including circuit training or ball workout with weights. Gym inaccessible? There are lots of exercise videos and books available for upper body and core workouts. 20 to 30 minutes should be sufficient

24. 24 Preparation: Winter Training for Paddlers (3) Stretching and Flexibility Component Quit procrastinating, develop a stretching routine and stick with it! Aim for 10 minutes light stretch beforehand (when muscles and tendons tight and cold) and as long as possible afterwards. Torso twists, hamstring stretches, lunges � make sure to stretch those legs as a limber lower body will help against numbness after long hours of sitting in a boat. Hold stretches for at least 15 seconds and avoid bouncing. Yoga is a fantastic builder of flexibility and a relaxing way to add to your workout repertoire.

25. 25 General Conditioning As the actual paddling season nears, it may be time to step your training up a notch: Set some specific goals for the season which you can target directly with your exercise regimen. The key: define your goals according to your ability, whether it�s to increase your power per stroke, strengthen abs to throw cartwheels or improve posture. Modify your workout to imitate paddling strokes or work the same muscle groupings. Cable pulls or tensorbands (rubber tubing) can be used to mimic the motions of draws, sweeps and forward strokes. Take your time and focus on technique and developing co-ordination, especially on complex movements where you are trying to synchronize body and arms. Continue the generic strengthening, stretching and cardiovascular, ensuring that you are targeting 75, 85 and 95% of your maximum lift in repetitions (3 sets at 10, 7 and 5 each). Alternate strengthening exercises to work the same muscle from a different angle every few weeks � ie. switch from pull-ups to lat pull-downs.

26. 26 Pre and Post Paddle Tips Have you ever heard the following comments? �I could have done better than that� �My technique is really bad today� �I was struggling all day with the wind/water � I couldn�t paddle properly� �I ran the second half of the river much better than the first part� All of these statements could be indicating you have not warmed up enough before beginning your day�s paddle. Consider this: Paddling a kayak is a very complex high skill activity, so warming up should be a bit more than a jog and a few arm swings especially if the paddle starts off in high gear (Entry Rapid at Piper�s is a classic example). With the need for balance, a high level of co-ordination and multifaceted skills and movements, paddling ranks amongst gymnastics and dance rather than team sports (soccer, baseball). Warming up allows you to maximize performance and development while minimizing the risk for injury. Essential Elements of a Warm-Up: Warming up the body temperature Preparing muscles for level of use in a session A co-ordination warm-up/technique review

27. 27 Warming Up Warming up the body temperature Helps increase blood flow to muscles, increases respiration rate Dependent on the weather, the individual and prior activity 5 minute light jog with some arm swings, and jumping jacks or the walk-in to Piper�s Hole should typically suffice Preparing muscles for level of use in a session Helps open the capillaries in the muscles for maximum effectiveness Stretches should only be done after the muscles are warm, otherwise you risk injury. Suggestions include: hamstring and side stretches, torso twists with paddle, neck rotation, stretch to reach the front of your boat while seated. Wrist stretches (palm up for flexors, palm down for extensors) Rhomboids - hug yourself as tight as you can � hold for 10 s Cross-bow stretch � turn your body to the back of your boat (seated) A co-ordination warm-up/technique review Involves making sure everything is working correctly and in unison Also an opportunity to see if your outfitting is properly adjusted 2-10 minutes back paddling followed by a few repetitive spurts of power strokes A roll can�t hurt as well a few low and high braces on both sides For whitewater kayakers practice a few ferries and eddy turns Additional strokes � draw, putting boat on edge

28. 28 Cool Down Although it is often neglected, a cool-down including a complete stretching of the muscles used is the primary means to avoid post-paddle stiffness. The thought of hitting the highway (or the pub) may be tempting but taking a few minutes to do 5 easy stretches will help increase your range of motion while the body is still warm and leave you more limber than when you started. Tree/Door Jamb Chest Stretch � 20 s Hip Flexor Stretch � 20 s Frog Stretch (thighs, hips, calves, lower back) � 20 s Spinal Rotation Stretch (torso, shoulders, upper back) � 20 s Lower Back and Hamstring Stretch � 20 s Remember to replenish those energy levels � fluids and snacks are important too!

29. 29 Final Notes Before Moving On� Kayaking fitness and injury prevention is a complex topic which we have only scratched the surface of here tonight. The goal tonight was to develop an awareness of how you as an individual can pursue and enjoy your own paddling goals through physical conditioning while avoiding injury. The internet encompasses a wealth of information free to any paddler to access � take advantage. See you on the water � fit and injury free!