Paddle length and shoulder stress

Will shortening a kayak paddle reduce stress on a shoulder ? A couple of days fighting some serious wind has cranked up an old injury.I use a 240 but can use a 230.

P.S. I do not need advice on how to paddle unless you are better than Brent Reitz.

218
I use a 218, and headwinds are not any easier. If you are comfy with the 230, maybe just a rest would cure the pain?

Yes
Shorter paddle = shorter lever arm = less stress on your shoulders both from wind (if paddling unfeathered) and actual paddling.



Have you ever tried a Greenland style paddle? Using a Greenland paddle is often a great way to give some relief to muscles overused in paddling with a euro-style blade. Also Greenland paddles, because they are short and narrow, are great for paddling upwind.

How tall are you?
Thought it was worth asking. 240 cm is an awful long length, and 230’s are a rare breed on the water around here too.

Sounds like you DO need advice…

– Last Updated: Sep-16-07 11:59 PM EST –

You wrote:
"P.S. I do not need advice on how to paddle unless you are better than Brent Reitz."

You posted looking for advice.... sounds like your paddle is too long unless you're 6'5" or paddle a 26" wide rec boat.

How about providing some info so we can help you...?
Oh, that's right..... you don't need advice....

BTW- Just because you pay $100 for a clinic w/ a big name doesn't mean you know all that he does... OR that you know anything about paddling.

If your shoulder is bothering you, it's probably because YOU have a technique problem.

Yes, it will…
Shortening the paddle will reduce stress on the joint, as the “lever” becomes shorter…



But a more likely cause of shoulder stress is your technique…

Smaller paddle blade will help.
My shoulder and elbow bothered me until I got an Epic Relaxed Tour.



It’s a lot easier on the shoulders than my Bending Branches Spirit with Day blade, Werner carbon Camano and Onno Full Tour and Mid Tour.

Yes
I’m a believer in carrying a spare that has less surface area. A ‘low gear’ for those headwinds.

Smaller blade
IMO the length of the stick is less important than the size of the blade for reducing shoulder stress.



Tommy

paddle
Yes, a shorter paddle will reduce stress on your joints.



Also try these other suggestions:



Smaller blade size.



Narrower boat.



Lose weight. (reduces wind resistance)



Low Angle vs High Angle



Adjust your stroke cadence to take advantage of the waves. Don’t be powerstroking when your bow is buried in the wave.



Hit the fitness center this winter and increase your shoulder strenth.



Don’t paddle into the wind and waves. Paddle at an angle to the wind. Simular to tacking a sailboat.



Sign up for a refresher course in forward paddling. Even the best of us can fall into some bad habits. Tiger Woods has a good stroke…and still gets coaching to maintain/improve. Maybe your stroke can be tweaked to adjust for your previous injury.



Don’t go out on that second windy day.

Thank you for the comments.
On the 2nd day I was using a Sawyer wind paddle, also a 240. I am 6’6" tall and a lot of that is torso. The boat is a Rapidfire pack canoe which paddles like a kayak.I didn’t go to as clinic; I got Reitz’ CD and review it frequently.

I think if I hadn’t torn the shoulder up 25 years ago, this wouldn’t be a discussion.

Blade size then
For what it’s worth, I am bringing back a shoulder from an annoying long bout of tendonitis now and am closer to 56 than 55, and am being very strongly urged by people who know more than me to go to a smaller blade size (I’ve already shortened my length 10 cm’s from where I started out). Will as soon as I do the homework.

don’t need advice
ok. Does Brent Reitz us a 240?

jeez

– Last Updated: Sep-17-07 9:21 AM EST –

nothing like details. No you don't need a shorter paddle. You need to not stress it as much. It's pretty obvious, you've got a pre-existing injury prone to aches/pains and it's a multi-day effort with no recovery.

Sure you could use a smaller blade, different blade, different color blade or hat but once you get into an overstress situation requiring recovery it really doesn't matter what you're using if a minimum effort is required to make headway and that effort aggravates a body needing recovery.

I've got a patellar tendon that is prone to injury when not warmed up from a ski injury 30yrs ago. Sounds like having a smaller blade could help but it would require you to put out less effort, even with a smaller blade if your connective tissue/joints are suffereing from overuse then it takes a LOT less effort to not aggravate it. You're heart/lungs could be raring to go but the connective tissue might be only up to the amount of aerobic effort you'd put out walking which may not be enough to get you anywhere on the water in a stiff breeze.

Who’re you talking to?
Did the response just shift from String to myself? Or both?

Re the issue of recovery, of course any recent injury requires backing off on use. W/o the details, I’ve very much been doing that and I am sure String has done the same when the injury was recent.

My cut was that this question was about whether a shorter paddle (or a smaller blade) would reduce the likelihood of an old injury becoming more critical again, or just generally be kinder to aging body parts the stroke being equal. That is certainly the area where I am getting advice.

Narrower Paddle
Hi String



I’m 6’ 2" with a long trunk and also paddle a Rapidfire (sitting on bottom). A repaired shoulder and reoccurring tennis elbow in both arms present me with potential paddling soreness.



I find using a narrow wood paddle with some flex in the wood shaft just about eliminates the woes. Without any scientific proof, I believe that flex in the shaft and narrow blades both reduce injury by reducing the stress on body in each stroke. In my Rapidfire I use a Aleut paddle that I made at the Skinboat School. With kayaks I use the Aleut paddle or a Greenland paddle. Going to the gym and working on upper body strength has also helped.



Yesterday, at our Sea Kayak Club picnic, I tried paddling with a mid-sized euro blade that had a stiff shaft and quickly felt the stress it imposed on my body. Went back to using my wood paddles and was fine the rest of the day. Others will of course differ with my statements. I’m only posting to state what works for my aged (62) and injured body with my Rapidfire. Everyone has to find what works for them and one size does not fit all, even in advice.



Some hardcore sea kayakers enjoyed paddling the Rapidfire at our picnic yesterday. They complemented it’s speed, maneuverability and overall handling, calling it “a fun boat”.



Enjoy your Rapidfire,



Dave

no,no,no
I was responding to string. If I was responding to you the answer would be indented from your post.



Sure one can change all manner of mechanical connections, and should. My point is that the overuse injury came from a voluntary act to load up joints and connective tissue beyond it’s ability to recover. Getting a smaller blade might make the difference but I doubt it makes as much difference as not paddling so hard.



You can reduce the peak load with a change in paddle and technique but if it takes X hp to move against Y resistance while covering Z ground I really don’t think at this stage of the game and experience that changing the paddle will make as big a difference as not loading up the joints as much and as often.



Even with a skinny blade if the wind is hellacious and you’ve got many hours to paddle and aren’t in shape for it,it’ll hurt. If using a smaller blade would make the difference then so would reducing effort.



I had a 225 standard Offshore paddle that I used in a race once,I wasn’t conditioned for racing and my shoulder make squishy, squishy noises for a week after that. Thereafter I went to a narrower 220cm Offshore with less catch, which reduced peak load a LOT.

OK
Just checking. One sidebar advantage of a smaller blade may be that, in order to keep up with people paddling bigger surfaces, that the forward storke has to be better w/more rotation and “big muscle” reliance hence less stressful to the shoulder and arms.

Smaller blades

– Last Updated: Sep-17-07 12:14 PM EST –

LeeG: "Sounds like having a smaller blade could help but it would require you to put out less effort, "

You can compensate for a smaller blade area with a higher cadence (rate of paddling). That's what GP paddlers do.

LeeG: "but if it takes X hp to move against Y resistance while covering Z ground I really don't think at this stage of the game and experience that changing the paddle will make as big a difference as not loading up the joints as much and as often."

You can retain the same HP output -and- reduce the maximal load by using a smaller blade and a higher cadence.

LeeG: "if your connective tissue/joints are suffereing from overuse then it takes a LOT less effort to not aggravate it."

If the injury is worsened by maximum load, then reducing the load (spreading it out) is a reasonable approach. A smaller blade area would do this.


There -may- be two questions here:

1) How do I recover and still keep doing some paddling.

2) How do I avoid injury in the future (after recovering).

Most people are assuming the question is the second one.


We don't know the details of the injury. It's possible that he should do site specific strengthening.

Good Point
There is a sweet spot where the injured area needs light work and movement to aid the healing and support whatever treatment. And there is the ongoing issue of year-round weight work and stretching that becomes a necessary lifetime commitment once an area has been injured. (darn)

I get the impression that the area has acted up recently due to use but it’ll recover with a little rest and a kinder approach to paddling in the future rather than having to go through a full treatment program.