process of elimination
OK, perhaps too much time in the sciences, but I like dichotomous keys.
Was the tendonitis noticed after a sudden increase in paddling volume or intensity (can be more paddling after a winter off, or just a day playing hard in surf or big wind). If yes, (A), if no, (B)
(A) Consider that perhaps nothing is egregiously wrong with gear or technique. Take time off, ice, NSAIDS, build back up slowly.
(B)Could age be a factor? Go back to (A), and learn to deal with it (something I have had to face recently). If not, it could be (1) gear or (2) technique.
(1) If the pain was noticeable after any kind of paddling, consider the resistance on the hand every stroke. Going GP certainly helps some, but the same can be accomplished by addressing the function of the paddle as a lever (class I, II, or III, the calculations on the hands works out about the same). Bringing the center of effort closer to the water side hand can make quite a difference. In other words, try something even shorter. GP, euro, wing, it doesn’t make any difference (approaching this logically, I am amazed at the number of local paddlers that went to GP with wonderful results, yet never considered that the paddle they replaced was a euro-center of resistance almost always closer to the tip- that was a silly length, like 230cm. It wasn’t really the GP in these cases, it was simply gearing more appropriately). For example, I am 6ft, and with a sea kayak I typically paddle a 205cm. I paddle a 210, let alone a 215-220, and I really feel the extra resistance!
If the pain was not noticeable after a flat water paddle, but after rough water play, consider the different demands. Flat water forward stroke can allow a very open, relaxed hand. Rough water, especially wind, requires the paddler to grip more tightly to resist torque on the shaft. Training certainly helps the most (this is something slalom and rodeo kayakers deal with a lot, mostly from the training point of view), but crank shafts can help reduce grip strength requirements (only for torque, not for overall grip as for forward stroke), a properly sized GP can likely help a lot, there are some local rough water paddlers that have increased the diameter of their standard paddles with noticeable results.
(2)Technique. In general, any stroke that requires a lot of power, or is repetitive in nature, look to your elbow. The elbow needs to be in line with the direction of force on the working hand. If not, the forearm muscles that control the flexion/extension of the wrist are called upon to stabilize the joint. This is unnecessary with proper alignment. The same is true for using feather- feather is a technique, not a gear issue. The supposed “twisting” to manipulate the paddle is not necessary- the shaft gently shifts in the hand, and the hands should always have the same alignment. Hand, straight wrist, elbow in line. Going “no feather” may be easier to learn, but is something to learn none the less. I have had to correct many “no feather” paddlers who had BOTH wrists held in extension while paddling! I did not use the term “many” lightly, BTW. For those who think it odd or unnatural, my response is that a lot of biomechanical positioning is not intuitive. Look at the canted stroke with the GP, for instance.
Good luck, address each issue seriously, experiment, and don’t overdue the NSAIDS.
For forward stroke workouts, try a wing paddle. It is by far the most stable paddle in the water (one of the design parameters) and has so little flutter that one can keep a very open and relaxed hand. Until the wind blows, that is!
Karl
Shaft diameter
Karl,
I agree that shaft diameter, while usually overlooked, can make a huge difference. I built my own paddle, and therefore, had my choice of shaft diameter and shape.
I built my paddle with an egg-shaped shaft. The diameter is not huge, but is larger than any production paddle I’ve seen. It’s the most comfortable paddle I’ve ever held. The extra diameter allows a more relaxed hand position.
Pedro Almeida
tendonitis
I suffer from tendonitis in right wrist. I take a short length of pvc with me with a slot on one end and a crutch tip on the other. When my wrist flares up I hang the paddle from the pvc post, place the crutch end in a cup I’ve velcroed to kayak floor. The post tilts allowing a normal stroke and takes all the paddle weight, you can then paddle with 2 fingers or one handed if you want.
The paddle hangs from a loop of string fed through itself around the shaft and hooked in slot at tip of PVC post. Its flexible enough to allow the blade angle to twist as needed. No more problem.
Wrist turning
For the last time.
THERE SHOULD BE NO WRIST TURNING WHEN PADDLING WITH A FEATHERED PADDLE.
If you need to turn your wrist when using a feathered paddle you should examine your technique or get some coaching.
Bad technique is at least as much to blame for wrist problems as paddle style, shape, size, weight or feather.
This helps me somewhat
I use a bent-shaft paddle in the non-feathered position. When I grip it I don’t wrap my thumbs around, but rather, keep them on top of the shaft beside my index fingers. This helps prevent the “death grip” on the paddle. It is a calm flat water technique. I did the same thing while driving a semi. It’s what the drivers call driving “thumbs up.” It helps prevent fatigue from gripping and protects your thumbs from getting tweaked by the steering wheel spokes when the front wheels hit irregularities on a parking lot or backing to a dock.
Responses…
First, thanks to all for such thorough responses and helpful information.
In response to a few issues brought up…First I did not mean to imply that my problem was a function of my equipment. I only mentioned what paddles I used b/c I figured someone would ask.
On paddling feather, I like the 30 degree angle b/c it seems to be what is ergonomically natural for me when paddling without having to do any noticeable wrist flexing.
The fact that it is my control hand wrist that bothers me I believe to be due to the fact that this is the side that I grip the the paddle with more. I tend to keep a looser grip with my left hand.
I don’t really want to change my paddle. I may try using a GP more often (do have one but still prefer the Euro).
Guess I am wondering if there is a solution that PT, stretching may offer or if it is just something that I have to suck up.
Seems there are lots of paddlers who do high mileage trips without such problems.
Also in response to training, etc. My wrist problem when paddling has been an issue for about 2 years. It is worse when I paddle more. I paddle a lot and it is not a function of lack of training. On the contrary it is probably a function of over training.
Matt
Give OT/PT a try
Matt
Thank you for posting on this topic. I’ve got plenty of food for thought on my own situation from all this.
I would encourage you to give OT or PT a try. Work with a clinician who is specialized in treating sports injury; and if that clinican is also a paddler, so much the better. The ultimate goal of any treatment plan should be to make you independent in managing your tendonitis.
Don’t just suffer. As the old saying goes, if I had known that I would live this long, I would have taken much better care of myself when I was your age.
Good luck.
Mike
Do You Warm Up?
Do you paddle very easy for a while before you start pushing hard?
hint hint
Folks on this message board seem to love physical therapists. My experience with one was bad bad bad. You definitely should be skeptical about therapists.
Hey slowcoach,
In the words of Sgt. Hulka, "Lighten up Francis!" Isn't writing in all caps the equivalent of screaming?
Once again, with a feathered paddle, the paddler has to do something to get one blade or the other aligned for the catch. The paddle does not index itself. Some paddlers use wrist flexion/extension. Some use an asymmetrical stroke pattern - in order to avoid flexing/extending the wrist - but then one arm is doing something different from the other. Both sound like a bad idea to me. You either risk an overuse injury at the wrist or at the shoulder, maybe even at the elbow. Even if you're lucky enough to avoid an overuse injury, you are still doing an asymmetrical forward stroke. It doesn't take rocket science to figure out that an asymmetrical forward stroke isn't as efficient as it should be.
I look at unfeathered/feathered paddling from a biomechanical point of view, and yes, I do understand how the body moves. Feathering just dosn't make biomechanical sense.
Take two people who've never paddled before. Give one a feathered paddle, give the other an unfeathered paddle, and set them afloat. The person with the unfeathered paddle will get the boat moving without too much thought. The person with the feathered paddle will have to figure it out - "Let's see why does one blade grab the water while the other blade slices through the water?" Why do you think that is?
On a similar thread, several months ago, Tiva wrote: "I think lots of people feather only because they think it makes them look like a 'real' kayaker." I think that's part of the issue. Also, for a long time, people were taught that "the correct way to paddle is with a feathered paddle." Unfortunately most people never really asked why.
Pedro Almeida
lots going on here
some of it is beyond my ability to answer. But what I do understand is this…
two paddlers who have never paddled before you. You tell them the blade needs to be perpendicular to the water to get good catch. If they pay attention they can put each blade in the water perpendicular to the water. It doesn’t take long to figure out.
Over the past few days I have been experimenting on my own with all kinds of blade angles. This is what I have discovered – using a non-feathered paddle the blades don’t catch very cleanly on either side of the kayak. I have to ‘rotate my wrists forward’ to get a good catch. Then as I pull the blade through the water the blade is set at a slightly ‘diving’ angle. To compensate I roll my wrists back. If I use a non-feathered paddle and switch the adjustments to shoulders and elbows instead of my wrists I feel myself doing ‘funky’ things.
So I closed my eyes, felt my body, and paddled with a loose 2 piece paddle (so the halves could rotate freely). My eyes were closed during the whole thing (I ran into the marsh several times). So going by feel I discovered that using a feathered blade (slightly less than 30 degrees) the catches were quite, the propulsion smooth, the release clean, and I didn’t have to make lots of adjustments (with either wrists, elbows, or arms). It is important to note that it didn’t matter if it was a ‘left’ or ‘right’ ‘handed’ angle.
Take it for what it is worth.
Perfect Pushups
Since I started using the Perfect Pushup bars every other day all my joint pain has gone away! Great for high angle and probally for other styles as well.
Use them every other day, do 3 x 20 reps, it is a work out and keeps you in perfect shape for paddeling, when you do not get out as much as you need to in order to stay if paddeling shape.
http://www.amazon.com/BodyRev-PP6000-Perfect-Pushup-Original/dp/B000KDM3BG/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/002-3111384-6400030?ie=UTF8&s=sporting-goods&qid=1205196277&sr=8-1
Perfect Pushups
I love these things, I got them for my birthday in December.
But the thing that helps with elbow tendonitis is one of those old-fashioned grip-strengthoners, you know, the kind your dad and granddad had.
Also switching to Greenland style paddle has helped. Prior to that, I paddled unfeathered, only feathering the paddle when I had a long way to go upwind.
tst
tst
gp paddle hurt my tendons
That’s so funny, because I primary use a greenland paddle, but it was bothering my tendons, so I switched to a crank shaft werner cyprus with a 15 degree feather. This set up keeps my wrists neutral, and my tendons don’t bother me anymore. It was the side to side movement of my wrists, created by using any kind of straight shaft realy, that bugged me. Just the tendons on the sides of my wrists hurt. I need to figure out a way to build up, because I miss my stick.
de quervain’s
Thank you so much for your long post on this; I thought I was alone. I first had de quervain’s enter my life about 10-11 years ago but it was never diagnosed nor treated, it was part of a workers’ comp injury but they only focused on the cubital tunnel issues. Fast-forward to our third outing with our brand new kayaks last year and WHAAMMMM-- it was back with a vengeance. I’ve been basically scared off the water since early last summer and want to be out there SO much. I’ve been dreading this spring because I don’t want to find out I can’t do it anymore at all.