All exercise is good
Whenever a Dr. or other tells you “it can strain the back”, yes they are right. Sitting in a chair can strain your back. But if you never use your back and always avoid things that exercise the back, you will be in a spiraling downward path. The difference between “strain” and exercise is the degree and wether or not you have a smile on your face. I remember reading a quote by a heart surgeon years back who said “If people did more snow shoveling, there would be less heart attacks”.
Like with most sports, the problem is the weekend warrior who goes on a 4 hr paddle their first time out and never has exercised before that. Get a cheap home rowing machine and try to use it regularly at a low setting.
weekend warrior
This is a great point. The person who is sedentary all week long, then paddles a 20-mile trip with headwind, chop, etc. on Saturday is setting him/herself up for injury. Steve
back pain
Biking hurts my back much more than kayaking (especially a racing bike, which I can’t use any more). Like everyone else has said, lifting the kayak can be hard on your back, but that’s easily solved by getting a light kayak and always getting help with the loading and unloading. The kayak seat and your posture and your leg position will influence your back. A minicell foam seat works the best for my back (and a very upright posture, greenland paddling, and careful use of my legs to help power the stroke). Good luck! I had years of trouble with my back (and endless, annoying visits to specialists and chiropractors), and kayaking has really helped it.
very Individule
Try it and see what works for you.It’s a VERY individule thing.I have a freind who can,t paddle a canoe at all,but paddles comfortably in a kayak.I’m the oposite.When I’m have to paddle sitting on the bottom(in my Hornbeck),it bothers me much less when NOT using footpegs-go figgure.I also put a bag under my knees.Not leaning back on the seat is also good advice.I drive 6 hrs to the Adarondacks to paddle and the drive can be a killer.I make stops and walk and never just get in my boat when I arrive without walking and streaching.
Turtle