Surfing Waves

I went to see a chiropractor about my joint issues. I told him I surf a few times a week. He told me that is too excessive and it will wear your ligaments and joints. As I'm not getting younger, some damage is irreversible and that he warned me if I don't listen to his advice, I will have to live with some chronic pains in my later years.

For the surfers who have surfed 10-20+ years, did you start getting issues with your joints? I'm trying to eat healthy and take multivitamins so I can surf as long as possible. Also regular stretch out and warm up before going in the water.

Which joints? Shoulders and neck may be affected by surfing but can’t see that any others are at much of a risk from overuse. Indeed the movement and mobility of surfing surely helps overcome the problems associated with sitting in a chair and staring at a screen for hours

I’m pretty sure Kelly Slater surfs more than twice a week

My joint problems started around 50 years of age. It's quite possible that many of them were in some way related to stuff I did as a youth but it wasn't apparent at all that any injuries were happening back then. I was never sore after surfing....well maybe a little when I first started but I got into better shape and never again. I suggest to everyone to never let your conditioning deteriorate. Stay in shape. Make sure you stretch out and strengthen your core and shoulders/back/arms. When you are out of shape injuries happen easier. I did yoga back then so was flexible and relaxed. Now I do stretches and exercises to keep the injured parts mobile. Kelly Slater has a few chronic injuries as well. He is 48 but already battling a bunch of injuries for a few years so not sure if Kelly Slater is a good example.

dtc wrote:Which joints? Shoulders and neck may be affected by surfing but can’t see that any others are at much of a risk from overuse. Indeed the movement and mobility of surfing surely helps overcome the problems associated with sitting in a chair and staring at a screen for hours

I’m pretty sure Kelly Slater surfs more than twice a week

Mine is at the wrist. He twist it around a few times and say I've used my right hand too much (no pun intended). I showed him how I do the popups and told him it's like doing push up like 20-30 times a day. He told me that is bad for my wrist and I shouldn't do it as I've worn it out. I don't know if this is his personal belief or that it is really the case of I'm doing damage to it.

oldmansurfer wrote:Kelly Slater has a few chronic injuries as well. He is 48 but already battling a bunch of injuries for a few years so not sure if Kelly Slater is a good example.

He is doing at a professional level plus he probably have a team of medical experts ensuring that he keeps healthy and does not sustain injuries.

I on the other hand, surf 2-3 times a week for 2 hours each session. I've been telling my friends, this is no difference to people going to the gym and workarout. How is this damaging my health when they are lifting weights and putting much more strain to their body than me.

Slater is getting reinjured. If you notice although he is competing on a pro level he is no longer in contest for the title and seems to be sliding back a little every year. The thing about workouts is you have much more control over the level type of workout you get compared to surfing. Surfing is more chaotic, less controlled.

My joints are good at 53. I walk a lot, and pretty physical at my job. Maybe that helps.

I damaged a rotator however, and that has me laid up for awhile. Thing doesn't seem to want to heal.

Hey BaNZ I’m a 71 year old retired Chiropractor, surfed from when I was 9 and still going, I am a member of the joint of the month club.
Different joint pain for different month.
Let’s start at the top, neck injuries large osteophytes from flexion extension injuries , car smash and rugby! Limited rotation ( so i cannot see if I dropped in) Some shoulder issues but warm water helps, cold water surfs difficult, wrist and hand grip very strong from doing massage and adjustments ( can crush weak glass jobs) but have a viking cursed hand Dupreys contracture ( may be genetic). Know how to maintain my body helps, Thoracic area ok just a little getting used to sore ribs if a prolonged sessions.

Legs good until knees, half open pen knife syndrome, and not knowing which pop up it is going to happen on, challenging.
As a Chiropractor , my first suggestion IS get a Chiropractor who surfs, who also implement massage as part of their adjunctive therapies.
If fairness to really access your issues I would need to check you out.
I recommend beyond body work , Pilates yoga or yogalates, starting at beginner level, you could also consider Qi Gong,
I wonder whether wrist issues also predate your surfing which may. have stressed things.
Pictures of your hand positions in pop up would help!
Any XRays?

jaffa1949 wrote:If fairness to really access your issues I would need to check you out.
I recommend beyond body work , Pilates yoga or yogalates, starting at beginner level, you could also consider Qi Gong,
I wonder whether wrist issues also predate your surfing which may. have stressed things.
Pictures of your hand positions in pop up would help!
Any XRays?

I'm hoping that you will visit us in SoCal in the near future and we can have a big surfing-waves gathering. There's quite a few of us here. Flights are incredibly cheap at the moment.

I'm really lucky to still be in shape, guess I got good genes. Starting from 16, I stopped doing exercise completely. I would sit infront of a computer for 12-18 hours a day till I was 32 which was when I picked up surfing. The wrist issue predates surfing. I picked this up from a snowboard trip in Grindelwald Switzerland. I got on a sledge and went downhill for a good hour. When the foot brakes did not work, I started using my right hand to dig into the snow to stop myself. It was okay until I got on a flight back home. I fell asleep with my hand holding up my head. Ever since then, I can't carry too heavy things. Sometimes even carrying a filled up mug can trigger a sharp pain that will cause me to drop it.

I had xray and MRI scan, they said they couldn't see anything. But it could be a nerve that I'm pinching. The physician and doctors also noticed a lump, but this is most likely caused by using a mice and the lump is the point of contact between my wrist and the table or mousepad. No pains at all with the lump.

Since I moved to SoCal and have been surfing excessively for the past 4-5 months. My wrist pain rarely gets triggered and I have much stronger wrist now. I can pickup very heavy load without triggering a sharp pain. I went to see the chiro because I told them the pain is no longer there so perhaps surfing excessively has helped strengthen my wrist.

I've been wanting to do yoga or pilates, but we are also worried about covid so there isn't many classes available.

I played soccer till 45, now I feel my knees and such once in a while. i see the chiropractor two or three times a year when tylenol doesn't suffice, but still surf 3 or 4 times a week. My go-outs have gotten shorter, I used to go out 3 or 4 hours, now I just go get a dozen waves and leave...

BaNZ wrote:I'm really lucky to still be in shape, guess I got good genes. Starting from 16, I stopped doing exercise completely. I would sit infront of a computer for 12-18 hours a day till I was 32 which was when I picked up surfing. The wrist issue predates surfing. I picked this up from a snowboard trip in Grindelwald Switzerland. I got on a sledge and went downhill for a good hour. When the foot brakes did not work, I started using my right hand to dig into the snow to stop myself. It was okay until I got on a flight back home. I fell asleep with my hand holding up my head. Ever since then, I can't carry too heavy things. Sometimes even carrying a filled up mug can trigger a sharp pain that will cause me to drop it.

I had xray and MRI scan, they said they couldn't see anything. But it could be a nerve that I'm pinching. The physician and doctors also noticed a lump, but this is most likely caused by using a mice and the lump is the point of contact between my wrist and the table or mousepad. No pains at all with the lump.

Since I moved to SoCal and have been surfing excessively for the past 4-5 months. My wrist pain rarely gets triggered and I have much stronger wrist now. I can pickup very heavy load without triggering a sharp pain. I went to see the chiro because I told them the pain is no longer there so perhaps surfing excessively has helped strengthen my wrist.

Hey BaNZ, if the lump is on the top of your wrist it might be a ganglionic cyst. I have that issue from typing and it usually goes away with surfing because the cyst breaks from the force of popups. Just wanted to mention as a possibility because it sounds similar and took me awhile to find out. Still waiting for the Surfing prescription for it

INAD, but I disagree that surfing twice a week is too much. At 67, who knows how long I'll be able to continue, so I'm going every chance I get. Can you get a second opinion?

I think my doc would say, "Can you dial it back a little?" That is, paddle slower when paddling out, work on those elegant almost-no-paddle takeoffs.

I'm surprisingly pain free these days. Ten years ago I had a lot of shoulder pain, as I described in this post: viewtopic.php?f=6&t=38084#p231579

I've had these kinds of repetitive stress injuries with surfing, playing piano, playing trombone, and typing, and the biggest bummer is once the problem starts, it's very hard to get rid of it. My understanding is that inflamed tissue rubs more, and without a protracted break, it's hard to fix it with minor changes in how you do things. For example, once your shoulder starts hurting, correcting your posture on the board (more arch, less force when your arms are out in front of you) may not solve it.

One doc said that ibuprofen treats the problem, not just the symptoms. That is, by reducing the swelling, there is less rubbing. Others say that a painkiller just hides the pain, so it's counterproductive.

Good luck.

I would get a second and third opinion. Comparing yourself to other surfers is helpful to get a general understanding of possibilities. However at the end of the day, everyones body is different and reacts and adjusts differently. Also there are ways to strengthen the muscles around the joints.

You can also mix up your surf routine. Some days you can longboard, or SUP if it is your wrists you are worried about and save the best conditions for when you shortboard.