Surfing Waves

I have been seeing stuff about potential rotator cuff injuries from surfing/swimming on this forum quite a bit. I have looked it up on the internet but cant decipher the medical jargon so can someone please explain to me what I need to do to avoid this - and possibly what it is as it seems fairly common. I dont excersise regularly but when I do I tend to go for it so am quite injury prone.

Also, I have managed to find stuff on 'surfers ear' which I looked up after a very choppy day at Boscombe where I was very aware that water was just flushing straight into my ears when I turned my face away from the waves - it actually hurt. The info I have seen looks pretty scary to be honest, I had an outer-ear infection last year, not related to surfing but didnt finish the course of antibiotics (tut tut I know!) and expected it to clear itself up - kind of has (ish).

Does anyone wear the earplug things I have seen on the net, has anyone had problems with this?

P.s im not a hypochondriac (not much! haha) just want to be well informed.

well first off i would balance out your work out. i haven't had any inguries from surfing aside from minor cuts and the such. not sure what the "surfers ear" is, but when the water is really cold my ears hurt for the sesh and a few hours after, just something i put to the back of my mind. i've seen people with earplugs, but never got to ask them what the purpose was, don't think they would hear me if i did. give it a shot and if it works for you than do it.

Sar wrote:I have been seeing stuff about potential rotator cuff injuries from surfing/swimming on this forum quite a bit. I have looked it up on the internet but cant decipher the medical jargon so can someone please explain to me what I need to do to avoid this - and possibly what it is as it seems fairly common. I dont excersise regularly but when I do I tend to go for it so am quite injury prone.

If it is what I think it is, it's also called "swimmer's shoulder". If you surf alot, you're shoulder can get "overused", resulting in a rotator cuff injury.

As a swimmer I learned how to avoid this injury, by learning a few simple things:

- use of a proper stroke-technique can be a big deal. Always recover your hand with palm facing inwards and a high elbow reducing stress on your shoulder. Also when your hand enters the water it should be slightly with the palm facing you. Use a bend and high elbow in pulling and pushing, since using a stretched arm underwater causes serious shoulder overload (and poor speed).
- do arm strenghting excercises using light weights (there should be lot of info on this about).
- stretch (very light) your shoulders after coming out of the water.

I don't know the ear problems. I know swimming in really cold water for a while can affect your ears, but that's about how far my knowledge reaches. I never swim or surf in really cold water.

Sar wrote:Also, I have managed to find stuff on 'surfers ear' ...I had an outer-ear infection last year

Surfers ear isnt an infection. Its the body's response to being too cold and helpfully growing an extra bit of bone-like material in the ear to keep the water out and protect the inner bit from the cold

Irritatingly, it also makes you go deaf and affects your balance.

You have to be in cold water a lot for it to happen though so probably best not to worry about it too much. You can use earplugs in winter, but surfing with plugs in is horrible (for some people, some people dont seem to mind). The best thing is to get a cap or hood. You'll need one to surf in deepest darkest winter anyway. They dont completely stop the water getting in but they keep a lot out, and stop the freezing cold wind blowing in your earholes!

yep surfers ear is not an injury as such, its something that builds up over time, ive never worn earplugs surfing and ive never had that problem but i know of people who have.

there is a really good explanation of surfers ear at this link http://www.surfingireland.com/surf_advi ... rs_ear.php

There's a great book called "sick surfers ask the surf docs" that details these problems - check out http://www.bullpub.com/surf.html

actually i would say wearing ear plugs is a pretty good idea getting water in ya ear is the least of your worries think of all the sand, seaweed and other bits that get in there.

I have actually had a really blocked ear which made me go completelly deaf. Seriously both ears blocked couldnt hear a damn thing other than a mumble here and there. It turned out a bits of seaweed and sand congealed to block em up. That lasted 3 dears before i evently got in unblocked.

I hate wearing earplugs though it feels really weird, when you breath you sound like darth vader

I think I should get some ear plugs so that I learn to surf with them in and affecting my balance so I get used to them - my balance is appaling anyway. I can catch a wave perfectly well and compensate for any mistakes but as soon as I need to stand or anything I fall over I tried to learn to just sit up on my board today much to the amusment of myself and my surfing buddy - I would be fine and then just suddenly fall right over haha! ,

I have also been recommended a rash vest with a built in hood which may help so Im going to look into that also as well as a full on hood - just dont like the thought out being even more constricted than I am in my winter wettie. Better than getting an earful of cold seawater every few seconds though.

stop worrying so much, and just surf
life is risk, and you cant be protected from everything