Shoulder Impingement
Shoulder Impingement
How do I spot it?
Unlike the other traumatic injuries mentioned here, shoulder issues for surfers are normally an overuse problem caused by repetitive paddling, unaccustomed volume or intensity of surfing and poor stabilising muscles.
Impingement will normally be characterised by pain on overhead activities so this might be during paddling.
For bad cases, even day to day activities like reaching up to cupboards can cause pain.
This will normally be sharp and intense but subsides to a throb once the shoulder is relaxed.
How do I treat it?
Avoid anything that causes the sharp pain but still try to keep the shoulder as mobile as possible.
A sports therapist can apply mobilisations to the joint to ease the pain and help resolve the problem.
How do I avoid it?
The most important thing you can do is work on the stabilising muscles of the shoulder and the key ones are known as your rotator cuff.
These muscles are activated best with low weights and high reps using internal and external rotation of the shoulder.
This kind of training will help to stop the big bulky muscles like your deltoids pulling your humerus bone out of position and nipping soft tissue.