Shoulder injuries are common among kayakers. According to the Sports Injury Clinic website, kayaking can place a significant amount of stress on the rotator cuff muscles. The rotator cuff muscles--supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor and subscapularis--help stabilize, strengthen and support the shoulder, which is one of the body's most vulnerable areas for injury. Whitewater kayakers may be more susceptible to shoulder injuries than flat-water or ocean kayakers.
Anatomy
The shoulder is one of the most freely-mobile joints in the body. What most people call the shoulder joint is actually known as the glenohumeral joint or the joint in which the head of the humerus or arm bone joins the scapula or shoulder blade. Surrounding the shoulder joint is a labrum--a lip or ridge of soft tissue that helps secure the head of the humerus in the shoulder socket. Also surrounding the shoulder joint are numerous muscles, tendons, ligaments and connective tissue.
Causes
Muscle strains or a partial tearing of the fibers that compose the muscles of the rotator cuff are the most common cause of kayaking-related shoulder injuries. Activities such as kayaking that involve significant shoulder rotation place a significant amount of stress on the rotator cuff muscles. Acute or immediate tears of the rotator cuff muscle fibers are usually caused by a sudden, powerful movement, such as a vigorous thrust with the kayak paddle.
Symptoms
Symptoms associated with a kayaking-related shoulder injury largely depend on the cause of the pain and the structures involved. Common signs and symptoms associated with rotator cuff injuries, including kayaking-related rotator cuff injuries, include pain and tenderness in the shoulder when reaching overhead, behind the back, lifting objects, pulling or sleeping on the involved side, shoulder weakness, decreased range of motion and the tendency to immobilize the injured shoulder.
Risk Factors
Certain risk factors may increase a kayaker's likelihood of developing shoulder injuries such as a rotator cuff tear, including age, poor posture and weak shoulder muscles. As a person gets older, the risk of a rotator cuff tear increases. The Mayo Clinic states that most rotator cuff injuries occur in people around 40 years of age. A posture in which the shoulders are rolled forward can irritate or inflame shoulder muscles and tendons when a person performs certain activities, such as a paddle thrust. Weak shoulder muscles, especially the muscles at the back of the shoulder, can contribute to rotator cuff injuries in kayakers.
Treatments
Treatments for kayaking-related shoulder injuries depend on the cause of the pain and the tissues affected. Acute rotator cuff injuries can often be treated with conservative care methods, such as rest, activity modification, temporary immobilization of the injured shoulder and certain medications. In the post-acute phase of injury rehabilitation, certain physical therapy modalities, such as cold laser therapy and functional exercises, can help speed healing and restore strength and range of motion in the injured shoulder.
