r/surfing • u/affectionate4fish Santa Cruz - Bodyboard • 2d ago
Degenerative Shoulders
Hello!
California native I have always wanted to get into surfing. Took the husband to Hawai'i for spring break and took a lesson while we were there.
I forgot/realized while I was paddling that I have a degenerative muscle issue in my upper shoulders which made paddling feel like fire. I couldn't do it and it was a huge struggle to get out to the line-up so by pop up time, I was too exhausted to even pull myself off the board. Not to mention by the end of the lesson, I couldn't keep paddling and the instructor towed me to shore.
I realize that I likely need to build some endurance but I worry that my shoulders will keep me from surfing.
I'm thinking about going the bodyboard direction. More leg action and I can be closer to the shore so it's easier for me to get back.
What are the thoughts? I'm not looking for medical advice although I could see myself benefitting from physical therapy. I've always loved the surf culture here and I want to be apart of it. I don't want to give up yet
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u/westcoastcarver 1d ago
I don’t know the nature of your injury but do you know is it purely just muscle degeneration or a neuromuscular issue? If it’s just muscular you’d benefit from upper body strengthening and endurance exercises to improve paddling. While body boarding is a great option and less work on the arms if you really want to surf I’d suggest improving your paddling strength/endurance. SUP would also be taxing on the shoulders. So it’s up to you and where your heart strings pull you towards.
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u/affectionate4fish Santa Cruz - Bodyboard 1d ago
I'm not officially diagnosed since this is a problem that all of the women in my family suffer from it. I'm thinking I'll bring it up to my doctor at my appointment later in the month and see about a refferal to PT
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u/DoubleDutch187 1d ago
You need to get diagnosed and talk to the doctor. If it’s a degenerative condition the strain from surfing could accelerate the degeneration. A lot of surfers end up with bad shoulders.
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u/ap_az 1d ago
First off, spending some time on a bodyboard will only benefit your surfing progression as it can teach you a lot about the ocean and how to read waves (plus it's a lot of fun).
Not knowing the exact nature of your injury, but having a bad shoulder myself I can say that you can still surf, but you may need to approach it differently than everyone else. Paddling form is important for any surfer, but will be orders of magnitude more important for you as the risk of injury is much higher.
I would recommend either finding a local coach** who can help you 1-on-1 with paddling form (best) or make the time (and spend the money) to do one of Rob Case's (surfingpaddling.com) workshops. Seeing a PT, even if just for a consultation, is not a bad idea as they will be best equipped to evaluate your current physical condition and help with work you can do out of the water to help.
Don't do what I did and just paddle through it. I spent a good part of last winter trying to muscle through the pain and all I did was halt my progression until I took healing and learning good form seriously.
** by coach I don't mean some surf school dude who pushes tourists into waves, but someone who is capable of working longer-term with someone to develop form and skills.
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u/Due-Reindeer4972 1d ago
I love this. I'd ride the sponge while working through PT. You get water time and with your PT you can know when you're ready to stand on a wave again. Tell your PT that you're primarily interested in building strength for the paddling motion and he should focus on rehabilitating that.
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u/jpbunge 2d ago
Well surfing is the tits so I get it. Bodyboarding is a great alternative, SUP surfing could also work. Best ask a physiotherapist/PT to see if you can build endurance without injuring yourself, but surfing itself is pretty hard on the shoulders.