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From: Mark Zen <canoeist_at_netbox.com> subject: [Paddlewise] [CPAKayaker] pool injuries (fwd) Date: Wed, 16 Dec 1998 12:29:56 -0700 (MST) · This archive was generated by hypermail 2.4.0 : Thu Aug 21 2025 - 16:32:54 PDT

forwarding this

#------canoeist[at]netbox[dot]com----http://www.diac.com/~zen/mark ----
#
mark zen                      o,    o__              o_/|   o_.
po box 474                   </     [\/              [\_|   [\_\
ft. lupton, co 80621-0474 (`-/-------/----')      (`----|-------\-')
#~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~_at_~~~~~~~_at_~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~_at_~~~~~~~~_at_~~~~~
http://www.diac.com/~zen/paddler  [index to club websites i administer]

Rocky Mtn Sea Kayak Club, Colorado River Flows, Poudre Paddlers
The Colorado Paddlers' Resource, Rocky Mtn Canoe Club Trip Page 
--
Fortune:
"In a world without fences, who needs 'Gates'"
   -- Scott McNealy

"In a world without walls, who needs 'Windows'"
   -- Dave Livigni

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Wed, 16 Dec 1998 14:13:54 4
From: "skimmer_at_mail.enter.net" <skimmer_at_mail.enter.net>
Reply-To: cpakayaker_at_lists.shire.net
To: nyckayaker_at_envirolink.org
Cc: cpakayaker_at_lists.shire.net, cpc_at_pressroom.com
Subject: [CPAKayaker] pool injuries

Real-To:  "skimmer_at_mail.enter.net" <skimmer_at_mail.enter.net>
Real-Cc:  cpakayaker_at_lists.shire.net, cpc_at_pressroom.com

Pool Injuries:

Many of us have begun indoor pool sessions that are largely directed 
toward rolling instruction.

In our first session this year,  at the beginning of November, we ran 
an instructors only session in which we had one instructor and one 
student demonstrate for other instructors how we go about teaching 
someone to roll.  

Our entry level roll is a lay-back style roll that requires a forward 
tuck to set up and finishes with the paddler leaning back, as close 
as possible to the back deck.  We usually try to put the student in a 
relatively small, snug-fitting boat.  We often use a paddle float to 
help the student learn the coordination required to roll smoothly.

Our student was about 50 years old, and apparently not in top 
physical condition.  We had her work with the instructor for about 30 
minutes of actual exercise in the water.  In each manuver, sculling 
brace or sweep roll to layback position, she was assisted up by the 
instructor. Thus, she never had to lift her own weight in the manuver 
to get upright.  The idea was just to let her physically experience 
the coordination without doing the heavy lifting. 

She at no time indicated that she was tired or doing anything causing 
pain. Presently, we stopped and put another student in the pool to 
demonstrate trouble shooting an "almost successful" roll.  The first 
student seemed happy and wanted to continue instruction, but we 
decided it was time to let the instructors do their own practice in 
the pool.  We routinely only carry out instruction for the first hour 
of our pool sessions.  The first student seemed happy with the 
experience and departed in apparently good condition.

Subsequently, we have learned that the next day or later she 
experienced great pain in her shoulder (s?). We do not presently know 
the exact nature of the problem, but she apparently missed some days 
of work.  One speculation was that she had some irritation of the 
rotator cuff.  We do not have a medical statement on this.  Now, six 
weeks later she seems (by second hand reports) to be much improved.

In retrospect, perhaps we should have limited her first time in the 
pool to 15 -20 minutes.  In this case, where there were no physical 
signs of stress, strain, or general tiredness, it was difficult to 
tell when to stop.  None of us observed any obvious loss of focus by 
the student. 

When I am personally teaching a student, I find students have had as 
much as is usefull in a session in about an hour. At that point, it 
is often clear that their coordination is deteriorating.  I tell them 
to take a break, watch the other students and experts in the pool, 
and try to absorb the reflex patterns being demonstrated. Such 
students are not encouraged to train further until the next pool 
session.

I am aware of a number of other injuries that have occured in rolling 
sessions.  I once was in the habit of doing large numbers of C-C 
rolls in succession. Basically, this involves reaching to the 
surface, and with a strong hipsnap and downward thrust with the blade 
hand, turn the boat 180 degrees on its axis. It is a power move.  On 
the 15th roll, I suddenly had no strength at all in my blade arm.  I 
had in some way strained the tendons in my elbow. I could not get up 
and had to bail out in the middle of the lake.  My paddling for 
that year was over. My left arm remained weak and painful for months.

In a pool session a few years ago, a student slashed his paddle down 
through the water and slammed it into the bottom of the pool.  
Students with some physical strength often believe that, to roll, 
they must pull as hard as they can to get upright. The student 
dislocated his shoulder and was quickly shipped to the nearest 
hospital.  Rolling is a coordination, finese manuver- not a power 
move.

I am interested in seeing some discussion about injuries that readers 
are familiar with that have occured in pool sessions directed toward 
rolling.   

Thanks,
Chuck Sutherland
(Mike Hughes; can you forward this to Paddlewise? Thanks)

http://www.enter.net/~skimmer

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CPAKayaker is brought to you by the Chesapeake Paddlers Association,
furthering the sport of kayaking in the Chesapeake Bay area.  For
information about membership, please contact Mike Hughes, at
Mike.Hughes_at_pressroom.com
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