Re: [Paddlewise] Another way to spill a kayak

I have similar problems with discomfort in my legs after a couple hours
in a kayak.  Here are some of the possible causes:

 o Short posterior leg (hamstrings & calf).  If you sit at a desk
   a lot and don't do much to stretch your posterior leg it has
   probably grown short.  This is very common.  Sitting in a kayak
   you are asking that tissue to stretch out again.  After while
   it gets uncomfortable.

 o Pressure on the back of the thighs.  This can impinge nerves or
   circulation.

 o pressure on the siatic nerve in your butt.  this is a large nerve 
   that inervates most of the leg.  It passes through your rear between
   your sits bones (the bones you sit on) and the hip bone (side of your
   hip), and is very susceptible to compression.  Again, if you are 
   short in some particular muscles in the rear it's your sciatic nerve
   is more likely to be compressed.  If your hamstrings are short they
   may shift your pelvis enough to increase the pressure on your
   sciatic nerve.

 o Finally, the body just does not like to be immobile for that long.

Here are some things that you can do:

 o Increase flexibility.  After last summer's kayak trip I realized how
   important flexibility is going to be to my staying active as I grow
   older.  More than strength it is what will allow me to adapt 
   to new sports.  So this fall I started doing hatha yoga twice a week.
   Flexibility requires dedicated consistency.  If you don't
consistently
   stretch the tissue it won't retain the ability to stretch.  Fitness
   centers offer plenty of stretching classes.  There are good books 
   about stretching.

 o Massage will help loosen muscles.  It may aid, and even be the only
   thing that will get more length from chronically short parts of the 
   body.  Myofascial Release is technique that is best suited for
changing
   body shape.  You can learn a little more about it on my web page:
   http://www.tumtum.com/massage  Rolfers and Hellerworkers are very
   highly trained in Myofascial release.  http://www.hellerwork.com/

 o Adjust your cockpit fit.  

    o If there is a lip on the seat that cuts in to you thigh cut it 
      off or raise the seat till it doesn't.  
    o Move the foot pegs forward so you point your toes.  This will
      give some slack in your posterior leg. 
    o Don't let your low back slouch down.  Sit up right on your sits
      bones.  This requires slack in your posterior leg.  Moving the
      foot pegs forward will help with this.
    o Bend your knees.  This also will slacken your posterior leg.  
      When I got really uncomfortable I would put a small dry bag full
      of soft clothing under my knees.  This supported them in a bent
      position. I had the luxury of a fairly large cockpit.

But the best solution is to increase your flexibility through stretching
and massage.  Live long, stay active.

Tom Unger
Seattle



> 
> superiorvisions_at_att.net wrote:
> 
> > (snip)
> >
> > I also know of some kayakers that deal with this when
> > their feet are braced right on a bulkhead. They have to
> > get out of their kayaks every two hours so they can
> > stretch their legs because they have no stretching room
> > in their kayaks.
> 
> I have this problem too. I'm 6 ft. tall, and find that my legs fall asleep
> after about two hours of paddling. Usually I pop my spray skirt and bring up
> each knee for a while to get the circulation going again, then get back into
> position and reattach the spray skirt. It gets to be a hassle, and it's
> impossible in rough water. It can be tricky trying to rudder through choppy
> conditions when your feet are numb:(!! I found that my legs fell asleep less
> quickly after installing some closed cell foam padding under my heels. I don't
> know why this helped, because my physical therapist told me the numbness was
> the result of the seat cutting into the back of my thigh - tall folks don't
> have enough legroom to bend their knees enough so their legs sit straighter in
> the cockpit. This means that their legs don't clear the front, raised edge of
> the seat, and it presses against the backs of their thighs, cutting off
> circulation.
> 
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                                                      ooooo
 -- Tom Unger                                       oo\    oo
    Wet Weather Consulting                         o   \     o
    (206)783-5839                                 o  B I\V I  o
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