Re: [Paddlewise] Forward paddling, paddle length and cocked wrists

At 10:12 AM 5/9/01 -0400, ralph diaz wrote:
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Dave Kruger" <dkruger_at_pacifier.com>
> > Peter Osman wrote:
> >
> > >         I'd be interested in other opinions on paddle length. Several
>people
> > > have talked on Paddlewise about problems arising from the use of
>feathered
> > > paddles with cocked wrists. But as I heard on Saturday it doesn't seem
>to be
> > > necessary to rotate the wrist provided the paddle length and forward
>stroke
> > > are adjusted appropriately.
> >
> > Generated significant tendon pain when I "graduated" from a 235 cm Werner
>San
> > Juan (monster blades) to a 245, enough I had to lay off paddling for a
>while
> > ... some 6-7 years ago.
> >
> > Switched to a 220 cm Lightning standard sea kayak paddle that summer
> > (medium-size blades) and have been relatively tendon-pain-free since.
> >
> > I believe in short paddles ... it's your technique that counts.
>
>The tendency is definitely toward shorter paddles.  I once advised use of
>inordinate length paddles for folding singles and doubles.  But I have come
>down probably around 40 cm from the 240 and 250-60 respectively.

I'm glad that Peter started this thread as it's been an issue that
I've offered an opinion on before.

I've often seen the claim that "feathered paddles cause wrist problems",
or the suggestion that "if you're having problems with sore wrists, use
a paddle with a smaller feather angle".

A couple of years ago I took a class with Derek Hutchinson and he
talked a bit about wrist problem from paddling and what he said
made a lot of sense.

Specifically he was proposing that it isn't the paddle that causes
wrist problems, but that fact that a repeated cocking of the wrist
to it's maximum range causes wrist problems.  It's sort of like
the old joke that involves someone going to the doctor and saying, "It
hurts when I do this" and the doctor replies "stop doing that".  Speficially,
if your technique results in keeping your wrists for repeatedly bending
to the limit of their range of motion you're not going to have problems
with your wrists.  One way to do that is to bend your elbow on your
control arm as well as bending your wrist.  If both joints bend, neither
has to bend as much.  Using a shorter paddle, doesn't by itself, keep
one from cocking their wrist to it's maximum range of motion.  It's the
technique of using a vertical paddle stroke that does that.

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