Shoulder Dislocations in Kayaking

Shoulder dislocations are infrequent but are still the most common serious injury in kayaking. Most first time dislocations are related to poor form while performing a brace or a roll. To prevent this painful and hard to rehabilitate injury, keep your arms low and in front of your torso when performing a roll or brace. Slouching your back puts stress on the shoulder by reducing both boat stability and your rotation.

shoulder excercises for kayakers
shoulder excercises for kayakers

The weakest position for a shoulder:

shoulder excercises for kayakers

This hitchhiking position is the weakest spot of the shoulder joint.

A better bracing position: elbows low, twisted to look at the blade.