Prevent Injuries and Make the Most Out of Rowing’s Health Benefits with These Tips

Apart from being a great way to enjoy nature, rowing is renowned for being a fantastic workout. When done regularly, rowing can offer many health benefits like better cardiovascular health, weight management, strength, and even mental clarity. Furthermore, because rowing is a team sport, it encourages inclusivity and community. For example, our blog post also lists rowing as one of the best exercises for people with erb’s palsy, as it allows rowers to maximize their leg muscles rather than feel stifled by any lack of upper body strength.

That said, despite the advantages presented by rowing, potential injury can hinder you from maximizing the sport. As such, it’s important to incorporate preventive measures to avoid experiencing discomfort and reap all the benefits of engaging with the sport. Here, we have compiled a few tips to help you get started.

Master your rowing technique

Common rowing injuries occur mainly in the back and rib areas, wrists, and knees. These injuries are often caused by overexertion, but some injuries are caused by insufficient technique and stamina. One of the most effective ways of preventing overuse injury is by mastering the rowing technique. Approach training slowly by doing incremental increases—work your way slowly and gradually increase the duration, intensity, and frequency of rowing to help your body adjust to the momentum. You can even use an indoor rowing machine to build on your technique and practice.

Furthermore, it’s important to do conditioning. This process ensures your body is prepared and equipped to handle the rigor of rowing by improving your strength and resistance to injury. One of the common conditioning techniques for rowing includes strengthening the core by doing planks and crunches. These exercises stabilize your strokes, encourage better posture, and improve coordination for a smoother rowing experience.

Protect your eyesight

As an outdoor activity, rowing exposes you to the harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun. Not having the proper protection can cause long-term damage to your eyes and develop conditions like cataracts and macular degeneration. Consider getting sunglasses designed for water sports, like fishing, rowing, surfing, boating, paddle boarding, and kayaking. These sunglasses have polarized lenses that are equipped with the latest technology to reduce eye strain, squinting, and exhaustion for those who engage in water sports. They also provide comfort by eliminating reflective glare from the water.

Additionally, some lenses come in different color options to accommodate changing light conditions while near a body of water. This means your eyes can adjust comfortably no matter the time of day, making it perfect for a full day of rowing. If you want to maximize the sunglasses, you can also get mirrored lenses that decrease the amount of light that passes through the lens and protect your eyes further. This ensures you have the optimal visual clarity that can make rowing more efficient and comfortable.

Wear the right clothing

The MIT Rowing Club also recommends wearing form-fitting attire made with soft, stretchy, and breathable fabric to wear while rowing. Loose clothing can catch onto something and cause injury, if not a mild inconvenience. Wearing clothes tailored for exercising can improve your rowing experience since the materials used allow for a lot of movement. Whether you prefer spandex, nylon, or polyester for your athletic wear, make sure to go for a comfortable set of clothing. You can even buy a matching cap to complete your look, as it also helps prevent sunburn and reduce discomfort while you’re exposed to the sun.

Have a personal floating device

Personal flotation devices (PFDs) are essential to any water activity. When rowing, a PFD is usually worn as a vest. It’s important to choose the right one that does not limit your rowing movements or make it difficult to breathe properly. An ill-fitted flotation vest can also cause injury around your ribs as you move, so it’s good to test out a range of movement first before going out in the water with your PFD.