Surfing: returning after an injury

Risks and order of return

Long paddling, pop-ups and falls load shoulders, back and knees; resume on small waves in short sessions.

Surfing: start with short sessions in easy waves. Paddling works the shoulders hard: take breaks, and save powerful waves for later.

Bringing the movement back in four stages

1. 1

   Light swimming and balance exercises on land, no board.

2. 2

   Paddling on calm water and whitewater on small waves, short sessions.

3. 3

   Small to medium waves, take-offs and moderate turns.

4. 4

   Bigger waves, powerful manoeuvres, long sessions.

Common injuries in this sport

• Shoulder (rotator cuff)Paddle gently, limit sessions and avoid powerful waves at first.
• Lower back (lumbar)Lie down without arching the back, on a board that floats well, and do gentle stretches before going out.
• Patellar tendon (jumper’s knee)The pop-up landing loads the knees: add it gradually and avoid jumps.

Preparation exercises

• Prone Y raise

  Lying face down, arms in a Y, lift them a few centimetres, thumbs up, hold 2 seconds.

  To start: 3 sets of 10, 2 seconds at the top, every other day.

  Variations, mistakes and progression

  Easier

  Arms in a T, or one arm at a time.

  Harder

  With a small water bottle in each hand.

  Common mistakes

  • Lifting the head and arching the neck.
  • Going too high at the cost of a pinch in the shoulder.

  Moving on

  When 3 × 12 is easy with a small weight.

• Scapular push-up

  In a hands plank, keep the arms straight and move only the shoulder blades: draw them together then apart.

  To start: 3 sets of 10, slowly, every other day.

  Variations, mistakes and progression

  Easier

  Hands against a wall.

  Harder

  Feet on a step, or a 2-second hold at the end of the movement.

  Common mistakes

  • Bending the elbows.
  • Letting the back sag.

  Moving on

  When 3 × 12 is easy in a plank position.

• Forearm plank

  On forearms and knees (later toes), body aligned, hold 20 to 30 seconds without sagging the back.

  To start: 3 holds of 20 seconds, every other day.

  Variations, mistakes and progression

  Easier

  On your knees, or hands on a table.

  Harder

  On your feet, then lifting one foot for a few seconds.

  Common mistakes

  • Hips too high or lower back sagging.
  • Holding your breath.

  Moving on

  When you can hold 45 seconds on your feet, body aligned.

• Thoracic rotation (open book)

  Lying on your side, knees bent, open the top arm backwards following the hand with your eyes, without forcing. 8 each side.

  To start: 8 per side, slowly, once a day.

  Variations, mistakes and progression

  Easier

  Open less far.

  Harder

  Hold 3 seconds at the end of the movement while breathing out.

  Common mistakes

  • Letting the knees come apart.
  • Forcing with the shoulder.

  Moving on

  This is a mobility exercise: keep it as a warm-up.

• Chair squat

  Sit down onto a chair then stand up slowly, range limited to what is pain-free, knees in line with the feet.

  To start: 3 sets of 10, 3 seconds down, every other day.

  Variations, mistakes and progression

  Easier

  Higher chair, hands on your thighs to help.

  Harder

  Lower chair, without touching the seat, then holding a weight against your chest.

  Common mistakes

  • Knees caving in.
  • Dropping onto the chair.

  Moving on

  When 3 × 12 is easy on a low chair, with no discomfort the next day.

• Straight-arm band pulldown

  Band anchored high in front of you, trunk slightly forward: pull your almost straight arms down to your thighs, lowering the shoulder blades like a swimming stroke, then return over 3 seconds.

  To start: 3 sets of 12, 3 seconds back, every other day.

  Variations, mistakes and progression

  Easier

  Lighter band, smaller range.

  Harder

  Stronger band, then one arm at a time, alternating like front crawl.

  Common mistakes

  • Bending the elbows and pulling with the biceps.
  • Shrugging the shoulders on the way back.

  Moving on

  When 3 × 15 is easy with no shoulder pain: bring back your sport’s movement at low intensity.

The doses are starting points. Stay at 2 out of 10 discomfort at most, during and the next day; otherwise switch to the easier version or go back to the previous exercise.

Equipment and set-up

• A board suited to your level, with more volume at first.
• A well-fitted wetsuit to keep muscles warm.
• A leash in good condition and a helmet in rocky or crowded conditions.