The pursuit of sport can provide us with stress release, improved heart health and overall physical vitality.  So we are dedicating our next few blog posts to individual sports that many of our clients make mention of as we explore what activities make up the tension pattern (both good & bad) that rests within their body.  As much as sport is great for stress reduction, it can also come with it’s own sore spots!  Many sports require some type of cross training in order to execute your sport of choice with greater comfort and skill.  Solo sports also appeal to my own introvert nature but also allow me to sync up with others to enjoy a team-inspired, community atmosphere.  It’s really the best of both worlds in any measure that suits my mood or the season. 

At one point in Sore Spots history, I was curious about the work of massage therapy within a multi-disciplinary clinic model so I went to work for one.  Working alongside physiotherapist and chiropractors I affirmed my role as a massage therapist could both provide rehabilitative and restorative care.  I am forever grateful for that opportunity.  It provided me with a direct window into the world of sports injuries and athletically minded clients. 

I remember providing massage treatments for a kayaker client who was training with the Banook Canoe Club. We were focusing on active release and myofascial techniques to help with mobility and heal up a chronically strained shoulder injury.  At her follow up treatment, she remarked on her relief and mentioned she had shaved a few minutes off her training time. I recall the marked excitement as she expressed her gratitude for my care and the effective nature of massage therapy for helping her restore joint movement and improve her athletic ability. 

Fast forward to present day Sore Spots practice.  We see all sorts of athletes, weekend warriors and simply clients just keen on keeping their physical health and wellbeing a priority.  So paddles up, people!  If you’re a kayak or canoe enthusiast this one’s for you!  Here’s the thing.  Even if your sport is not ‘in season’ you can still practice some caring conditioning to strengthen the movements required to propel you into a healthy season of paddle paradise. 

To explore this world of water sport, I spoke to my friend Eleanor Kure who is a Halifax based Paddle Canada certified sea kayak instructor and teaches loads of group and individual workshops.  Eleanor is no stranger to injury and has an experienced perspective on the importance of healthy skill development when it comes to paddling smart.  Eleanor brings up 3 key skillbuilding challengings when it comes to beginner paddlers:

1.     The thing about kayaking is that a good paddler uses their core and torso rotation to move the paddle, not their arms.  Arms do get used of course but ideally they are not the main source of strength.  So working on core stabilization in your cross training and learning how to properly engage your back muscles will really benefit your kayaking experience overall.  Working with a kayak instructor is a great way to ensure your paddling with healthy shoulder and arm positioning as well as fine tuning your overall technique. 

2.    Flexibility is really important for rolling and being able to sit with your legs splayed.  Too much paddling and not enough stretching will wear on the body.

3.    If your regular job or daily living requires that you sit down for long hours or perhaps you have to drive for long hours?  Make sure you cross train with hiking, yoga stretches or pilates.  Kayaking is fun but you also want to make sure that if your work life requires a lot of sitting that you also combine activity to offset prolonged seated work – whether that’s related to your job or your sport of choice (or both).  Phasing in a standing desk a little bit every day might also help.   

Whether you paddle in a canoe or prefer water time in a kayak, I think we can all agree that time on the water is a quiet blessing.  A little bit of strength and stretch work with the goal of getting back in the boat this season will go a long way in helping you find your flow and row, row, row.  Keep calm dear friends & paddle on.