5 Surfing Tips to Help You Avoid Injuries
Before summer officially ends, heading out to the beach for a day of surfing is a must. Even if the water is starting to get a little chilly, that wetsuit will have you in full comfort and ready to ride the waves into shore.
However, if you want to continue to enjoy the sun, fun, and waves, we recommend these 5 surfing tips to help keep you from injuries on and off shore.
1. Always warm up
As with any type of exercise or sport, surfing requires a good warm up routine. If you don’t live by the beach, it’s even more important because surfing engages muscles that you don’t use every day. Try some yoga, lunges, and a quick jog in place to get your blood flow moving and ready to fuel your muscles.
2. Continue with stretching
Stretching should be a focus too. When you stretch your joints, you prime them for smooth movement through their full range of motion. This is critical in the water. You don’t want to pull something and be floundering around. On dry land, you won’t risk drowning from an injury, but surfing ups that ante even further.
3. Train the right way
Surfing requires intense training. Whether you’re a beginner or more advanced, don’t make the mistake of not training leading up to your surf adventures. If you have any previous injuries like a torn rotator cuff or a knee injury, you should do the right exercises to be sure you don’t set things off again. It’s a good idea to schedule time with your physiotherapist to ensure you strengthen these areas to help prevent another injury when you take to your board to hit the waves.
4. Get plenty of sleep
You might have a lot to do leading up to your great surfing adventure, but no matter how busy you are, be sure to let your body and mind recuperate. Getting good sleep and taking the time to rest allows your body to be at the ready for the intense call of duty commanded by surfing. Yes, surfing is fun but it requires being present of mind and if you’re exhausted, you’re more likely to wind up with an injury.
5. Take care of your nutrition
When you eat right, your body gets the essential vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and compounds it needs to heal itself and keep it strong. Never neglect nutrition prior to any sport, especially surfing. Your body needs that energy to propel it through the waves, to pull you back up on the board when you get knocked down, and to crush it out there.
Along with that, good hydration is key too. Save the cocktails and beer for afterward and stick to good old-fashioned water while you’re riding those waves.
No time to visit a physiotherapist before the big surf? We can come to you with our expertly-trained physiotherapists that can help you in your own home on your own timeline!
