forearm pain

Question
Hi
I have been rowing for about a year now and have started to find that I start to get forearm pains as the session progresses. My coach says it is my technique; I am flicking my oars into a feather to soon and using to much wrist. I have done a lot of work on it but the pains aren't going away. The oars I use i quite worn away so it might be that i am having to grip harder to stop them over feathering.....
I was wondering if you had any tips for stopping the pains & if you think I should try a different pair of Oars

Thanks

Answer
Hi Alex: I'm not a doctor, so it's hard to say if this is purely from rowing or you have some pre-existing condition that is causing your forearm pain.  I can't tell if your pain is a fatigue type of muscle soreness or a tendinitis or some kind.  If the pain stops imediately after your workout, it is probably soreness in your wrist and lower arm muscles.  But if it is tendinitis (hurts even after your workout), then you better see a physician or a physical therapist.

It also sounds like you are rowing in a sculling boat (i.e., two oars) and not a sweep boat.  You shouldn't have that problem in an eight, because only one wrist is used for feathering.  

Assuming this is a case of soreness and not tendinitis, I'd suggest you try to row an extended piece at 3/4 pressure or better with the blades square to see if you can replicate the pain.  Try that drill as soon as you have some indication that you are about to experience pain in your forearms.  The soreness should either abate or stop altogether if you take the feathering out of the equation.  You can also try rowing in an eight and see if you feel the same pain using a sweep oar.

I'd definitely try a new set of oars and take the coach's advice.  The feathering motion should be executed with a reasonably comfortable grip and not a super-tight "death grip" which is going to tire anyone's wrist out.

Finally, you can try to strenghten forearms through weights (reverse curls, wrist rolls) or you can buy one of these gyroball exercisers (sell for $30-40 on Amazon.com) that will build up the endurance of your lower arm.



Good Luck/AP