By Georgia Zuill, Physiotherapist and Surf Life Saving Athlete
Understanding the Demands of Surf Life Saving
Surf life saving is not just a sport but a way of life that demands peak physical fitness and resilience in challenging aquatic conditions. Whether you’re a seasoned competitor or a passionate enthusiast, understanding the potential injuries associated with surf life saving and the proactive role of physiotherapy in prevention and rehabilitation is crucial for enjoying the sport safely and sustainably.
There are many different aspects to surf life saving, and each has its own loading patterns that can affect the body. This means the swim, boards, and skis all load the body differently, so those competing in multiple events or in the Ironman/Ironwoman need lots of guidance on how to manage themselves.
Then, there is surf boat rowing, which requires lots of force through the body as the boat navigates the waves and the water, and lots of flexibility for your reach. Inflatable Rescue Boat Racing (IRBs) also puts lots of force through the body, even more so due to the vibration forces on the body, wrist, and hand. There is also the aspect of lifting and carrying each of the boats during the set-up and pack-down for competition days.
Common Surf Life Saving Injuries
Engaging in surf life saving competition exposes athletes to a spectrum of injuries due to the dynamic nature of the sport and the physical demands it places on the body. Common injuries include:
- Shoulder Injuries: Rotator cuff injuries, impingement syndromes, and labral damage are prevalent in competitive surf athletes. These injuries result from repetitive, overhead movements involved in swimming and boards, requiring a lot of flexibility and mobility through the shoulders. Maintaining this flexibility while also building the muscular strength and power required for ski paddling at a competitive pace can be challenging. The result is a lot of strain and force through the shoulders and thoracic spine. A home stretching and strengthening program can significantly improve performance.
- Low Back Pain: The lumbar spine needs to move through a big range of flexion, extension, and rotation due to the different body positions in board paddling versus swimming versus ski paddling. This can also cause tightness and symptoms around the hips and glute muscles. Low back injuries are also very common in surf boat rowing due to the reach required for each stroke and the force that goes through the body from navigating the waves. IRB racing also puts a lot of vibrational load through the spine, requiring lots of shock absorption in the spinal joints. These conditions put athletes at risk of muscle spasms, overactivity, facet joint dysfunction, and disc injuries.
- Ankle Injuries: Due to the unstable surface of the sand, the presence of potholes, and the force required during wading in and out of the water, surf life saving athletes are at high risk of ankle injuries. This includes surf boat rowers, IRB athletes, and ski/board swim athletes. These injuries are often under-addressed in surf, resulting in chronic ankle instability that causes swelling and pain in the ankle joint. An ankle stability and strengthening program can reduce the risk of ankle sprains and improve performance and power when wading through the water. It is important that ankle injuries are diagnosed specifically and correctly to avoid reinjury.
- Wrist and Forearm Injuries: The position of the hands and wrists during ski paddling or surf boat rowing puts athletes at high risk of wrist and elbow tendon overuse or compression injuries. Symptoms can include sharp pain in the elbow or wrist, tingling in the fingers, and a tight feeling in the forearm or wrist/hand. It is vital that these issues are assessed and addressed, along with any contributing factors that caused the onset of the injury, to avoid reinjury risk.
How Physiotherapy Can Help
Physiotherapy plays a pivotal role in both preventing and rehabilitating surf life saving injuries through comprehensive assessment, treatment, and rehabilitation strategies tailored to each athlete’s unique needs. Here’s what a physiotherapy session at Saunders Physiotherapy will involve:
- Thorough Assessment: We assess not only your immediate injury area but also any surrounding areas that could be contributing to the issue. For example, if you are experiencing shoulder tendinopathy or impingement during swimming, we will look at the entire system of your shoulder, cervical spine, thoracic spine, and shoulder blades to identify any muscular imbalances or structural changes that could be affecting your injured area.
- Treatment of Acute Injuries: This will involve a combination of hands-on management and home exercise programs to strengthen or mobilise affected areas. These treatments will be individualised based on the physiotherapy assessment.
- Rehabilitation and Performance Enhancement: This is the end goal of physiotherapy sessions. We use Kangatech strength testing of your upper or lower body to identify any notable muscle imbalances or weaknesses that could be affecting your performance. We then provide a surf life saving-specific strengthening program to improve these deficits. We also have access to force plates to assess muscle power and plyometric ability, which can include testing of various upper and lower limb movements like push-ups, squats, landing from a height, or single leg drop hops.
Benefits of Choosing Saunders Physiotherapy Clinic
At Saunders Physiotherapy, our team of experienced physiotherapists combines clinical expertise with evidence-based practices and state-of-the-art technologies to deliver personalised care and optimize outcomes. Surf life saving is a complex sport that requires a lot of strain and load on the body. Whether your goal is competing at your best in SA carnivals and surf life saving state titles, traveling to Aussies to compete against the best in Australia, or even competing in the Coolangatta Gold, it is important to get physiotherapy input from someone who understands the sport and knows what kind of loading and injury management your body needs. Our physiotherapist Georgia has competed in all of these events and understands the intensive load and importance of rehab and recovery.
Don’t let injuries dampen your passion for surf life saving. At Saunders Physiotherapy, we are committed to helping you stay safe, strong, and at the top of your game. Whether you’re recovering from an injury or aiming to enhance your performance, our specialised physiotherapy services and cutting-edge technologies are here to support your journey.
Book an appointment with us today and experience the difference personalised physiotherapy can make in your surf life saving results and performance.