As with any sport that involves repetitive motion, paddling on a touring isup can result in injury if you do not warm up properly, use poor form, the wrong size paddle, or use the paddle in hazardous conditions.

In this blog post, we will focus on overuse injuries. The most common overuse injuries we see occur in the shoulders, elbows and lower back. Here are some tips on how to prevent them and alleviate them when they do occur.

Whether the injury is due to a chronic overuse problem, or due to an acute event, you still need to acknowledge the risks of SUPing and mitigate those risks to prevent injury. The top 5 most common SUP injuries include:

Shoulder Tears

Low Back Pain

Ankle Sprain

Drowning

How To Prevent Injuries

Shoulder Tears

The best way to deal with an overuse injury is to take some time off from SUPing. You can still get a good workout by doing cardio cross-training on the elliptical and lifting weights in the weight room. That way you don't lose any progress you've made. Although it might not be that interesting.

The best way to prevent this injury is to make sure you practice standing on the board in deeper water. Even if you need to paddle the board away from the shore while sitting or lying on it, it's best to practice where you're least likely to bottom if you fall.

Back Ache

To prevent lower back pain, make sure to lean forward at the ankles and not at the waist. By doing this, you incorporate more of your legs into the stroke and provide more support for your back.

In addition to changing your posture, it's also important to strengthen your core muscles to prevent lower back pain. By doing ab exercises like sit-ups and leg raises, you'll build stronger core muscles. These muscles will help support your back and make your stroke more efficient because you'll be supporting your core with each stroke and freeing your back from doing all the work.

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. This adage holds true in many health-related fields, but it's especially true when it comes to blue paddle board. While SUPing is a very safe activity compared to other water sports and exercise routines, it still carries some risks. But when you think about yourself, your partner, and the environment, you'll be able to do SUP again and again without getting hurt. Stay safe and go SUP!