Overuse Injuries

[STC]

Does anybody out there have experience with an overuse injury from the Concept 2 ergometer? I rowed my ergometer well past the point I should have stopped, because I simply couldn't believe my erg could be doing anything negative to my body, so when my doctor told me to lay off I thought he didn't know what he was talking about. But my poor gait, bicep pain and imbalance were all from my excessive use of the erg, which I only embraced as an idea last August. So now I have to be very patient and get better from over five years of damaging myself. And it has been a slow and excrutiatingly painful process. Just wondering if anybody out there has had a similar experience with the erg. Thank you!

[zfromme]

What did your workout routine look like?

How any meters/week were you rowing?

[STC]

Mostly 20-40 minute pieces at steady state, pyramids, one min one off for 4x5 mn pieces, lots of different things. Also some longer steady state a year ago before things really got bad. Rowing about 10-30 minutes a day for a very long time, maybe five years.

[gregsmith01748]

Did you have any pre-existing conditions or issues before you started? If you did I wonder if it could effect your form or put more strain on parts of you?

Also, do you have any form issues? I think that could contribute.

Having said that, I think it is also very possible that doing only one thing (ie erging) could cause long term problems, although I have no specific evidence to that effect. Right now, I'm "erg-only" and have been since October, when I stopped running due to knee issues. My knee has gotten better, but other parts of me are feeling the pain (back and ribs).

I'm thinking that I may start to do some more specific cross training (weights, other cardio) to supplement erging in the March timeframe.

I've also heard that the new dynamic rower, rowing on slides, or a row perfect dynamic rower puts less stress on your back, so that might be something to look into.

[Montanaandy]

I can relate. I used to row at least 5 days a week, minimum of 9K and usually 10K. I would experience various overuse injuries (strained back, stiff elbow, etc.). I would gut it out (old hockey player) but finally I came to the conclusion that something had to change.

I took some time off from the erg because of family commitments and because I needed to take a break. I did a great deal of hiking in the meantime. I came back with "baby steps" - 1-2K pieces at a slow, relaxed pace. I would stay with a set length (say 2500 meters) for a week or 2 and then bump it up another 500 meters the next week, and so on. I now normally row 3 times per week anywhere from 5K - 10K. If I row more than 3 x per week then the additional work will be shorter rows. I have been much better about cross training and doing other exercises. I also have made it a point to immediately ice down any area that is bothering me after the row. This has helped a great deal. I still have aches and pains from rowing but they area easily treatable. Montanaandy.

[STC]

This is what makes things a bit confusing. But I really think my problems now are due to my overuse of the erg. I have a long history of pushing the envelope and have subjected my body to much trauma. In 1988, I was in a head-on collision with the straight four that would go on to win the silver medal in the Seoul Olympics at the straight four trails, and I was only saved from getting speared by the fact that the boat that hit me was an Empacher with the large and bulbous bow ball. But I was rowing a few days later at an Olympic selection camp. Then, in 1994, when skiing at Big Bear Mountain in CA, I crashed and gave myself a massive head injury that put me in a coma for five weeks. It took a long time, but I eventually recovered from that and would get back to rowing and triathlons. My pain now I think is from the running in triathlons and excessive erging. Just wondering if anybody else had suffered pinched nerves (which an MRI showed is what I have), and/or tendonitis in different areas of the body like the bicep, the back, the calf and the ankle. Thank you!

[jliddil]

So another person who subscribes to the philosophy of that which does not kill me only makes me stronger

Injuries? What me worry?

Well as someone who in my own terms pushes things I see where you are coming from. I was doing 20K or more a day before I broke my hip. 6 weeks down 2 more before I'm back at it. I've already had to accept the fact that I won't be doing 20K 7 days a week all of a sudden. boo hoo, it sucks.

Overuse injuries whether from running, erging cycling or what ever are usually related to technique, muscle imbalance and genetics. Oh and age. It maybe you have to face reality and cross train more, weight train a bit, stretch, massage etc. And pay attention to your technique regardless of the sport. Other things in life have an impact. Or do you have sponsorship so you don't "work"? All this other stuff is stress and cuts into the time you have to warm-up, train, cool-down and take care of yourself. When you get to be my age all this trauma will begin to catch up with you unless you make changes. But that is your choice.

[STC]

My doctors continue to discover what's wrong with me. My leg pain is achilles tendinosis. My bicep pain was bicepital tendonitis. And my back pain was another form of tendonitis. So from using the erg daily I riddled my body with tendonitis. In time I should be well again, but I'm amazed that something I thought was so good for me was in fact breaking my body down in so many different ways. Crew and rowing have done so much for me in life, but today I am so over being a rower.
STC/195# /6' 2"/age=45

[Tinus]

Too much training doesn't hurt. It is too little rest which hurts.

[luckylindy]

Too much training doesn't hurt. It is too little rest which hurts.

+1

Also, I've found that whenever you work one part of your body, it's good to balance it with weights. For example, since rowing is basically a pulling exercise, I now do lots of chest/triceps/shoulder work at the gym to balance out the extra strength I've added to my back/legs. When I ran, I did lots of squats (since running works the hamstrings/calves more). When I biked, I did lots of deadlifts. Following this 'balancing' pattern has worked real well throughout my athletic career.

[Citroen]

For example, since rowing is basically a pulling exercise ...

Eh?

Rowing is basically a pushing exercise for me. I use my nice big strong quads to push me (and the seat) backwards while holding the handle connected to the chain. The pulling in at the end of the stroke, bit is entirely secondary.

[luckylindy]

For example, since rowing is basically a pulling exercise ...

Eh?

Rowing is basically a pushing exercise for me. I use my nice big strong quads to push me (and the seat) backwards while holding the handle connected to the chain. The pulling in at the end of the stroke, bit is entirely secondary.

I guess it depends on the person and rowing style to a certain extent.

Usually, the total distance the handle is moved by the legs (assuming you start with your shins vertical) is well under 50% of the total distance the handle moves. Also, the peak force (based on force curve) for many rowers happens either after the legs are fully extended or right before ... i.e. when you're transitioning from the beginning of the drive to later in it. So while the legs may provide the highest instantaneous force, the arms and back/hamstrings combined provide more total power.

I think I saw someone else talking about this on another thread recently, but here was a good article I read on the biomechanics (this is more for others than you Dougie): http://www.biorow.com/RBN_en_2006_files ... News05.pdf .

My perspective (right or wrong) is that it's a net-pulling exercise since the quad/hamstring work will balance itself out, leaving the upper body pulling unbalanced (which is why I do chest/tri/shoulder work to prevent injury).

[STC]

An update - what I've been dealing with for the past several years, and what has broken my body down tremendously, is tendonopathy. In my back, in my achilles tendon, and in my bicep, among other things. My body is riddled with tendonosis and tendinitis. All from the ergometer! Does anybody out there have experience with this? I'm seeing a Physical Therapist now and I am mending, but I can't believe that something I thought was so good for me has turned out to be so utterly bad. I had similar problems in 1988 with severe lower back pain in the USMC, and now I think I can trace things back to my time spent training and rowing for the Olympic Team and in Fall Head Races. My doctor now tells me to walk, swim, and ride the stationary bike. All very safe, but no more running, and absolutely no more erging. Rowing on the water might be okay. But no rowing on a machine. My head is reeling from all I've learned and been through this year. The past several months have been a nightmare. In a way its a relief, because I'm finally free from crew. I know I'll miss it, however. Oh, well. And life goes on...

STC - 200#, 6'2'', 45

My goal now is to be all better for my 46th birthday in a few weeks. Please wish me luck!

[Tinus]

My body is riddled with tendonosis and tendinitis. All from the ergometer! Does anybody out there have experience with this? I'm seeing a Physical Therapist now and I am mending, but I can't believe that something I thought was so good for me has turned out to be so utterly bad.

You've given yourself an overdosis. That doesn't suddenly make an erg a bad instrument. You may possibly return on it at some time.

Alle Ding' sind Gift, und nichts ohn' Gift; allein die Dosis macht, daß ein Ding kein Gift ist.

[Montanaandy]

I would also have to question your having to give up erging for good because of the complications that you are presently experiencing. Over the 25 years I have been erging I have had to adjust because I am normally battling some nagging ache or pain. You mention that you are 45 - I am 50 - and the recovery period is much longer when you are older. I have learned (albeit kicking and screaming) to listen to my body rather than ignoring it and pushing through the pain. I had my hip replaced 5 years ago (hockey not rowing) and have had to adjust to this by rowing strapless and for longer distances rather than the shorter, more intense pieces that I used to do at times. You are obviously a very competitive individual and that in part may be the problem (i.e. needing to back off the intensity). Stay away from the erg until you are completely and absolutely healed and then try it again, taking essentially baby steps to see if you can tolerate it. If you are still experiencing problems after this then I would agree that you would likely want to cease using the erg.