One of Hong Kong’s most authentic and traditional sports is hotting up for the annual June International Dragon boat Championships.Watching the combination of 3 tons of boat and body mass slicing through the waters up to speeds of 14 knots is like observing Human “turbo power” at its rhythmical best.

 Paddlers, as they are referred to, will accumulate up to 5000 hours each year on the water, which is the equivalent of 6 million blade strokes! Training and tactical preparation for Dragon boat events is rigorous, extensive and quite punishing!
The back, spine and shoulders are the most vulnerable areas for a paddler, due to the overuse from the force, torque and sheer power of the stroke, especially at the explosive start of the race and at the final 100 meters, when your body is physically and mentally at its weakest and most vulnerable.

The greatest risk of injuries is to the back muscles. 50% of all Dragon boaters will experience back injuries at some time in their career from all the asymmetrical torquing, repetitive high-energy movements, poor techniques, and poor alignment of the spine, muscle weakness and poor flexibility.

Let’s go through a stroke to demonstrate how the spine comes into play.
The so called recovery phase of a stroke is when the paddle is in the air and you are rotating and lengthening the spine by reaching forward to achieve the optimal stroke length. Then the spine is extended and straightened during the pull or compression phase which is where the strong and flexible back, core, shoulder girdle will help to ensure maximum power and speed.
Strains from over-contracting the muscles and tendons will take a few days to recover. Sprains to the ligaments which help to stabilize and cushion the joints will take a few weeks to recover. This is the time to rest, ice and perform light stretching and massage to remove the swelling and acupuncture to block the pain and improve blood flow to the tissues.

Here is an important lower back strengthening exercise:
Lean face downwards onto a table or bed supporting your entire pelvic girdle and upper body. Grasp the table with both hands to stabiles the upper body. Keep the head on the table at all times. Squeeze the buttocks together, lock the knees and lift both legs to the height of the table top. Slowly lower the legs to the floor and release all the tension for 2 second before repeating 5-10 times. Perform 3 sets

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