Free Your Forearms
From beginner to pro we’ve all experienced the painful cramps in the forearms after a good days windsurfing, but what causes it and how can we prevent it cutting short our time on the water? FLOW finds out from windsurf instructor and physiotherapist Gemma Lewis:
Cramp
Cramp is caused by overuse of a specific muscle; working it too hard for too long or in a way it is unaccustomed to, this causes a lack of oxygen supply to the muscle and results in a build up of lactic acid. The muscle reacts to this by going into a spasm which can be painful. Over a period of time this overuse can lead to repetitive strain injuries of the forearm muscles or tendons causing prolonged inflammation and pain. Dehydration and nutritional imbalance (lack of certain electrolytes such as sodium and magnesium) can also cause muscle spasm, therefore it is particularly important to drink plenty of fluids when exercising in hot environments.
PRE-SEASON
Windsurfing uses many of the small muscles in the arm which don’t get much use in day-to-day life. By gradually strengthening these muscles they will be more accustomed to the demands of windsurfing, making your sessions more enjoyable!
Strengthening exercises include:
Pics 1, 2 and 3
Rolling a stick (pic1):
Hold a broom handle at arms length between both hands using an over-arm grip
Keeping your arms straight rotate the handle first towards you then away
Try to keep going for 1minute+
Make this exercise more difficult by attaching a weight on a string to the middle of the stick
Wrist extension (pic2) Hold a light weight in your hand (palm down) Keeping your forearm still, lift your wrist back towards you then lower it down Repeat x10 Pronation/supination with a hammer (pic3): Hold a hammer in front of you with the head of the hammer pointing upwards Turn the hammer to one side then the other Repeat x10 Stress ball (pic4): Squeeze a stress ball to strengthen the small muscles of your hand and fingers Powerball (pic5): A gyroscopic exercise toy available in all good sports/windsurfing shops...great for strengthening your forearms! Top Tip: start slowly with light weights and low reps then build it up! PRE-SESSION Forearm cramps can be prevented by warming up and doing a few simple stretches both before and after we get on the water to prepare the muscles for activity by increasing their blood and oxygen supply. This means our muscles will be able to work harder for longer before they start producing lactic acid. Stretches include:
Pics 4 and 5
Pics 6, 7 and 8
Wrist extension/flexion (pics6and7):
Hold your arms straight out in front of you (palm down)
Use your other hand to stretch your wrist downwards
Repeat with your palm up
Neck stretch(pic8):
Hold your arm out to the side with palm up
Lean your head towards the opposite shoulder to stretch the neck and upper arm
For an added stretch extend your wrist so your fingers are pointing towards the ground
Pics 9, 10 and 11
Prayer(pic9):
Place your hands together in a prayer position in front of your body
Keeping the heels of your palms together lower your hands towards your belly button
Reach hand up back(pic10):
Place one hand behind your back
Reach as far upwards as you can
Tricep stretch(pic11):
Place one arm over your head
Use the other arm to push your elbow downwards
Pics 12, 13 and 14
Bicep stretch(pic12):
Hold one arm across your body
Use your other arm to pull it towards your chest
Round shoulders(pic13):
Stand with your arms out straight in front of you
Interlock your fingers and round your shoulders to stretch your upperarms and back
Retract shoulders(pic14):
Interlock your fingers behind your back
Lift your arms upwards
Top Tip: Try not to “bounce”, just pull until you feel a gentle stretch and hold for 20 seconds. Repeat 3 times trying to stretch a little further each time.
SESSION!
Try to take regular breaks... come off the water for a drink break and brag about a new move to a mate! Change your position regularly; tack or swap from overarm to underarm grip when your arms start aching, this will work different muscle groups whilst giving others a rest. Check your harness lines are positioned correctly so you can lean back using your body weight rather than your arms to counteract the power in the sail. Try and keep your shoulders back and arms straight.
POST-SESSION
Stretch out! If your arms do ache afterwards try applying ice, a heat pack or massaging them to relieve the tension in your muscles. If the pain continues anti-inflammatory pain killers such as ibuprofen may be useful but it’s best to get any ongoing injury checked out with a doctor or physiotherapist.
Written by: Gemma Lewis
Date of birth: 17/09/87
Years windsurfing: 7
Windsurfing level: Instructor and ex-national racer, currently jumping, wavesailing and learning to loop!
Current Location: Cambridge
Local Windsurf Spot: South coast
Gemma is a qualified physiotherapist with a background in windsurfing. She is currently working for Addenbrookes hospital in Cambridge and hopes to specialise in sports injuries and rehabilitation.
