Listen to the conversation: #22 Rowing Injury Prevention and Treatment - Pam Neuharth
#40 The Mental Side of Injuries - Pam Neuharth
No routine can guarantee injury-free rowing. A useful approach is to prepare for the demands of the session, make changes thoughtfully and respond when something is not going well.
Physiotherapist Pam Neuharth discusses these themes in two Complete Rowing conversations: one about injury treatment and prevention, and another about the mental side of being injured. Her perspective connects physical preparation with the way athletes respond to setbacks.
Notice changes in load
Pam highlights the importance of gradual changes in resistance training. In the conversation, that principle also prompts discussion of equipment and rowing demands.
A change may be more than another session on the calendar. Different oars, a new boat class, additional gym work or a return after a break can alter what the athlete is being asked to do.
Tell your coach about those changes. If several arrive at once, it can be difficult to identify what is helping and what is causing difficulty.
Prepare before you push
Pam describes a land-based mobility warm-up before getting on the water. The purpose is to prepare the body for the activity, rather than assuming the first few rowing strokes will cover everything.
Choose preparation appropriate to you and the session, with professional guidance where needed. The podcast is a discussion of principles and experience, not an individually assessed exercise programme.
Listen to Pam explain her approach to preparation. The detail is especially useful for athletes whose busy schedule makes the warm-up the first thing to disappear.
Raise concerns early
An athlete may hesitate to speak because a crew is short of people or a race is approaching. That pressure does not make a developing problem easier to manage.
Explain what you are experiencing and how it affects movement or training. A coach can adjust the session, but persistent or concerning symptoms need assessment by an appropriate healthcare professional.
For back pain, the NHS advises staying active where possible and avoiding prolonged bed rest. That general advice is not clearance to continue a hard rowing session or to row through worsening symptoms.
Make the return measurable
In the second conversation, Pam describes giving injured athletes tangible steps and achievable goals. This helps make the gap between today's capacity and the desired return less overwhelming.
An agreed progression is more useful than deciding you are ready because a race entry has been paid for. Clarify the activities currently appropriate, what response to monitor and what needs to happen before progressing.
Those decisions should reflect the injury and the clinician's advice. A crewmate's recovery timetable is not a reliable template.
Keep the athlete part of the crew
Injury can affect confidence, routine and connection with teammates. Clubs can help by maintaining contact and including the athlete without pressuring them to return too soon.
Ask what support is useful. Avoid interpreting a missed session as a lack of commitment when someone is following a recovery plan.
Hear Pam discuss the mental side of injury. Her emphasis on manageable steps gives athletes and coaches a more constructive conversation than simply asking when normal training can resume.
For urgent warning signs associated with back pain, follow the NHS guidance linked above; symptoms such as new bladder or bowel problems or loss of sensation around the genitals require emergency assessment.
