Injury Prevention for Rowers
Pam Neuharth on Backs, Warning Signs and Returning Wisely
Rowing Injuries Are Not Just Bad Luck
Rowing is a beautiful movement, but it is also repetitive, powerful and demanding.
Every stroke asks the athlete to connect the feet to the handle through the legs, hips, trunk, shoulders, arms and hands. Multiply that by thousands of strokes each week and the body’s weak points eventually reveal themselves.
Pam Neuharth is unusually well placed to discuss this. She is a champion sculler and a doctor of physical therapy. She understands both the athlete’s desire to train and the clinician’s need to protect the body.
In Episode 22 of the Complete Rowing Podcast, Rowing Injury Treatment and Prevention, Pam explains why rowers get injured, what warning signs to notice, and how to think about prevention.
In Episode 40, The Mental Side of Injuries, she returns to discuss the part athletes often ignore: the fear, guilt, identity crisis and anxiety that come with injury.
Together, the two episodes give a practical and humane guide to staying in the sport.
The Lumbar Spine Is the Big Vulnerability
Pam identifies the lower back as one of the most important areas for rowers.
She says:
“The lumbar spine is a part of the body that’s particularly vulnerable to injury in rowers.”
Why?
Because it is the connection between the legs and the upper body.
“That is the hinge point. That is the pivot point.”
The legs push against the foot plate. The force has to travel through the hips and trunk to the blade.
Pam explains:
“The hips have to pivot and the lumbar spine has to bear the load that is being transmitted from the foot plate to the oar blade.”
That is the essence of rowing injury risk.
The lower back is not just along for the ride. It is a load-transfer point.
If the rower lacks mobility, strength, posture, control or recovery, the lumbar spine may pay the price.
Straight Back Versus Rounded Back
Ken raises his own history of disc injury and asks whether modern emphasis on a straighter back and active lat connection might reduce injury risk.
Pam is careful. She says she is not a rowing coach and does not want to make technical claims about boat speed. But from a physical therapy perspective, her answer is clear.
“A rounded back applying a lot of force to the lumbar spine… puts that segment of the spine in a more vulnerable position.”
She explains that if the lumbar spine is flexed under load, particularly around L5-S1, it may be at greater risk.
By contrast:
“If you’re strong and can keep those joints neutral, which means you have a straight back, that part of the lumbar spine is going to be less vulnerable to injury.”
That does not mean every rower should become rigid. Rowing still requires movement, rhythm and relaxation. But Pam’s point is that force through a collapsed position is risky.
The practical takeaway:
Rowers need enough mobility to reach the catch, and enough strength to hold a useful spinal position under load.
Neck, Shoulders and Upper Back Are Connected
Pam also links upper-back position to neck and shoulder issues.
If the upper back collapses at the catch, the rower may have to crank the neck up to look forward.
She says:
“If you round your upper back at the catch… your neck is going to be in a more vulnerable position.”
Then the chain continues:
“That’s how a lot of people get neck injuries, which lead to shoulder injuries, which lead to elbow injuries.”
This is important because many rowers treat symptoms as isolated.
A sore elbow may not begin in the elbow. A shoulder problem may involve the neck. A neck problem may relate to upper-back posture.
The rowing body is connected.
That is why prevention needs to include mobility, strength, posture and technique, not only treatment of the painful spot.
Core Strength Is Not Optional
Pam is direct about core strength.
When Ken asks whether core strength and stability are central to injury prevention, she replies:
“Yeah, a hundred percent.”
She explains that simply sitting in the boat with good posture already requires core strength.
A rower sits on a small moving seat, unsupported, holding oars or a sweep blade, on an unstable platform.
Pam says:
“That alone takes core strength.”
Many beginners are not used to this. They may be fit in other ways, but not prepared for the specific postural demand of rowing.
Pam adds:
“A lot of people who are new to rowing get injured just because of that.”
Then the force of the stroke is added on top.
This is why core training should not be an afterthought. It is part of making the body capable of handling rowing.
Strong Legs Are Not Enough
Pam uses a memorable image:
“You get these people who have these massive tree trunk legs… and they can’t do a plank for 15 seconds.”
That athlete may produce force, but may not have the trunk strength to transmit it safely.
Pam says:
“If you don’t have the connector strong, that sucker’s gonna go.”
This is a brilliant way to explain rowing injuries.
The legs may be strong. The lungs may be strong. The athlete may be motivated. But if the connector between the legs and handle cannot manage the load, the system breaks down.
Rowers should therefore train:
legs
hips
trunk
back
shoulders
mobility
coordination
Not just the engine.
Equipment and Load Changes Must Be Gradual
Ken recalls the arrival of large hatchet blades and the feeling of rowing something much heavier, like:
“rowing in the big ring on a bike up a hill.”
Pam responds with a gym analogy.
Imagine doing deadlifts one day and then arriving the next day to find someone has added a big plate to the bar while expecting the same reps.
Her conclusion:
“Any change in resistance training should be gradual, not overnight.”
That applies directly to rowing.
Be careful when changing:
blade type
gearing
oar length
rate
training volume
intensity
boat class
seat position
strength load
The body adapts to stress, but sudden changes increase risk.
A new blade, a heavier rig or a sudden increase in erg volume may be enough to tip the athlete into injury.
Good Pain Versus Bad Pain
Athletes often pride themselves on tolerating discomfort.
Pam does not discourage effort. But she makes a distinction between good pain and bad pain.
Good pain is the discomfort of hard muscular work.
Bad pain indicates dysfunction in a muscle or joint.
In Episode 40, she says:
“There’s pain, there’s tightness, and… we should know the difference between the good pain of pushing our muscles, pushing our bodies, and the bad pain.”
Then she adds:
“If it is what I call the bad pain… that has to be acknowledged.”
This is hard for rowers because the culture often rewards pushing through.
But ignoring bad pain is not toughness. It is poor risk management.
Numbness, Tingling and Burning Are Not Normal
Pam gives very clear warning signs:
“If you get symptoms down the arm, down the leg, oh, I have numbness, tingling. I get burning in my shin. That’s all not good.”
Then she says:
“No part of your body should fall asleep while you’re exercising.”
That should be written on every boathouse wall.
Nerve symptoms are not normal training discomfort.
If a rower has numbness, tingling, burning, radiating pain or loss of strength, they should stop and seek appropriate help.
Warm Up Before You Row — On Land
Pam is strong on warm-up.
She does not mean simply paddling lightly for five minutes.
She recommends a mobility warm-up before getting on the water.
“It’s not just a warm up like, oh, I’m going to paddle for five minutes and that’s my warm-up.”
Instead:
“This is where you’re on land.”
She suggests movement that prepares the body:
rotation
lunges
groin mobility
twists
lower-back movement
arm movements
chest and upper-back mobility
hamstring movement
Pam says it can take:
“less than 10 minutes.”
That is a small investment compared with weeks lost to injury.
For masters rowers especially, the land warm-up should be treated as part of the outing, not an optional extra.
The Mental Side: You Are Dealing With the Whole Person
In Episode 40, Pam turns to the mental side of injury.
Ken asks how conscious she is of that in her work as a physical therapist.
Pam says:
“Very, very cognisant of it.”
She adds:
“You’re dealing with the whole person, so you can’t separate the two.”
This is crucial.
Injury is not only tissue damage. It affects identity, confidence, crew selection, plans, friendships, and the athlete’s sense of self.
Rowers may feel guilty for letting crews down. They may fear losing fitness. They may rush back too soon because they cannot tolerate being absent.
A good return from injury must address both the physical and the psychological.
Give Injured Athletes Tangible Steps
Pam is not a sports psychologist, and she is careful to say:
“I stay in my lane.”
But as a physical therapist, she helps athletes manage anxiety by giving them clear physical steps.
She explains:
“I give people physical tangibles that they can look at as, okay, here’s where you are today and here’s where you want to be and these are the steps.”
That is excellent advice for rowers and coaches.
An injured athlete should not be left staring across a frightening gap between “injured” and “racing.”
They need milestones:
pain-free walking
mobility restored
basic strength restored
short erg
longer erg
technical paddle
low-rate outing
steady-state training
controlled intensity
race preparation
Visible steps reduce panic.
Know When to Stop
Pam gives an example from her own rowing.
She was in a team boat and felt sharp pain at the release involving lumbar extension.
She decided to cut the workout short.
That was hard because she was not alone.
But she made the decision.
This is one of the most difficult situations for rowers. In a crew boat, stopping feels selfish. But continuing with a real injury may create a much bigger problem for everyone.
A healthy club culture should make it acceptable for an athlete to say:
This is not normal pain. I need to stop.
Returning Too Early Is a Trap
One of the themes of Episode 40 is the temptation to return too soon.
Athletes fear losing fitness. They fear losing their seat. They fear losing identity. They fear being forgotten.
But returning before the body is ready often extends the injury.
The intelligent approach is not to wait forever, but to return through stages.
A good question is:
What can I do safely today that moves me toward rowing?
That may be mobility. It may be cycling. It may be core work. It may be a short technical paddle. It may be rest.
The wrong question is:
Can I pretend I am not injured?
A Practical Injury Prevention Checklist
1. Warm up on land
Do mobility before the outing.
2. Protect the lumbar spine
Maintain strength and control through the trunk.
3. Train the connector
Core strength matters as much as leg strength.
4. Increase load gradually
Do not change volume, intensity or gearing suddenly.
5. Learn good pain versus bad pain
Effort discomfort is different from dysfunction.
6. Do not ignore nerve symptoms
Numbness, tingling and burning need attention.
7. Address the whole body
Neck, shoulder, back, hip and elbow problems may be connected.
8. Stop when necessary
Cutting one session short may save a season.
9. Return in steps
Use clear milestones, not wishful thinking.
10. Treat the mental side seriously
Injury affects identity and confidence.
Key Takeaways
The lumbar spine is vulnerable because it is the hinge point between the legs and upper body.
A rounded back under heavy load can increase injury risk.
Core strength is essential for both beginners and experienced rowers.
Strong legs without a strong trunk can create problems.
Equipment and training-load changes should be gradual.
Numbness, tingling and burning are not normal rowing sensations.
A land-based mobility warm-up should happen before rowing.
Injuries have a mental side: guilt, fear, identity and anxiety all matter.
Injured athletes need tangible steps back to rowing.
Returning too early can turn a short-term problem into a long-term one.
Related Complete Rowing Podcast Episodes
This article is based primarily on:
Episode 22: Rowing Injury Treatment and Prevention — Pam Neuharth
and:
Episode 40: The Mental Side of Injuries — Pam Neuharth
Related listening:
Episode 45: Insights into Strength & Conditioning for Rowing — Jack Dillon
Episode 54: Strength & Conditioning for Masters Rowers — Jack Dillon
Episode 49: AFib and Rowers — Lesleh Wright and Geoff Peel
Episode 6: Rowing After a Prostate Cancer Diagnosis — Richard Ratcliffe
Episode 80: Rowing, Racing and Breast Cancer — Fiona Betts
Listen to the full conversations at CompleteRowing.com.
