Shoulder Injuries in Canoeing and Kayaking

Area of Science:

• Orthopedics
• Sports Medicine
• Biomechanics

Background:

• Shoulder injuries are common in athletic populations.
• Paddlesport involves repetitive and high-stress upper limb movements.
• Understanding injury patterns in paddlers is crucial for prevention and management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify common shoulder injury mechanisms and patterns in paddlers.
• To analyze the management and outcomes of these injuries.
• To determine the rate of return to paddlesport after injury.

Main Methods:

• A case series of 57 shoulder injuries in professional and recreational paddlers.
• Review of patient data including Constant score, QuickDASH score, and VAS satisfaction score.
• Analysis of injury mechanisms, demographics, and treatment outcomes over a mean follow-up of 55 months.

Main Results:

• The most frequent injury mechanism was a capsize (26%), often resulting in labral tears requiring surgery.
• Significant improvements in patient outcome scores (Constant, QuickDASH, VAS) were observed post-treatment.
• Three slalom paddlers returned to international competition, one after bilateral shoulder surgery.

Conclusions:

• Paddlers frequently injure shoulders during capsizing or rolling maneuvers, particularly with the shoulder in abduction and external rotation.
• These specific movements during capsizes are a primary cause of severe shoulder injuries in the sport.
• Effective management allows a high proportion of paddlers to return to high-level sport.