SHOULDER THE BLAME

Without glancing at a beach or a surf report, I know when Huey has blessed us with consistent three- to six-foot surf. The phone rings. “My shoulder is really starting to hurt. Can you get me back in the water?” says a voice on the other end. It rings again. “I hurt it lifting,” another Huey casualty mumbles before adding, “but it was already sore because it’s been pumping for days.”

A certain hue colours my appointment schedule: surfers with shoulder problems—pain, niggles, impingements, inflamed bursa, and rotator cuff issues. They’re battleweary, sore and paddling with less power and efficiency.

The “Surfer’s Shoulder” is something I have coined but considering approximately 22.4% of chronic surfing injuries occur in the shoulder, it is