Kitesurfing
is a highly physical sport, but as most of the power of the kite is taken
though the waist/seat harness, it makes the sport accessible to virtually
anyone with average level of fitness, however it still pays to keep as well
conditioned as possible. The general
assumption is that it requires significant upper body strength, but as the
power is not really taken through the arms, this isn’t necessarily the case,
but the shoulders do require good range of motion for all types and levels of
riding and particularly for body dragging – which we all do at some point, not
just when we’re learning!
Kitesurfing
places high demands on the quadriceps (front of thigh), as the knees are often
bent, effectively putting you in an isometric (static) contraction for the
whole period you are riding. The hamstrings (back of thigh) and gluteals
(buttocks) are also acting as global stabilisers. Core and back strength plays a huge role as,
even in light winds, kitesurfers are working with huge dynamic forces pulling in
all directions. Light
winds will see you mustering as much trunk rotation as possible to maintain
your edge and your position on the water. Whereas stronger winds, creating more
bar pressure (pull), will demand a lot more of the shoulders and latissimus
(back and side of the trunk), arms – including forearms and wrists - in order
to maintain control. And at every level
of kiting, the neck takes the brunt of falls and mistakes, with strain to the
neck flexors (front and side of neck). As
with any sport, over time, training hard can make all of these areas prone to
tension and tightening as the body’s soft tissues – muscles, tendons, ligaments
– become shorter and less elastic. A
good stretching regime will help to counteract these effects and regular sports
massage will play a vital role. Sports
massage stretches and lengthens muscles fibres that often struggle to be
stretched in any other way and thereby flush out tension in the muscles and
associated structures.
Compared
to windsurfing, kiting has a very quick learning curve, so you can soon find
yourself riding harder and longer, doing jumps and tricks, all of which puts
more force on the body. The constant
changing direction and pull of the kite in opposing directions requires huge
amounts of stabilising and deceleration of many of the major leg and trunk
muscles. Jumping specifically puts huge
loads on the body, especially with repeated bad landings, which can create
discomfort and injuries in the back, knees and ankles. It is also not uncommon to receive a blow,
from contact with the board, beach or collision with other riders. Significant blows can cause swelling and
bruising which will require RICE protocol (Rest, application of Ice and
Compression and Elevation) to help the injury repair. In this case massage will help break down adhesion's and scar tissue that may otherwise start to inhibit movement and will
encourage blood flow to the area to help eliminate waste products, brought
about from the healing process, from the tissues. In
the right conditions, kiters will ride for hours with little or no break, so
our slow twitch muscles fibres are hard at work in terms of endurance, but also
our fast twitch fibres which enable us to perform power moves. And as you get into more aggressive riding
along with freestyle and wave-riding, a lot more strain is placed on all the
muscles and also the myofascial (connective tissue) slings (diagonal anterior
and posterior), which can shorten over time, reducing flexibility and causing
pain and stiffness. All
of these areas require conditioning. Weight training will help replicate the
additional forces placed on the body when in water and will enhance muscle
strength and joint stability. Pilates
will assist with core strength, spine and pelvic alignment and general muscle
balance. Regular stretching and regular
maintenance sports massage will help keep soft tissues in an optimal state of
health and pliability and together will limit our likelihood of injury and
allow us to keep improving our riding.
If you are interested in Sports Massage in Poole or Bournemouth, Lilliput Health has an expert team of Sports Massage Therapists that can tailor treatments for your specific needs.
