The Most Common Rowing Injuries and What to Watch For

The most common rowing injuries affect the lower back, ribs, shoulders, wrists and forearms, and knees, and most build up gradually rather than happening in one stroke. Watch for pain that arrives earlier in each session, lasts longer afterwards, or changes how you row. Rowing has no impact, but a 30-minute session at 20 strokes a minute repeats the same movement 600 times, so small faults add up. This is general information, not a diagnosis: if something hurts, stop if the pain increases and see a GP or physio before carrying on.

At a glance

A 2005 review in Sports Medicine described rowing injuries as mainly chronic, with the low back the most frequently injured region and rib stress fractures costing the most time on the water.

Area	How rowing loads it	What to watch for	Set-up changes to discuss
Lower back	Bending and twisting under load at the catch	Stiffness after sessions, pain into the leg	Reach, compression, damper setting
Ribs	Trunk and shoulder muscles pulling on the ribcage	Sharp pain on a deep breath, cough or stroke	Volume, technique, equipment
Wrist and forearm	Repeated wrist bending and tight grip	Creaking, swelling above the thumb side of the wrist	Grip, handle height
Hand	Pressure and bent-wrist positions	Tingling, numbness, weak grip	Grip tension, wrist position
Shoulder	Overuse and upper-body tension	Ache at the finish or the front of the shoulder	Finish height, posture
Knee	Deep compression and tracking	Pain at the front or outside of the knee	Foot height, slide length

Lower back pain

The review linked low back injury mainly to excessive bending and twisting. At the catch, your spine is at its most flexed while the load comes on, so the back takes more strain if you round it, over-reach or open it too early on the drive. Volume is the other trigger. A large jump in erg time is a classic pattern, as is sitting all day and then rowing hard with no warm-up. Our page on rowing machines, posture and back pain explains how the stroke loads your back.

To discuss with a coach or physio: shortening your reach at the catch for a few weeks, lowering the damper, and adding hip-hinge and glute work. Our guides to rowing with lower back pain and strengthening your lower back for rowing go further. If the pain travels into your leg, read whether you can row with sciatica.

The NHS back pain page says to call 999 or go to A&E for back pain with numbness or weakness in both legs, loss of feeling around the genitals or anus, or changes in bladder or bowel control.

Rib stress fractures

A systematic review put the rate at 8 to 16% of elite rowers over a career. Most studies reported 4 to 6 weeks of lost training, with a range of 1 to 16 weeks.

The causes are less clear than coaches often suggest. The same review found insufficient or conflicting evidence for training changes, technique, low bone density, equipment and sex as risk factors. So build volume carefully, but don’t assume a good technique rules it out. If you have been diagnosed with osteoporosis, our page on using a rowing machine with osteoporosis lists what to ask your GP or physio before you row.

Watch for one sharp spot on the side of the ribcage that hurts on a deep breath, a cough or a firm stroke. Get it assessed early, and don’t row through it. Chest pain or trouble breathing needs urgent medical help, whatever you think the cause is.

Wrist and forearm tendons

The classic rower’s complaint is intersection syndrome, sometimes called oarsman’s wrist. Tendons on the thumb side of the forearm become irritated where they cross, a few centimetres above the wrist. You may feel pain, see swelling, or notice a creaking sensation as the tendons rub when you move your wrist.

Repeated wrist bending and a tight grip are common suspects, along with a sudden rise in rowing. To discuss: a lighter hook grip, flatter wrists at the finish, and warming up your forearms in cold weather. Our guide to warming up your hands for rowing covers the last one. Persistent swelling or creaking needs a proper look, because a clinician can separate it from other wrist problems.

Numb or tingling hands

Tingling, numbness or a weak grip can be carpal tunnel syndrome, caused by pressure on a nerve at the wrist. The NHS says symptoms often come and go and are usually worse at night. A wrist splint worn overnight may take up to 6 weeks to help, and it can take months to get better. See a GP if symptoms are getting worse or won’t go away. Don’t push through them on the erg.

Shoulder pain

The review linked shoulder pain to overuse, poor technique and upper-body tension. Rowing with your shoulders hunched or forcing the handle too high at the finish can irritate the joint. Keep the shoulders down, finish at the lower ribs, and add upper-back strength work such as band pull-aparts. Our guide to rowing with bad shoulders has more.

Knee pain

The review names patellofemoral pain, felt around the kneecap, and iliotibial band friction, felt on the outside of the knee. A forced deep compression, feet set too low or high, or knees falling inwards can all add load. Check that your shins stop around vertical at the catch and your knees track over your toes. Our guide to rowing with bad knees covers set-up in detail.

Lower-load alternatives while you get advice

If rowing hurts, these often let you keep moving. Check with your clinician first, since the right choice depends on the injury.

Sore area	Often easier options	Usually avoid until cleared
Lower back	Walking, cycling, swimming	Heavy erg sessions, loaded bending
Ribs	Walking, gentle cycling	Rowing, heavy upper-body work
Wrist or forearm	Walking, cycling, leg-only gym work	Rowing, gripping and curling
Shoulder	Walking, cycling	Overhead lifting, hard rowing
Knee	Swimming, upper-body work	Deep squats, high compression

Reducing your risk

• Add volume slowly. As a rule of thumb, take an easier week every 3 or 4 weeks.
• Warm up for 5 to 10 minutes, building pressure gradually.
• Have a coach check your technique, or film 10 strokes from the side.
• Train your hips, trunk and upper back twice a week.
• Respect the warning pattern: pain earlier in the session, or lasting into the next day, means back off.

Don’t rely on ice or painkillers to keep training, because they can hide a problem. Once you’ve had advice, our guide to returning to rowing after injury explains how to build back up.