Injury Prevention
From physios, nutritionists and sports physicians, the message is clear: there’s no single magic fix - injury prevention comes down to consistently getting the fundamentals right. Kate Haines speaks with the experts to break down what really matters.
Rowing is an extremely physically demanding sport. It places significant strain on your muscles, joints and ligaments - essentially your entire body. Your body is your greatest performance tool, so looking after it is critical if you want to train consistently, improve, and stay in the boat.
Consistency is one of the biggest drivers of progress in rowing. The more regularly you can train at a high level, the more opportunity you give yourself to improve technically, physiologically, and mentally. Injury disrupts that consistency. That’s why injury prevention isn’t just about avoiding pain - it’s about protecting your long-term development and performance.
The most common injuries in rowing tend to involve the lower back and ribs, but rowers can experience a wide range of issues, from tendon overload to muscle strains. While some injuries are unavoidable, many can be reduced - or even prevented - through smart habits and increased awareness.
Injury prevention is about balancing many small factors well. It comes from a combination of:
- Energy availability and fuelling
- Effective warm-ups
- Strength and physical robustness
- Knowing when to rest or seek help early
- Technical efficiency
- Appropriate training loads
No single factor is a magic solution. However, there are key areas athletes can directly control: warming up properly, fuelling adequately, and knowing when to reduce training load or seek support early.
Warm-Up Protocols
A warm-up is not just about “getting warm.” It prepares your muscles, joints, and nervous system for the demands you’re about to place on them.
An effective rowing warm-up should:
- Gradually increase heart rate
- Mobilise key areas (hips, thoracic spine, shoulders)
- Activate stabilising muscles (glutes, core, scapular muscles)
- Reinforce good technical movement patterns
Skipping or rushing a warm-up increases stiffness and reduces your body’s readiness to handle load - particularly through the lower back and rib cage, which already endure repetitive stress in rowing. Dynamic movement is often more beneficial than prolonged static stretching before training.
Let’s hear from one of Rowing New Zealand’s physiotherapists, Tim Devlin, on his thoughts and recommendations.
Tim Devlin:
The primary aim of a warm-up is simply to get moving. Rowing training is often performed in the early mornings, when muscles and joints are still waking up after lying still for long periods.
We are trying to stimulate blood flow, wake up the nervous system, and prepare the brain to coordinate movement patterns for demanding work on the water or in training. Everyone will get stiff in different ways. While it’s always important to mobilise the hips, knees, back and hamstrings, each athlete will have their own individual focus areas.
As you progress through your rowing career, you’ll learn what works best for your body and gradually build your own warm-up routine.
Here are some examples of warm-up exercises for your hips and thoracic spine to try before your next training session.
Energy Availability
Energy availability is often the most overlooked component of injury prevention - yet it may be one of the most important. Rowing requires high training volumes and intensity, and if your energy intake does not match your energy expenditure, your body will struggle to recover and adapt.
Over time, low energy availability increases the risk of injury, particularly stress fractures, rib injuries, hormonal disruption, illness, and persistent fatigue.
Fuelling well means:
- Eating enough total calories
- Prioritising carbohydrates around training
- Including adequate protein for recovery (within 20 minutes post-exercise)
- Maintaining regular meals and snacks
- Under-fuelling can severely limit performance and significantly increase injury risk. Your body needs energy to train, recover, and stay healthy.
We spoke with Dr Julia Bone, High Performance Sport NZ Nutritionist and Nutrition Lead for Rowing NZ, about energy availability to get her expert insights.
Julia Bone:
Your body requires energy from food not only to move your muscles during training, but also to maintain overall health so you can continue to train consistently.
If there’s not enough fuel going in, body systems such as bone health and immunity begin to suffer. These systems may start taking shortcuts, increasing your risk of injury and illness.
Under-fuelling can also limit adaptation to training. You may not get stronger, faster, or technically better as expected, which directly impacts performance.
We then reached out to Sports Physician Deb Robinson about how inadequate fueling affects bone health and hormonal function, and here is what she had to say:
Low energy availability is something young athletes can experience during demanding training or competition periods. With adequate rest and appropriately sized, nutritious meals, most athletes can replenish energy stores and healthily continue training. However, persistent energy deficits can seriously impact endurance, strength, health, and well-being.
Skeletal maturity occurs during the teenage years and early 20s. To build bone mass, athletes must consume enough energy and nutrients to support the hormones responsible for bone development. Adequate energy availability is also essential for maintaining normal bone health into adulthood.
Key Nutrition Tips for Young Rowers
From Dr Julia Bone (High Performance Sport NZ Nutritionist and Nutrition Lead for Rowing NZ):
- Fuel before training: Fill the tank before you hit the water. Whether it’s toast, Weet-Bix, porridge or a smoothie, breakfast is essential.
- Fuel during training: Lollies, sports drink, or bananas help maintain energy levels and keep training quality high.
- Recover after training: Eating and drinking after sessions helps your body repair, adapt and prepare for the next session. Flavoured milk or eggs on toast with juice are simple, effective recovery options.
Knowing When to Step In Early
One of the biggest lessons rowers learn - often the hard way - is the importance of addressing niggles early. Small warning signs often appear before more serious injuries. Persistent tightness, discomfort that worsens with training, or ongoing soreness should never be ignored.
Seeking advice from a physiotherapist early can prevent weeks or months of lost training later. Similarly, unexplained fatigue or weight loss may indicate under-fuelling and should prompt a review of dietary intake.
Rest is not weakness. Sometimes stepping back for a few days or modifying training can allow you to keep progressing long-term.
How can athletes tell the difference between normal soreness and something that needs attention?
Tim Devlin:
This can be tricky, especially when you’re new to a physically demanding sport like rowing. Generally, stiffness or soreness will improve with a warm-up and settle within 1–2 days, even if you continue to train.
Try dynamic movement, light erg or bike work, and self-release techniques like foam rolling. Often this is enough. However, if pain limits your training performance, lasts for hours after sessions, or interferes with daily life, it’s time to seek advice from a physiotherapist, doctor, or experienced health professional.
What are some signs you may not be fuelling enough?
Deb Robinson:
Under-fuelling can impair many physiological systems, including metabolic rate, bone health, immunity, cardiovascular health, and psychological well-being. In young athletes, it can also affect growth and development.
Common signs include fatigue, low energy, underperformance, poor recovery, recurring illness or injury, disrupted menstrual cycles in females, low mood, and reduced enjoyment of the sport.
My Experience
Injury prevention in rowing isn’t about doing one thing perfectly - it’s about consistently doing many small things well and warming up properly. Strengthening your body, fuelling adequately, monitoring training load and asking for help early.
From my own experience, the times I’ve felt strongest and most consistent in training have been when I respected these fundamentals and kept them at the forefront of my mind. Prioritising the basics allows me to train consistently - and consistency is what drives performance. It also plays a huge role in mental well-being. Navigating injury and returning from injury can be incredibly challenging, so staying healthy supports not just performance, but confidence and enjoyment in the sport.
When I warm up properly and fuel for the demands of training, I stay strong, resilient, and fast - it really can be that simple.
On the other hand, periods of injury often followed when one piece of the puzzle slipped. Whether it was under-fuelling, ignoring early warning signs, or becoming complacent with mobility and warm-up routines, those small misjudgements had consequences. They disrupted training blocks, stalled momentum, and ultimately limited performance outcomes.
Rowing demands a lot from your body. The better you look after it, the longer and stronger you’ll be able to perform. Injury prevention isn’t just about avoiding pain - it’s about giving yourself the best opportunity to reach your potential and consistently put your best foot forward.
Kate Haines
Kate Haines has been part of the New Zealand Rowing Team and is studying Accounting at Massey University. She is NZ Olympian #1567, who competed in the Paris Olympics.
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Injury Prevention
From physios, nutritionists and sports physicians, the message is clear: there’s no single magic fix - injury prevention comes down to consistently getting the fundamentals right. Kate Haines speaks with the experts to break down what really matters.
Rowing is an extremely physically demanding sport. It places significant strain on your muscles, joints and ligaments - essentially your entire body. Your body is your greatest performance tool, so looking after it is critical if you want to train consistently, improve, and stay in the boat.
Consistency is one of the biggest drivers of progress in rowing. The more regularly you can train at a high level, the more opportunity you give yourself to improve technically, physiologically, and mentally. Injury disrupts that consistency. That’s why injury prevention isn’t just about avoiding pain - it’s about protecting your long-term development and performance.
The most common injuries in rowing tend to involve the lower back and ribs, but rowers can experience a wide range of issues, from tendon overload to muscle strains. While some injuries are unavoidable, many can be reduced - or even prevented - through smart habits and increased awareness.
Injury prevention is about balancing many small factors well. It comes from a combination of:
- Energy availability and fuelling
- Effective warm-ups
- Strength and physical robustness
- Knowing when to rest or seek help early
- Technical efficiency
- Appropriate training loads
No single factor is a magic solution. However, there are key areas athletes can directly control: warming up properly, fuelling adequately, and knowing when to reduce training load or seek support early.
Warm-Up Protocols
A warm-up is not just about “getting warm.” It prepares your muscles, joints, and nervous system for the demands you’re about to place on them.
An effective rowing warm-up should:
- Gradually increase heart rate
- Mobilise key areas (hips, thoracic spine, shoulders)
- Activate stabilising muscles (glutes, core, scapular muscles)
- Reinforce good technical movement patterns
Skipping or rushing a warm-up increases stiffness and reduces your body’s readiness to handle load - particularly through the lower back and rib cage, which already endure repetitive stress in rowing. Dynamic movement is often more beneficial than prolonged static stretching before training.
Let’s hear from one of Rowing New Zealand’s physiotherapists, Tim Devlin, on his thoughts and recommendations.
Tim Devlin:
The primary aim of a warm-up is simply to get moving. Rowing training is often performed in the early mornings, when muscles and joints are still waking up after lying still for long periods.
We are trying to stimulate blood flow, wake up the nervous system, and prepare the brain to coordinate movement patterns for demanding work on the water or in training. Everyone will get stiff in different ways. While it’s always important to mobilise the hips, knees, back and hamstrings, each athlete will have their own individual focus areas.
As you progress through your rowing career, you’ll learn what works best for your body and gradually build your own warm-up routine.
Here are some examples of warm-up exercises for your hips and thoracic spine to try before your next training session.
Energy Availability
Energy availability is often the most overlooked component of injury prevention - yet it may be one of the most important. Rowing requires high training volumes and intensity, and if your energy intake does not match your energy expenditure, your body will struggle to recover and adapt.
Over time, low energy availability increases the risk of injury, particularly stress fractures, rib injuries, hormonal disruption, illness, and persistent fatigue.
Fuelling well means:
- Eating enough total calories
- Prioritising carbohydrates around training
- Including adequate protein for recovery (within 20 minutes post-exercise)
- Maintaining regular meals and snacks
- Under-fuelling can severely limit performance and significantly increase injury risk. Your body needs energy to train, recover, and stay healthy.
We spoke with Dr Julia Bone, High Performance Sport NZ Nutritionist and Nutrition Lead for Rowing NZ, about energy availability to get her expert insights.
Julia Bone:
Your body requires energy from food not only to move your muscles during training, but also to maintain overall health so you can continue to train consistently.
If there’s not enough fuel going in, body systems such as bone health and immunity begin to suffer. These systems may start taking shortcuts, increasing your risk of injury and illness.
Under-fuelling can also limit adaptation to training. You may not get stronger, faster, or technically better as expected, which directly impacts performance.
We then reached out to Sports Physician Deb Robinson about how inadequate fueling affects bone health and hormonal function, and here is what she had to say:
Low energy availability is something young athletes can experience during demanding training or competition periods. With adequate rest and appropriately sized, nutritious meals, most athletes can replenish energy stores and healthily continue training. However, persistent energy deficits can seriously impact endurance, strength, health, and well-being.
Skeletal maturity occurs during the teenage years and early 20s. To build bone mass, athletes must consume enough energy and nutrients to support the hormones responsible for bone development. Adequate energy availability is also essential for maintaining normal bone health into adulthood.
Key Nutrition Tips for Young Rowers
From Dr Julia Bone (High Performance Sport NZ Nutritionist and Nutrition Lead for Rowing NZ):
- Fuel before training: Fill the tank before you hit the water. Whether it’s toast, Weet-Bix, porridge or a smoothie, breakfast is essential.
- Fuel during training: Lollies, sports drink, or bananas help maintain energy levels and keep training quality high.
- Recover after training: Eating and drinking after sessions helps your body repair, adapt and prepare for the next session. Flavoured milk or eggs on toast with juice are simple, effective recovery options.
Knowing When to Step In Early
One of the biggest lessons rowers learn - often the hard way - is the importance of addressing niggles early. Small warning signs often appear before more serious injuries. Persistent tightness, discomfort that worsens with training, or ongoing soreness should never be ignored.
Seeking advice from a physiotherapist early can prevent weeks or months of lost training later. Similarly, unexplained fatigue or weight loss may indicate under-fuelling and should prompt a review of dietary intake.
Rest is not weakness. Sometimes stepping back for a few days or modifying training can allow you to keep progressing long-term.
How can athletes tell the difference between normal soreness and something that needs attention?
Tim Devlin:
This can be tricky, especially when you’re new to a physically demanding sport like rowing. Generally, stiffness or soreness will improve with a warm-up and settle within 1–2 days, even if you continue to train.
Try dynamic movement, light erg or bike work, and self-release techniques like foam rolling. Often this is enough. However, if pain limits your training performance, lasts for hours after sessions, or interferes with daily life, it’s time to seek advice from a physiotherapist, doctor, or experienced health professional.
What are some signs you may not be fuelling enough?
Deb Robinson:
Under-fuelling can impair many physiological systems, including metabolic rate, bone health, immunity, cardiovascular health, and psychological well-being. In young athletes, it can also affect growth and development.
Common signs include fatigue, low energy, underperformance, poor recovery, recurring illness or injury, disrupted menstrual cycles in females, low mood, and reduced enjoyment of the sport.
My Experience
Injury prevention in rowing isn’t about doing one thing perfectly - it’s about consistently doing many small things well and warming up properly. Strengthening your body, fuelling adequately, monitoring training load and asking for help early.
From my own experience, the times I’ve felt strongest and most consistent in training have been when I respected these fundamentals and kept them at the forefront of my mind. Prioritising the basics allows me to train consistently - and consistency is what drives performance. It also plays a huge role in mental well-being. Navigating injury and returning from injury can be incredibly challenging, so staying healthy supports not just performance, but confidence and enjoyment in the sport.
When I warm up properly and fuel for the demands of training, I stay strong, resilient, and fast - it really can be that simple.
On the other hand, periods of injury often followed when one piece of the puzzle slipped. Whether it was under-fuelling, ignoring early warning signs, or becoming complacent with mobility and warm-up routines, those small misjudgements had consequences. They disrupted training blocks, stalled momentum, and ultimately limited performance outcomes.
Rowing demands a lot from your body. The better you look after it, the longer and stronger you’ll be able to perform. Injury prevention isn’t just about avoiding pain - it’s about giving yourself the best opportunity to reach your potential and consistently put your best foot forward.
Kate Haines
Kate Haines has been part of the New Zealand Rowing Team and is studying Accounting at Massey University. She is NZ Olympian #1567, who competed in the Paris Olympics.
