Shoulder burn is a real pain for surfers

In the last 9 days, I went out surfing 7 times, so my shoulders are definitely feeling it.

My break has a rating of “medium” for shoulder burn, meaning it’s worse on bigger days requiring more effort to get into and stay in position.

But that’s not how everyone else understands shoulder burn. And that’s what we’ll be talking about today.

The good pain (and the bad)

Shoulder burn. To me, it’s that feeling you get after a session, where some of it’s the good pain—hey-I’ve-exercised pain. And some of it is that kind of exhaustion that makes you rethink your life choices.

Is surfing life?

No wonder I do want to know why surfing is so hard on our shoulders, how to tell the difference between normal fatigue and the start of something more doctor-visit-requiring serious, and what you can actually do to fix it—and prevent it in the first place.

Why it happens

Surfers spend about 80% of their time paddling—thousands of strokes in a single session. That sounds like a really high number, I’m not sure if I quite believe it. But that alone is enough to wear you down.

Your shoulders are the most mobile joints in your body. They have this huge range of motion because they’re held together mainly by tendons instead of stronger ligaments. Great for mobility. Terrible for stability.

Over time, all that paddling creates an imbalance. Your internal rotators—muscles like your pecs and subscapularis—get super strong and tight. Meanwhile, the little stabilizer muscles in your upper back and rotator cuff get tired and weak.

When that imbalance goes on too long, you get problems: impingement, tendinitis, or even tears.

The science in plain English

When you paddle, especially with your arm reaching overhead, a little tendon in your rotator cuff called the supraspinatus slides through a tight gap in your shoulder.

Over time, that tendon can get pinched or inflamed. This is what people call shoulder impingement.

It feels like a dull ache or a sharp pinch when you lift your arm or reach behind you. Sometimes it even sends pain down your arm.

If you ignore it, that swollen tendon starts to fray, and you end up with a partial or full rotator cuff tear. That’s when simple movements—like putting on a t-shirt—suddenly hurt like hell.

⚠️ When to worry

So how do you know if it’s just normal muscle fatigue or something more serious? Here are a few red flags to watch for:

• Pain that’s sharp or stabbing, especially when you lift your arm overhead.
• A feeling like your shoulder is weak or unstable.
• Pain that doesn’t go away with rest.
• Pain radiating down your arm to your elbow or hand.
• Waking up at night because your shoulder hurts.

If you’ve got any of those, it’s time to see a doctor or physical therapist. I’ve just checked: I am a-okay for now.

Why rest alone isn’t enough

Here’s something a lot of people get wrong: they rest for a month and expect their shoulder to magically heal.

The problem? Resting too long causes your muscles to weaken and lose coordination. So when you go back to surfing, you’re even more likely to get injured again.

Yes, you need to give your shoulder a break if it’s inflamed. But you also need targeted exercises to rebuild strength, balance, and mobility.

What actually helps—from people who know what they’re talking about

Modify your paddling

• Try paddling with a straight elbow instead of bent. This uses your lats more and reduces stress on your rotator cuff.
• If you have pain, bend the opposite knee while paddling. This shortens the lever through your back and shoulder and can take pressure off. Ridiculous, but it works.
• Keep your thumb up as your hand enters the water to avoid pinching the tendon overhead.

Warm up first

• Even a few minutes of shoulder circles, arm swings, or resistance band work can make a big difference.
• I’m such a lazy surfer. I just want to run into the water, but the risk of injury has convinced me to do some warmups beforehand.

Strengthen the rightmMuscles
Focus on your external rotators and scapular stabilizers. Here are a few exercises you can do:

• Stop signs: Pull a resistance band apart to open your shoulders.
• Side-lying External Rotations: Lie on your side and lift a light weight from your stomach up to the ceiling.
• Scapular squeezes: Sit or stand tall and pinch your shoulder blades together.

Improve thoracic, meaning your mid-back, mobility

• Foam roll your mid-back.
• Stretch your pecs.
• The stiffer your upper back, the more your shoulders have to compensate.

Rethink your wetsuit

• If getting into a tight chest zip wetsuit makes your shoulder flare up, consider a back zip or thinner suit—even if it’s a bit colder.
• I used to unzip my wetsuit when the paddling was getting too much with shoulder pain. Or surf in the tropics—here’s a solution.

Surf smarter

• Shorter sessions (easier said than done)
• Longer rests between sets (easier said than done)
• Surf smaller waves or less crowded breaks if you’re rehabbing. (oh come on!)

I read this somewhere, and I am totally stealing it—shoulder pain is the price of admission in surfing.

Shoulders take a beating from all the paddling, pop-ups, and throwing the board over the top of whitewater. But that doesn’t mean you have to accept chronic pain as part of the deal.

If you pay attention to your body, build strength in the right places, and modify your technique, you can surf longer and hurt less.

And remember—rest is good, but smart, active recovery is better.