Chiropractic Care for Surfers: Managing Shoulder, Back and Neck Pain From Surfing

With Merewether, Redhead and Dudley all within easy reach of Charlestown, surfing is a huge part of life for a lot of Dr. Adam Arnold’s patients. The combination of paddling, popping up and the occasional heavy wipeout puts real strain through the shoulders, lower back and neck, and plenty of surfers at Be Amazing Chiropractic have been managing niggles for longer than they’d like to admit.

What Actually Causes Pain in Surfers

According to Better Health Channel, the leg, head, face, back, shoulder and arm are the body parts most frequently injured in surfing, and the main cause of injury is contact with your own board or someone else’s — along with wipeouts and striking the seabed in shallow water. Beyond acute injuries, the repetitive paddling motion and the extended, arched lower back position needed to paddle and watch for waves both place ongoing load on the shoulders and spine.

Common Pain Patterns We See in Surfers

At Be Amazing Chiropractic, surfers tend to describe a familiar handful of patterns: shoulder pain from repetitive paddling, lower back tightness from the arched paddling position, and neck stiffness from holding your head up to watch the swell. Some notice it building gradually across a season of regular surfing, while others feel it appear suddenly after a heavy wipeout or a longer-than-usual paddle out.

How Chiropractic Care Can Support Your Surfing

Dr. Adam Arnold brings more than 30 years of Australian clinical chiropractic experience to assessing surfers, combining Traditional Chiropractic Care with Zone Technique and Quantum Neurology to look at how your shoulders, spine and nervous system are coping with the demands of paddling and popping up — not just the spot that’s sore. An assessment covers your surfing history and how often you’re in the water, and a hands-on examination, before discussing an approach that may include manual treatment and practical guidance on shoulder and core strength to support paddling. As with any care, results vary from person to person and outcomes can’t be guaranteed — the goal is to help you understand what’s going on and manage it sensibly alongside your surfing, not to promise a fix.

Staying in the Water: A Few Practical Habits

Better Health Channel recommends warming up and stretching before paddling out, choosing conditions and sessions that match your fitness level, and taking lessons from an accredited surf school if you’re building technique from scratch. Checking conditions before you head out and never surfing alone if you’re inexperienced are also worth taking seriously.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is shoulder pain just part of surfing regularly?

It’s common among regular surfers, but common isn’t the same as something you should ignore. Ongoing or worsening pain is worth having properly assessed rather than paddled through indefinitely.

Could my paddling technique be contributing to my pain?

Possibly — the extended, arched position used for paddling and watching the swell places real load on the lower back and shoulders, and an assessment can look at how your body is coping with it.

Should I get checked after a heavy wipeout even if nothing feels broken?

If you’ve had a significant impact and notice ongoing pain, stiffness, numbness or reduced movement, it’s worth getting assessed rather than assuming it will settle on its own.

Will chiropractic care fix my pain permanently?

No one can promise that, and Dr. Arnold won’t. What an assessment can offer is a clearer picture of what’s contributing to your symptoms and a sensible plan for managing them going forward.

Is it normal for surfers to get neck pain?

It’s common, since paddling and watching for waves both require holding your head and neck up in an extended position for long stretches. Ongoing neck stiffness is worth mentioning at an assessment alongside any shoulder or back symptoms.

If surfing has left you with shoulder, back or neck pain, book a $99 New Patient assessment with Be Amazing Chiropractic in Charlestown and get a clear picture of what’s going on.

Related reading: Chiropractor Redhead: What to Expect at Your First Visit and What Causes Sciatica, and When Should You See a Chiropractor?