Helping rowers recover, stay strong, and perform on the water

At Up N Adam Performance Training & Physiotherapy, we support rowers from school crews and club athletes to masters rowers. Rowing is a repetitive, high-load sport that places major demands on the back, hips, and shoulders. Whether you’re a sculler, sweep rower, or part of an eight, our physio team can help you recover from injury, improve movement efficiency, and maximise rowing performance.

Common Rowing Injuries We Treat​

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• Lower back pain (disc irritation, muscle strain)

• Rib stress reactions from repetitive loading

• Knee pain and patellofemoral overload

• Hip flexor and hamstring strains

• Wrist and forearm overuse injuries

• Shoulder impingement and rotator cuff pain

Why Rowing Injuries Happen
 

Rowing involves thousands of repeated strokes under load, which can lead to overuse injuries.

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• Lower back pain comes from repetitive flexion and rotation.

• Rib stress occurs from constant trunk rotation and muscular pull.

• Knee and hip injuries stem from repetitive drive at the catch.

• Wrist and shoulder problems result from prolonged gripping and pulling on the oar.

How We Assess Rowers
 

We look at rowing-specific strength, flexibility, and technique.

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• VALD dynamometer: grip strength, hip and knee force testing.

• ForceDecks: leg drive and symmetry analysis.

• NordBord: hamstring strength for catch and drive power.

• Movement screen: spinal mobility, shoulder stability, hip range of motion.

• Rowing stroke review (if video available).

Treatment & Rehab for Rowers
 

Our programs target both injury recovery and rowing performance.

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• Manual therapy for pain relief and mobility.

• Strength and conditioning for trunk, hips, and shoulders.

• Technique retraining to reduce overuse stress.

• Core endurance programs for long races and training sessions.

• Graded return-to-rowing with monitored volume progression.

Preventing Future Injuries & Building Performance
 

We help rowers build resilience and improve performance.

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• Strength training for glutes, hamstrings, and trunk stability.

• Mobility work for hips, spine, and shoulders.

• Injury-prevention warm-ups tailored to rowers.

• VALD testing to track force output and asymmetries.

Supporting Newcastle’s Rowing Community

From Hunter Rowing Club on Throsby Creek to school rowing programs around Newcastle and Lake Macquarie, we’re proud to support athletes at every level.

Ready to Row Pain-Free?

Don’t let injury keep you off the water.
Book your rowing physio session today with Newcastle’s rowing physio specialists

Click here to read about Swimming injuries, or return to all sports here.