Dragon Boat West

Anyone else get what seems to be a calcium build up on their knee cap where it presses and moves up and down the gunnel? I have paddled on my right all season and have developed a bump on the right knee.............

Can anyone relate to this???

My wife developed a calcium build-up (1 mm) late last year in her shoulder socket, preventing her from raising her right arm above her head. She has paddled for 5 years almost entirely on her right side. Physio seemed to help a bit.

Is there any kind of ultrasound treatment to break down the calcium growth? 

when i read this, i thought it was because of the gemini's new retrofit haha

I was hit by a car last year in March (which is the middle of my training) and I was running a lot, so I developed a long stress fracture on the front of my shin. Since then, there have been calcium deposits running up my leg, making it lumpy and painful.

I can relate, but it isn't as related to paddling as it is to running. Hurts like a  :shock: when it gets touched when I steer/drum though.

I thought it would be a bit more common then the response I see here.

I'm not 100% sure its calcium but its a little lumpy thingy floating on the right side of the knee cap.

It definatley from the gunnel, a simple knee pad should fix.........or learn to paddle left!!! :D

lol i have it on my right knee and i paddle right, it's nothing to worry about it's just some hardened skin because it keeps getting rubbed a lot, maybe try a different position or something?

I'll never understand why teams persist in training on one side!  So many problems!

Anyway, it could be something like Haglund's deformity (aka pump bump) but on the knee instead of the heel.  I have them on the back of both my heels from playing hockey as the skates used to really rub the back of my heel.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haglund's_deformity

Perhaps something similar happens when you repeatedly rub your knee on the side of the gunnel.

Glad to see that I wasn't the only one who noticed. I had one on my right knee when I used to paddle exclusively on the right side. Now that I've been on OC1 and switched over to the left side on DB, I haven't had this problem anymore. :)

I dont think this issue is that common. It all depends on how you do your leg drive I believe.
My knees rarely touch the side when I do my leg drive. If anything, butt chafing is a problem, but that's where butt pad comes in to play.

Try sitting flush to the gunnel and half of the butt cheek hanging off of the seat and your knees shouldn't touch anymore. (unless of course you're really tall, I'm 5'10)

I agree, never had knee problems, only butt - chafe/blisters/bleeding on occasion...oh well, all for the team :lol:

ditto...

Have you seen a sports orthopaedist/knee specialist? I have a similar-sounding thing on my finger after jamming it extremely hard between the gunwhale and my paddle handle. It's a cyst, but solid and not drainable. Has to be cut out. I have an appointment with a surgeon Monday.

Depending on the location of the calcific deposit, a musculoskeletal specialist who uses ultrasound guidance can place a needle in and try to break up the deposit.  Continuing a specific daily home exercise program as outlined by physical therapy to strengthen the rotator cuff and scapular stabilizers should be ongoing.

I think lots of us have a tendency to rest our outside leg/knee against the gunnel to try and stabilize ourselves.  It can help compensate for fatiguing and possible inflexible core/pelvic muscles in the context of getting forward and not leaning outside the boat.  If there's too much friction between the knee and the gunnel, it can limit how far forward your outside leg is flexing and coming forward (in an attempt to load up that leg) during the setup.  I remember playing with my amount of knee contact against the gunnel and found that when I truly keep my knee off the gunnel and in line between my hip and ankle, I get some great leg drive, but my leg burn much faster.

A lightweight neoprene knee sleeve may be something to try..

I guess it's definitely the position as to how you paddle, our technique focuses on having parts of our shoulder (and therefore weight) outside the boat. In doing so, its more common to have hip rash (as we hug the gunnel with our hip causing less contact with the knee). Hip rash issues sometimes is combated with dri-fit clothing lol

Thanks to everyone’s input so far, it’s been helpful.

I had an unrelated appointment with an orthopedic surgeon in Vancouver last week.
I told him about the situation with the knee bump, he gave it a bit of a feel and said” don’t worry about it”...........Thanks Mr.De Niro.

All of the advice about my posture during paddling makes a sense; I’ll give that a try.

On another note: same knee.....has anyone had ACL reconstruction?