Abstract

Evidence from Allen and Jong (2006) literature review suggests that injuries and illness related to sailing are not unusual. Physical demands of sailing vary with boat class and crew position and thus injuries may differ on the basis of the specific job stressors. Injuries may result from, overuse, overtraining, a lack of general fitness or macrotraumatic incidents. Many actions in sailing are sudden and sporadic, placing muscles at high risk by performing explosive, powerful moves, often when they are not warmed up. Sudden, strong movements in hiking may lead to back and knee problems, and constant mainsheet handling can result in shoulder and arm injuries. Physical actions around a sailboat are often awkward, resulting in rotating, hyperextending, locking, or twisting of joints. Inherent postural problems in many crew positions play a role in musculoskeletal issues. Inadequate fitness training may exacerbate common muscular imbalances associated with changing forces on opposing muscle groups while sailing. Lack of warming up, stretching, and cooling down surrounding a race may also increase the risk of injury.