The important activity of the flexor muscles in the fingers in windsurfing compared to other muscle group activity is thus clearly established; it now seems it could be interesting to study this activity to reveal the positions in which it is the strongest.

Our study confirms the results of previous studies by showing the flexor muscle activity in the fingers is stronger when the hand is in pronation. This would explain the pain felt by most windsurfers in their forearms. These pains are linked to an accumulation of lactic acid associated with weak localized oxygenation.

To hold off the presence of these pains and fatigue, the surfer frequently changes hand positions (palm up or down). This intermittent change improves the quality of vascular circulation.

To rest, the windsurfer can also hold the wishbone in the crook of their arm or with the armpit of the following arm, but there is a risk of nerve and vascular compression and this position cannot be held very long. The use of a wishbone which is small in diameter (28 mm) seems to decrease the muscular activity of the flexors in the fingers, and thus using this type of wishbone can avoid muscular pain in the forearm for as long as possible.

nick0 said...

the only pain i get in my arms is after sailing for a few hours and my muscles are just sore from sailing in general .. what is it about the diamiter that causes pain?

decrepit said...

When we came back from 3 months in Europe last year I went for a distance effort in the GTC. Soft hands + long distance = bleeding hands. So I bought some gloves for the next time I went out, after 15mins or so my forearms pumped up and were very sore, couldn't sail for very long until my blisters healed and I could discard the gloves.

decrepit said...



Fear, -- adrenalin.
Quite often I find myself gripping much harder than necessary, if I concentrate quite often I can have sufficient control with just finger tips, but as soon as I stop concentrating, there I go again gripping tightly.
Haven't tried this at 30+ knots over chop though.

easty said...

A simple test - put your forearm up in front of you, with your hand bent over as if on a boom - change the diameter of your grip (extend and contract fingers) and watch (or feel with your other hand) the forearm muscle changing shape. The larger the diameter, the more the muscle stretches out. If you are in an office, your co-workers will just think you've lost it for a while, don't worry about them So I think this means a narrower boom will cause less lactic acid build up that gives you the pumped feeling.

drift said...



I agree Decrepit,
I used gloves over the start of winter and couldn't work out why I was getting pain in my forearms. Kato suggested that the thickness of the glove (they were sailing gloves) was enough to make me stretch my grip slightly and apply more grip pressure.
I got rid of the gloves and straight away the pain went away.