As the sport continues to grow we begin seeing more and more cases of active kiters which range from average-intermediate up to professionals with knee braces, or mentioning back problems. Unfortunately, in most cases they are injuries that occur while kiteboarding.

This raises the question- why are these injuries becoming more common, and can we do anything to help prevent them?

Once an individual learns to kiteboard they seem to forget that they are still doing an extreme sport. Kiteboarding has so many variables and it really takes a toll on your body. Sure… many believe that accidents are only happening to those who are competing professionally and doing freestyle. This is not necessarily true; professionals are probably on the smaller percentile of those injured. Most injuries are from the grand majority of kiteboarder which do not push high levels of freestyle and kiteboard recreationally.

In previous tips, we mentioned the importance of incorporating some sort of exercise into your life to maintain your overall health. As kiteboarders we must remember to keep our lower backs, core, shoulders and quadriceps not only strong though flexible to help prevent injuries. How you go about training these parts is up to you. Doing dynamic exercises at home or in the gym will be the easiest way to train.

Just because you are kiteboarding everyday does not excuse you from training, and preparing your body for future sessions. Incorporating regular exercises into your routine will pay you huge dividends in the long run!

Let us know what you think: should we be training off the water in addition to kiteboarding regularly to help prevent injuries? Write in the comments below!