Twenty years ago, the fitness industry was divided on the concept of there being ‘good’ and ‘bad’ forms of cardiovascular exercise. The dogma amongst exercise scientists was that all exercise was good for the body, be it running, cycling, swimming, or any other one of hundreds of activities. What mattered wasn’t the platform which we exercised on or even the type of exercise that happened, but the action involved with increasing blood flow and working our hearts.

Now, modern exercise scientists are often overheard claiming the exact opposite. High impact exercises are touted as activities to avoid, causing undue stress to the ankles, knees, and hips and lining athletes up for potentially serious injuries and long-term problems. It’s become increasingly common to hear of athletes in sports such as rugby or football ending up with lifelong injuries, all because of the nature of their sport.

Rowing, however, tends to avoid most of the injuries associated with high-impact sports and exercises. One of the least full-body-intensive activities available to cardiovascular exercisers, rowing is as much a low-impact exercise as cycling and swimming – two forms of fitness often touted as the best out there for people concerned about the potential side effects of their personal fitness regimes.

Unlike running and climbing, two activities with high injury frequencies and the potential to seriously damage the knees and ankles, rowing is almost completely free of long-term lower body injury spots. With knee, ankle, and shin damage often appearing as the most physically prohibitive and potentially expensive injuries, a rowing machine (often called an ergometer) can prove a worthwhile investment for athletes looking to minimize the risk of long-term injury while still remaining active and fit.

Why rowing machines help minimize injuries to the thighs and knees:

Rowing machines use a fixed point of resistance to ensure that every motion, no matter how sudden or smooth, carries the same level of resistance and weight. The flywheel of a modern rowing machine is often customizable, giving rowers varied degrees of resistance and power depending on their own strength and endurance levels. Unlike running or swimming – two activities devoid of variable resistance – there’s little to rowing that isn’t customizable.

This means that injuries to the knees and ankles – two of the most frequent injury spots for runners – are almost completely non-existent when using a rowing machine. The ankles are relatively fixed during proper rowing technique, giving users the ability to exert maximum force without having to worry about intense pressure on potentially weak joints, broken or rolled ankles, or even slight injuries to the lower leg such as shin splits.

Alongside the lack of impact on the ankles, rowing results in almost no impact to the knees – another frequent injury site. Long-term injuries to the knees are common in distance runners and high-impact athletes, often severe to the point where surgery is the only true solution. While running puts the knees in a position of near constant impact, rowing does the exact opposite, using the knees as little more than a pivot point for upper body action.

Are rowing machines completely injury-free?

Few forms of exercise are completely free of the possibility for injury. While swimming is often touted as the ultimate form of ‘risk-free’ exercise, it too tends to run into the same old problems and breaking points. Torn muscles and ruined shoulder movement are frequent problems amongst swimmers, many of whom fall victim to the effects of endless repetitive movements and extended reaching.

Just like almost every other form of exercise, rowing does have its share downsides and injury points. Complaints of posterior chain soreness are relatively common amongst rowers, particularly those with poor technique or misjudged ability, and can result in long-term injuries and soreness if not treated properly.

Proper rowing technique is not dependent on the upper body for its power. Novice rowers often fall into the trap of drawing almost all of their power from their upper body, particularly the shoulders and back. Physiotherapists cite frequent visits from gym rats and novice rowers who simply aren’t using the correct technique on their ergometers, the majority of whom end up with back problems and injuries.

Rather than drawing power from the upper body alone, skilled rowers use their entire body to propel them through a successful motion, including the powerful muscles in the thighs and stomach. Proper rowing technique also balances breathing with movement – combining inward breathing and rhythm on the outward motion and exhaled breathing during the pulling motion.

How important is correct technique for successful rowing?

Rowing isn’t a heavily weighted exercise, and it’s relatively uncommon to hear of serious injuries caused by rowing in isolation. Injuries are common amongst competitive rowers and successful teams, but when treated as an exercise activity and not as a profession, rowing is significantly less dependent on technique than other forms of cardiovascular exercise.

However, technique is an important part of rowing, not just for injury prevention but for successful exercise and maximum effort. Professional rowers are quick to point out the importance of good technique to new rowers, highlighting that the upper body shouldn’t be the main point of pivot movement. Successful rowing depends on your lower body too, and excessive movement can lead to light injury or post-workout pain.

Treat your rowing efforts as a skill-building exercise and you’ll ultimately go further to prevent injuries and boost your fitness levels than those without similar discipline. Trained rowers are more successful in burning calories and improving their physical strength than their untrained rivals, largely because of their reliance on correct technique and ability to strengthen multiple muscle groups at once.

Like any other sport, rowing can attract injuries. Prevent them by being active and self-aware. If you feel uncomfortable, sore, or just awkward while on a rowing machine, speak to a skilled rower and have them work out what’s holding you back. Rowing isn’t renowned for injuries, but they can happen. Five minutes spent improving technique will save you hours down the line, not just in wasted time spent burning calories inefficiently, but in the hundreds of hours spent recovering from an injury.