What Injury Recovery Really Looks Like for Rowers
Why Rowing Injuries Feel So Isolating
One of the hardest parts about being injured as a rower isn’t just the pain.
It’s the separation.
You’re no longer training with your crew.
You lose your normal routine.
You spend more time with physios and rehab exercises than you do on the water.
And for a lot of athletes, that disconnect can feel incredibly lonely.
That’s exactly why I sat down with on the Rowing on the Square Podcast.
Jack shared his journey from chronic sciatica and long-term rehab to eventually making the Great Britain rowing team.
The Biggest Mistake Injured Rowers Make
One of the most powerful things Jack talked about was this:
You can’t treat rehab like a side project.
Recovery has to become the priority.
Instead of identifying as “just a rower,” Jack shifted his mindset toward becoming someone fully focused on fixing the problem — mobility work, core strength, posture, journaling symptoms, and learning what triggered setbacks.
That mindset shift changed everything.
Recovery Is About Consistency, Not Perfection
A huge takeaway from this conversation was how small daily habits matter more than occasional big efforts.
For Jack, progress came from:
- tracking symptoms daily
- improving mobility
- building core strength
- reducing unnecessary strain outside training
- and staying consistent even when progress felt slow
That consistency eventually allowed him to return to full training volume and compete at the elite level.
What Rowers Need to Remember During Rehab
Injury recovery is rarely linear.
There are setbacks.
There are flare-ups.
There are moments where it feels like nothing is improving.
But recovery is possible.
Sometimes the biggest gains come from learning how to listen to your body, adjust your training, and stay patient through the process.
And most importantly:
You are not alone in it.
If you need assistance with getting your training on track as you age check out Square Performance, Rowing on the Square's training performance community!