# High brace = dislocated shoulder



## DevanJohnson (Apr 21, 2011)

Came out on castle creek- slaughterhouse. Now my season's over. Let me be an example


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## BobN (Mar 28, 2006)

Define what you mean by high brace and how it caused your dislocation. A properly executed high brace has a low degree of risk; An improperly executed high brace (and a bunch of other improperly executed strokes) will rip your shoulder out.


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## DevanJohnson (Apr 21, 2011)

Improperly executed high brace equals shoulder dislocation


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## bonzola (Apr 13, 2005)

all high braces are danger


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## chepora (Feb 6, 2008)

Bob, can you enlighten us as to the difference btwn a properly executed high brace and an improper one...I am very curious to know what the differences are. Thanks


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## yakr (Apr 30, 2010)

Sorry to hear that Devan; I did the same thing last May. The good news is with all of the runoff there will still be some dam release runs going when you are healed up in ~3 months. Good luck with the rehab!


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## krashhadley (Mar 13, 2008)

I second the motion to clarify a proper high brace. I was under the impression that low brace was the only "safe" brace. Sucks about your shoulder man, I hope you at least get to booze cruise with some rafters.


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## deepsouthpaddler (Apr 14, 2004)

I use the high brace frequently... and there are multiple situations where it is the stroke of choice.

A proper high brace has the elbow down at belly button level and close to your body, and your shoudler is all the way down. Wrists are at shoulder level with the power face of the blade down. 

A high brace executed from an aggressive forward leaning position can be used to ride diaganol waves and to keep from flipping in turbulent drops.

The wrong way to do a high brace is to let your elbows come up and away from your body, let your shoulder rise up, and let your hands come up at near head level.

Its easy to tell beginners never to do a high brace, but for more advanced boaters, the key is knowing when and how to do a high brace.

Bummer about your shoulder injury.


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## KSC (Oct 22, 2003)

That sucks about the shoulder injury. Seems like a lot of injures lately getting chalked up lately. Be safe (message for myself as well).

Regarding the high brace, I often have some trouble distinguishing between a high brace and forward stroke. I mean, I know what a flailing high oh-shit brace looks like, but I feel like I fairly frequently do things that are probably like a high brace but I turn them into forward strokes. Know what I mean? Expert comments? I've honestly seen very few - perhaps zero - kayakers that never use a high brace. How it's executed definitely can reduce the risk: elbows in, rotating the torso instead of stretching out the arm, etc.


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## deepsouthpaddler (Apr 14, 2004)

Agree... agressive forward posture allows you to turn a high brace for instant stability into a forward stoke in kind of a dynamic duffek stroke kind of move. Use it all the time.


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## goldcamp (Aug 9, 2006)

deepsouthpaddler said:


> I use the high brace frequently... and there are multiple situations where it is the stroke of choice.
> 
> A proper high brace has the elbow down at belly button level and close to your body, and your shoudler is all the way down. Wrists are at shoulder level with the power face of the blade down.
> 
> ...


I agree this is the safest way to brace. I'm just not sure I would call what you just described here is as a "high brace" The bottom line is, elbows out away from your body equals destruction. Keep em tight boys!


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## BobN (Mar 28, 2006)

High brace = any brace with the powerface down
Properly-executed high brace - Deepsouth paddler pretty much nailed it. Elbows low and tight. hands below shoulder. Use torso rotation and head dink to come up. And yes, a high-brace can easily turn into a forward stoke and vice-versa. Think about it, you bassically come up on a high brace any time you roll.

The reason I commented is that I see many people state or think you shouldn't high brace when you should really learn how to properly execute a high brace. Definitely need to learn how to low brace (power face up) as well and use that whenever possible.


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## Preston H. (Jun 25, 2008)

Devan - I hope your recovery goes quickly. 

I think there is a common misconception that a high brace is a brace where the arms are extended perpendicular to the deck, even above the head, so that the paddle is held high. As BobN said, high or low refers to the orientation of the blade to the water, not the position of the paddle relative to the deck. From what I heard from Devan, it sounds like overextending on a high brace caused his injury.


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## Cutch (Nov 4, 2003)

Preston H. said:


> I think there is a common misconception that a high brace is a brace where the arms are extended perpendicular to the deck, even above the head, so that the paddle is held high. As BobN said, high or low refers to the orientation of the blade to the water, not the position of the paddle relative to the deck.


Correct and so true. I would venture that the majority of river runners and creek boaters that never took the time to develop their freestyle skills use a high brace nearly 100% of the time, which is okay as long as you keep your high brace low, because a high brace is supposed to be low. A low brace is also supposed to be low.


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## Anchorless (Aug 3, 2010)

Maybe a really stupid question, but what is the difference between a high brace and a brace stroke?

I guess here is why I'm asking... general advice for rolling in moving water is to roll and then stabilize with a forward stroke. But I've also heard this referred to as a high brace or a brace stroke. The idea is, obviously, to have your paddle in the water as if you were stroking forward. 

Is the difference simply in the type of water you're in; e.g.: hole vs. rapids/waves? I can see how you would want to use a high brace (stroke) in the latter, but not the former. 

I'm at that point in my boating where I'm trying to ween myself of any bad habits I've developed to "survive" playing in holes. One such bad habit while side surfing: using a high brace. It worked, but now by trying to not do it, I find myself rolling a lot more, and then reluctant to let moving water catch my paddle to pop me up again (instead, I now just opt to set up, flush and roll).


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## Aroberts (Apr 20, 2009)

This picture hurts my shoulders just looking at it.


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## Theophilus (Mar 11, 2008)

Thanks. A picture is worth a thousand words. What a text book example of an improper high brace. He must have been absent when the instructor was discussing the 'paddlers box"


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## BobN (Mar 28, 2006)

That would be ugly if he was actually bracing. however, paddle isn't even touching the foam. Looks to me like he has his arms up to clear the foam pile. Not necessarily great form, but pretty damn common.


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## Aroberts (Apr 20, 2009)

This is the next picture. 

I hate to admit it but that's me. I'm glad someone was on shore to get these pictures so I can learn from them and save the shoulders. Even if I wasn't technically bracing at that point I sure as hell should not be extented my arms out like that. 

When I saw this thread I had to post the picture for obvious reason's


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## Nathan (Aug 7, 2004)

He's just raising his arms to his 0 degree feather doesn't cause him to get surfed.


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## Theophilus (Mar 11, 2008)

I've done the same arms extended over head move reaching deep for green water in a hole to be pulled out. It worked but I felt it enough afterwards to not be so quick to do it again.


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## cadster (May 1, 2005)

What dislocates the shoulder is when the arm gets pushed up and back. 

The low brace is naturally done down and your wrist can absorb a shock. A disadvantage to a high brace is you lose the flex in your wrist.

I'm getting high with my low brace in the pic, but still can absorb a shock with my wrist.


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## festivus (Apr 22, 2006)

Its all about joint stability. The rotator cuff stabilizes the shoulder joint out to about 90 degree's. The glenoid usually prevents upward motion, but after you rotate above 90, the soft tissue component of stability is gone for anterior and inferior movement. If the center of your paddle is climbing to the top of your helmet, your at risk.


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## DevanJohnson (Apr 21, 2011)

I originally posted this as a warning to the intermediate paddler who never really took the time to dial in a crucial and fundamental concept. Clearly, I don't have the background to comment on the subtleties of every brace, but I was caught with my elbow out leaning back. I rarely find myself in this position, but it only takes one time. Now the season that I was so looking forward to is pretty much up in smoke, including climbing which I spend much more time on than kayaking.

Thanks for all the well wishes. As an interesting note, my shoulder came out while kayaking with Harlan Taney (whom I had just met), who was super helpful and more than willing to help try to field reduce my dislocation. We probably tried six or seven times before we pulled the plug and headed to the er. I thought for sure we had it, but it kept popping back out. Harlan along with Jason from Georgia, was cool enough to meet me at the hospital and get in touch with my wife. Both of these guys could pick any spot on the globe and paddle at a level most of us dream about. Instead they found themselves with a gumby with a busted shoulder. I owe them a debt of gratitude. Hope to see you out there next year.


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## Ture (Apr 12, 2004)

Good luck with the recovery. I thought of this thread when I saw a photo that got posted in the photo gallery recently. Elbows UP, lean BACK... booyah!...


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## maureen (Jul 22, 2008)

Devan, Heard about your injury and that sucks!! Had a great time out with you guys on the Gorge before that. Anytime you want to sit in the boat and drink Jack you're welcome. Bring Sarah. She's a great paddler and a lot of fun!! Take care. You'll be back before this season ends! Maureen


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## DevanJohnson (Apr 21, 2011)

Thanks Maureen! MRI next week, but feels way better, Sara and I would be psyched to get back on the river with you guys, we had a blast!


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## BobN (Mar 28, 2006)

Though I don't know you, good luck with the shoulder. I hope it heals up fast. Ture - the "burning man" position seems to be a favorite for inexperienced waterfall runners. Worries me every time I see it, particularly when they lay way back on the back deck. Good water fall running involves leaning slightly to hard forward (depending on boof vs. plug) with hands and paddle as close to the deck as possible.


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