Crew and rowing produce overuse back injuries at one of the highest rates among adolescent sports, alongside the water-safety risks of any open-water activity. The catastrophic risks are rare but documented.

One. Lower-back injuries. The rowing motion involves repetitive lumbar flexion-extension under load. Adolescent rowers logging high training volume develop spondylolysis (lumbar stress fracture), disc issues, and persistent low-back pain. AAOS data supports volume management and technique work as the primary preventions.

Two. Rib stress fractures. Rare but documented in serious rowers. The repetitive intercostal muscle load can produce stress reactions in the ribs themselves.

Three. Blisters and hand injuries. Universal at all levels. Tape, gloves, hand care matter. Severe blisters can produce infection requiring medical attention.

Four. Knee injuries. The repetitive compression at the catch can produce patellar tendinopathy.

Five. Water safety. Capsizing, falls into cold water, and (rarely) collisions with other boats. USRowing requires safety launches accompanying practices and races on open water. Wearing or having immediate access to flotation devices is the standard.

Six. Cold-water exposure. Spring and fall rowing seasons in northern climates produce cold-water-shock risk. The hypothermia-on-the-field piece applies to capsize events.

Seven. Heat illness during summer training. Indoor erg training in heat. Outdoor training in heat. Standard protocols.

What parents should ask before signing up.

“What is the volume progression policy, particularly for back-care?”

“What is the on-water safety launch ratio?”

“What is the flotation-device policy?”

“What is the cold-water protocol for shoulder-season rowing?”

“Where is the AED and is at least one adult CPR/AED certified?”

A program with answers is one that has done the work.

The honest read. Crew is one of the more-demanding youth sports for back health. Programs that manage volume and emphasize technique produce kids who row through college. Programs that emphasize volume without back-care produce documented chronic injury rates. Water safety protocols at the program level matter more than individual swimming ability for the rare capsize event.