Paddleboarding Recovery: Shoulders, Back, Fuel, Sun and Sleep

This article contains affiliate links: if you buy through them we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. Learn more.

You carry the board up the beach, drop it on the grass and feel it: tired shoulders, a tight lower back, a little sun on your face and that good, worked-out calm. Whether it was a two-hour lake tour, a downwind run or a race, what you do in the next few hours and that night decides how you feel on your next paddle. This page covers paddleboarding recovery for every level: warming up and drying off, refueling and rehydrating, looking after shoulders and back, sunburn, sleep, and the recovery tools paddlers actually use.

General information, not medical advice. Pain that lasts or gets worse needs a sports medicine doctor, physical therapist or athletic trainer. Back to the paddleboarding hub.

Right after: off the water, warm and dry

• Paddle the last few minutes easy. An easy cool-down helps you come down gradually. Research on active cool-downs shows mixed effects on next-day performance, but most athletes find it feels better than stopping cold.
• Get dry and warm if the water or wind was cold. The CDC lists shivering, exhaustion, confusion, fumbling hands and slurred speech as hypothermia signs: get into a warm place, take off wet clothes and warm the core, with warm, non-alcoholic drinks if the person is alert. Confusion or drowsiness is an emergency.
• Check in with your float-plan person so nobody starts a search.
• Rinse off salt or lake water, and clean any cuts with soap and clean water (CDC advice for wounds exposed to salt or brackish water).

Refuel and rehydrate

In a 2021 study, paddlers lost about 1.2% of body weight in sessions of roughly an hour, more in heat and on longer, harder paddles. The joint position of the American College of Sports Medicine and the sports dietitians’ groups suggests drinking about 1.25 to 1.5 liters for every kilogram lost when you need to recover fast, ideally with some sodium from food or a drink mix. For food, a meal with carbohydrate and 15 to 25 g of protein in the first hours after a hard paddle covers most needs; on back-to-back race or tour days, the same guidance suggests about 1 to 1.2 g of carbohydrate per kg of body weight per hour for the first four hours. For a 70 kg (154 lb) paddler that’s roughly 70 to 85 g an hour. After an easy one-hour paddle, your next normal meal is fine. More on the nutrition page.

Shoulders and lower back

The shoulder and lower back are where paddlers get hurt most: in the first SUP injury study, the shoulder and upper arm accounted for 33% of injuries and the lower back 14%, mostly from long or hard paddling. A few minutes of care after paddling goes a long way:

• Gentle stretches for the lats (side reach), chest (doorway stretch), hip flexors and hamstrings, and an easy child’s pose for the back. Easy, no forcing.
• Foam rolling the upper back, lats and thighs with something like a TriggerPoint GRID.
• Massage. A large 2018 review of recovery methods (99 studies) found massage the most effective for reducing soreness and perceived fatigue. A compact massage gun such as the Theragun Mini is how many athletes get some of that at home; a 2026 review found percussive therapy helped some measures of recovery but showed no clear benefit for soreness. See our best massage guns guide. Avoid using one over a fresh injury, and check with a doctor if you have a heart condition, a pacemaker, a blood clotting disorder or are pregnant.
• Listen to warning signs. Pain that lasts more than a few days, pain at night, weakness, or numbness and tingling down the arm or leg mean see a professional. The injuries page has more.

Sunburn and skin

If you got burned anyway, the American Academy of Dermatology suggests getting out of the sun, cool showers or baths, a moisturizer with aloe vera or soy, drinking extra water, and not popping blisters (blistering means a second-degree burn). See a doctor if a burn covers a large area or you feel feverish, chilled or dizzy. Then fix tomorrow’s plan: a long-sleeve rash guard, hat and reapplied sunscreen, as on our Paddle Day & Race Day page.

Sleep

Sleep is the recovery tool everything else depends on. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the Sleep Research Society recommend at least 7 hours a night for adults, and teens 13 to 18 need 8 to 10 hours. A day in the sun and wind makes most people sleepy anyway; protect that on multi-day trips and race weekends. Trackers like the Oura Ring 5 show sleep and heart-rate variability (HRV) trends; our HRV for athletes guide explains what to do with them.

Cold plunges, compression and rest days

• Cold water immersion: a 2016 review found baths of about 10 to 15°C for 10 to 15 minutes reduced soreness after exercise. But a 2015 study found regular ice baths after strength training blunted strength and muscle gains, so many athletes save them for race weekends. Skip it if you’re already chilled from the water, and check with a doctor if you have a heart condition.
• Compression garments: a 2017 meta-analysis found small benefits, largest for strength recovery.
• Rest days: paddling more than about 4.8 hours a week was linked to higher injury risk in the first SUP injury study. Build easy days and full rest days into your week; the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends at least one to two days off a week for young athletes.
• Fuel enough. Training hard without eating enough can lead to low energy availability (REDs), which affects athletes of every sex and age, according to the IOC.

Want a full routine? See our best recovery tools for athletes. Kayakers and surfers recover the same shoulders; see kayaking and surf recovery.

Paddleboarding recovery: FAQs

Why is my lower back sore after paddleboarding?

Standing and bracing on a moving board, bending to paddle and long sessions all load the lower back, the second most common injury area in SUP studies. Gentle stretching, core work and better hip-driven technique help. Back pain with leg numbness, weakness or pain that lasts needs a professional.

What should I eat after paddleboarding?

After a hard or long paddle, a meal with carbohydrate and about 15 to 25 g of protein, plus fluids to replace what you sweated. After a short, easy paddle, your next normal meal is enough.

Is an ice bath good after a SUP race?

Some studies show less soreness after cold water immersion, so it can help between race days. It may blunt gains if used after every strength session. Don’t use it if you’re already cold, and check with a doctor if you have a heart condition.

How many rest days do paddleboarders need?

It depends on how much and how hard you paddle. Most recreational paddlers do well with at least one or two easy or off days a week, and the AAP recommends one to two days off a week for young athletes. Racers should watch total weekly hours.

Can a massage gun help sore shoulders after paddling?

Many paddlers like how it feels, and massage in general has the best evidence for reducing soreness. Research on massage guns specifically is mixed. Keep it off fresh injuries and bony spots, and see a PT for pain that lingers.