John’s an Orthopedic Surgeon and sport medicine specialist and a Whitehall Spirit® owner in Knoxville, Tennessee. He sends the following in response to questions on whether rowing is good for those with shoulder issues and what about stress in general.    

My dear fellow Whitehall Rowers 

We will discuss shoulders, mental health, and rowing, not in any related order. 

Your shoulder is not stable; try to balance a cue ball on a quarter, that is your shoulder without a rotator cuff.  Now add a fishnet over the ball and the balance is simple. The stability of the rotator cuff is the net.

Most exercises compress and challenge the cue ball/quarter causing instability. Rowing is a tension stretch of the rotator cuff thus strengthening and stabilizing the shoulder. Rowing is made to make the shoulder live happily ever after. 

Mental health and stress cannot be mentioned in the same sentence because of the hormone cortisol. Cortisol allowed cave man to survive (and modern man to take pills). 

Rowing is a 99% stress free, harmonious, total body exercise including cardio and strength. It would be 100% if not for the 80mph Tennessee bass boaters closing on your transom in a blink of the eye. So, I recommend that you row with all the positive effects of cortisol free living when others are not speedboat fishing. 

Next time we will discuss endorphins and exercise and peace within. 

Strength and honor 
Dr.  D.