Welcome, Guest!     Log In  Sign up!
row2k


Support row2k!
Advertiser Index
Vertigo, inner ear problems, while exercising on a stationary rowing machine.
click for the next photo
rowing in my son's baby room
Pics in this Post
rowing in my son's baby room - Click for full-size image!
C2 with slides - Click for full-size image!



Xeno Muller

December 14, 2008
 3873
A couple of days ago, one of our rowers told me that rowing helped overcome her inner ear problem. Some doctors tell their patients to rock back and forth as therapy to get better from inner ear balance issues. Rowing could be the perfect therapy for this type of medical issue. This prompted me to compare the two rowing machines that are available to rowers worldwide, Concept 2 and WaterRower. At our indoor rowing studio we have both machines. The Concept 2s sit on sliders, and the WaterRowers straight on the ground. The C2 has a track that is at a slight slope, whereas the WaterRower has a horizontal track. I asked our rower with the inner ear issue to try the machines in this order: C2 with slides, WaterRower, C2 without slides, WaterRower. She had no problem rowing both machines in the first two configuration mentioned above. The difference of feel came when we set the Concept 2 directly on the ground. She did not feel as comfortable rowing without slides. It gave her head a combination of back and forth and up and down movement, which turned out to be a little much for her. So we jury rigged the Concept 2 with shims under the leg of the flywheel. By doing this she could compare the head movement to the one of the WaterRower and she felt good again. After this simple test, I hope that some of the rowers who suffer from inner ear issues can solve their problem by: Using a WaterRower, row a C2 on slides, or row a stationary C2 with the "stern" shimmed up to make the slide level. For next Monday, I have a long blog entry about being fit and not using MY brain.... Xeno Muller Olympic gold and silver medalist, Men's Single Scull www.ironoarsman.com www.cafepress.com/gorow
Melissa
12/19/2008  6:04:25 PM
Thanks for recommending this, Xeno! I have Meniere's - a vestibular disorder that involves hearing loss. I believe rowing (indoors and out), which has given me a better sense of where my body is, has helped me keep my balance despite hearing that varies from day to day.


XenoRMuller
12/28/2008  6:44:21 AM
Hello Melissa Thank you for your post and letting me know about your condition. I have spent a lot of time thinking about rowing, but I know so little about it for occupational therapy. In this area, I urge the row2k readers who are doctors and therapists to start publishing their ideas on the benefit of rowing as therapy for better health and quality of life. I have heard of a psychiatrist who jogs with his patients... Maybe a sit down paddle would be more simple. Again, I thank you for your feedback on my blog, this makes blogging that much more fun. As a funny side note I am writing my message with my iPhone while I am bottle feeding my littlest one at six am. My wife and I joke that we are being treated for insomnia. :-) :-( )