FLY-FISHING may look serene and peaceful, but it can produce aches and pains
matching those typical of rougher sports. Keith Berend, an orthopaedic surgeon
at Duke University Medical Center in North Carolina, surveyed 131 fly-fishing
enthusiasts and found that more than two-thirds had lower-back pain. A smaller
proportion had wrist, elbow or shoulder pain, he told last week’s annual meeting
of the Southern Orthopedic Association in Couer d’Alene, Idaho. Berend blames
the repetitive motion needed to keep the fly dancing on the water like a live
insect. To make matters worse, many anglers overburden themselves with gear and
are unfit.…
To continue reading, today with our introductory offers
Advertisement
More from New Scientist
Explore the latest news, articles and features

Life
Fossil fruits show flowering plants flourished in time of dinosaurs
News

Environment
Can home batteries help save the climate and save you money?
News

ÎçÒ¹¸£Àû1000¼¯ºÏ
We’ve uncovered a master gene that switches on human development
News

Environment
The race to understand how and when Thwaites glacier will collapse
Features
Popular articles
Trending New Scientist articles
1
Woman with Alzheimer's starts conversing again after taking psilocybin
2
If you aren't terrified by this heatwave, you should be
3
The race to understand how and when Thwaites glacier will collapse
4
Lost books by ancient philosophers recovered from 'unreadable' scrolls
5
Our verdict on The Selfish Gene: An unpopular piece of popular science
6
We’ve uncovered a master gene that switches on human development
7
The best sci-fi novel in 2026 so far – plus 6 other great reads
8
Screwworm could be the first species targeted by an 'extinction drive'
9
How menopause radically changes the brain – and what happens after
10
Faecal transplant makes the brains of old mice act young again