Over the past two decades, surfing has undergone a significant transformation, extending beyond coastal regions to inland environments. With the increasing popularity of river waves and artificial wave pools—such as the Eisbach in Munich, the Jochen Schweizer Arena, the stationary wave near Langenfeld, and the Fuchslochwelle in Nuremberg—a vibrant surf culture has emerged independent of traditional ocean settings. This development has led to the establishment of the term rapid surfing, which describes surfing on stationary waves in rivers and pump-driven systems. The growing accessibility of such facilities has contributed to a continuous rise in the number of participants. Consequently, surfing has gained further recognition, exemplified by its inclusion as an Olympic sport since 2020 and the organization of official national competitions, such as the German Rapid Surfing Championship held since 2019.
Despite this growing popularity, scientific knowledge regarding surf-specific injuries, as well as the underlying sport physiology and biomechanics, remains limited. At the same time, the increasing number of practitioners suggests a corresponding rise in injury incidence, underlining the need for systematic investigation. From a performance and injury-prevention perspective, surfing requires specific physiological and biomechanical characteristics, including distinct muscular and neuromuscular adaptations. In this context, stationary waves offer a unique experimental environment, as they allow for controlled and reproducible conditions. These characteristics make them particularly suitable for analyzing biomechanical processes and training loads during surfing.
