Hello, I am new here. I have been swimming for many years without any shoulder problems. Recently, I had a uppper back muscle pull which has migrated to my left shoulder. I took a week off from the pool. It feels fine now when I swim in the pool. But I can't sleep on my left shoulder when I sleep but still feel some pain but its not noticeable outside of the pool. I have swam over 13 miles since my week off without any pain in the pool.
I went to a shoulder specialist and he recommended PT for 2 months while just kicking in the pool.
I have looked at previous posts on this board regarding shoulder problems and most of them say that if you don't feel any pain while swimming then continue swimming. But if you do feel intense pain then stop and see a doctor.
I know this is a continued topic on this board but just need some suggestions on if my doctor is wrong and just need to work on rotator cuff exercises and strengthen my shoulder muscles while doing the PT. Also, I think I can still swim but not to the intensity I was earlier in the year.
You say you can swim fine, don't feel any pain.
You imply you can not sleep on the shoulder due to pain.
You did not say where the pain occurs.
You did not state any other symptoms.
Is the pain only in the shoulder? If so, front, side, back?
Does the pain radiate from the shoulder under certain conditions (like sleeping)?
Do you have tingling in your fingers/thumb in the morning?
There are a host of things going on in and around the shoulder that can cause pain. Medical advice should always be taken seriously.
You say you can swim fine, don't feel any pain.
You imply you can not sleep on the shoulder due to pain.
You did not say where the pain occurs.
You did not state any other symptoms.
Is the pain only in the shoulder? If so, front, side, back?
Does the pain radiate from the shoulder under certain conditions (like sleeping)?
Do you have tingling in your fingers/thumb in the morning?
There are a host of things going on in and around the shoulder that can cause pain. Medical advice should always be taken seriously.
Yes, its in my shoulder and in the front part of it. I can't sleep on my left shoulder but I can on my right shoulder. No tingling. But when I swim I have no pain.
It's tough one. Even if medical advice appears counterintuitive, it's medical advice and should be heeded. If you are not sure, can you get a second opinion?
My unmedically trained view would be to focus on repairing any damage before strenghtening.
I was able to come back from shoulder pain with PT only, but could not swim the distances I wanted to to train.
Turned out I had ripped my labrum off the bone.
Had surgery. It's been a year out of the pool. Just starting to swim again, and shoulder is painful, may always be painful, according to PT. As long as pain goes away by the next day, no harm likely being done, but I am careful.
One thing, aside from good technique, that no one seems to stress, is the need for a very strong back. All my exercises are geared to get my shoulder blades back closer to my spine. With all the repetitive motion, especially for freestyle, the shoulder blades tend to move away from the center of the back. Add to that any kind of slumping posture, or having to lean into a computer all day at work, and you have a problem.
So I think it's much more than having strong rotator cuffs and doing exercises just for them (in surgery, my rotator cuff was in great shape; it was the labrum that was screwed up), you need to strengthen all the back muscles to help take the load off the shoulders.
I, T, Y exercises. Scaption exercises. Rear deltoid and chest flies, bicep and tricep strengthening, PLUS a good strong core, PLUS good technique, all that should keep you swimming for life, hopefully pain free.
Requires a lot of time and dedication.
Good luck!
It's tough one. Even if medical advice appears counterintuitive, it's medical advice and should be heeded. If you are not sure, can you get a second opinion?
My unmedically trained view would be to focus on repairing any damage before strenghtening.
Yes, but I can swim a 3000 yard workout without any pain. The person in this thread Another Shoulder Impingement... - U.S. Masters Swimming Discussion Forums had a lot pain while swimming a workout.
What I am getting at is can I strengthen my rotator cuff muscles with the PT person and swim at the same time if there is no pain?
Yes, but I can swim a 3000 yard workout without any pain. The person in this thread Another Shoulder Impingement... - U.S. Masters Swimming Discussion Forums had a lot pain while swimming a workout.
What I am getting at is can I strengthen my rotator cuff muscles with the PT person and swim at the same time if there is no pain?
I think the PT will be a good judge of that...
What I am getting at is can I strengthen my rotator cuff muscles with the PT person and swim at the same time if there is no pain?
Simple answer, yes. As someone that has shoulder issues, including surgery, you can strengthen your rotator cuff muscles while still swimming.
One thing that will be critical, have a coach take a look at your mechanics. You may already be doing this step but if you aren't, then have your mechanics filmed and studied.
Simple answer, yes. As someone that has shoulder issues, including surgery, you can strengthen your rotator cuff muscles while still swimming.
One thing that will be critical, have a coach take a look at your mechanics. You may already be doing this step but if you aren't, then have your mechanics filmed and studied.
Thank you for the response thewookiee. I have another question for you. I have had two doctors appointments. The first opinion was swimmer's shoulder along with scapula dyskinesis. The treatment was no swimming but you could still kick while doing PT with a person for 6 weeks. The second opinion was bursitis and a type 2 acromion (small hook -- about 43% of people have this). This was determined after a shoulder x-ray was taken which the first doctor didn't do. The treatment was no swimming for awhile. I had to take anti-flammatory meds to decrease my shoulder pain during the night and have surgery to make the acromion more smoother by shaving off some bone. The doctor said that swimming shoulder motions tend to make this small hook acromion more prone to inflaming the tendons in the shoulder and the rotator cuff itself.
I have made a third appointment with another orthopedic surgeon who is a physician with USA Swimming but the first two were not. The first doctor was a sports consultant doctor for a major league baseball team and the second doctor was apart of a clinic that supports a NFL football team.
My question is will the third doctor (more swimming experience) help determine what needs to be done? I worked out another 3000 yards today and still no pain. Its only that I can't sleep on my left shoulder at night and have no pain moving large items or doing resistance exercises with the first two doctors. The second doctor recommended a shoulder MRI which the first doctor didn't. It costs a lot of money to do an MRI (like $1500). Will it show anything like a tear or tendon or ligament damage? With no pain while swimming, I think all my four stroke mechanics need to be looked at before any surgery or MRI is done. Do you agree thewookie?
Thank you for the response thewookiee. I have another question for you. I have had two doctors appointments. The first opinion was swimmer's shoulder along with scapula dyskinesis. The treatment was no swimming but you could still kick while doing PT with a person for 6 weeks. The second opinion was bursitis and a type 2 acromion (small hook -- about 43% of people have this). This was determined after a shoulder x-ray was taken which the first doctor didn't do. The treatment was no swimming for awhile. I had to take anti-flammatory meds to decrease my shoulder pain during the night and have surgery to make the acromion more smoother by shaving off some bone. The doctor said that swimming shoulder motions tend to make this small hook acromion more prone to inflaming the tendons in the shoulder and the rotator cuff itself.
I have made a third appointment with another orthopedic surgeon who is a physician with USA Swimming but the first two were not. The first doctor was a sports consultant doctor for a major league baseball team and the second doctor was apart of a clinic that supports a NFL football team.
My question is will the third doctor (more swimming experience) help determine what needs to be done? I worked out another 3000 yards today and still no pain. Its only that I can't sleep on my left shoulder at night and have no pain moving large items or doing resistance exercises with the first two doctors. The second doctor recommended a shoulder MRI which the first doctor didn't. It costs a lot of money to do an MRI (like $1500). Will it show anything like a tear or tendon or ligament damage? With no pain while swimming, I think all my four stroke mechanics need to be looked at before any surgery or MRI is done. Do you agree thewookie?
Best thing, talk to the 3rd doctor about all that you are experienceing and don't be afraid to ask questions.
