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.
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!
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!
