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.
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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.
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.
