Will I ever swim again?

RE: Will I ever swim again?

Former Member — Wed, 13 Jun 2012 06:49:40 GMT

Thank you Allen. Swam a few laps the other day and my shoulder felt a bit looser. My Orthopedist gave me four more weeks of PT and then we will make a decision on whether to continue PT or not. Thanks also to everyone who has sent me a PM of their own experience, recovery and encouraging words! Lainey

RE: Will I ever swim again?

jswim — Wed, 13 Jun 2012 04:38:36 GMT

So glad to hear you're back in the water Laineybug!!:applaud::banana: I hope you are able to regain your full freestyle pull, hang in there and focus on the good stuff!:cheerleader: J

RE: Will I ever swim again?

Former Member — Thu, 31 May 2012 08:13:50 GMT

Well, I've been doing the water walking with breaststroke pull for a couple of weeks. Asked if I could try kicking too and free. :bliss: So, I swam a few laps in my DD's home pool (bigger than most, but still a home pool). My knee got sore. AND, I have two spots in my free recovery that, don't know how to describe it, feel like my shoulder is stiff at that point. One is just as I'm about to lift my hand out of the water and the other is just before my hand enters the water. :( Talked to my PT yesterday about it. He said it may be due to the bone over growth that is occuring in the joint, and if it is I probably will never get my 'normal' free pull back. :( We will know more when I go to my orthopedist on the 6th.

RE: Will I ever swim again?

Allen Stark — Thu, 31 May 2012 04:28:31 GMT

RE: Will I ever swim again?

Former Member — Fri, 18 May 2012 08:03:49 GMT

Marin, I'm so sorry to hear about your shoulder! My physical therapist said, "you are lucky your bone gave before your soft tissue." Hope that isn't disheartening. Despite that statement, lots of folks on here have had rotator cuff injuries, have recovered and are swimming again. Just don't rush your recovery, do exactly as your doc and physical therapist say. Not following their orders could cause you to permanently injur your shoulder. I initially went to a physical therapist recommended by my orthopedist/surgeon because I was recuperating at my daughter's/away from my hometown. As soon as I was allowed to go home/begin living independently again I contacted a physical therapist I had used in the past. All that he required was a prescription for therapy from my orthopedist/surgeon. My point, you don't have to use the therapist recommended by your doctor. I would research physical therapy groups in your area and find one that specializes in sports injuries/rehab. I suggest you start another thread--some folks probably won't read your post in this thread because they already know where I am in my recovery. I'm sure some will come along with more advice and possible referral info. wishing you the best, Laineybug

RE: Will I ever swim again?

Marin — Fri, 18 May 2012 04:25:01 GMT

thanks... and best to you too!

RE: Will I ever swim again?

Marin — Fri, 18 May 2012 01:47:37 GMT

Hi guys - I'm a late onset adult swimmer, meaning I hadn't been in a pool for decades but a few years ago got turned on to open water swimming. For the past couple of years, I was swimming 2 miles/day freestyle about 3 or 4 days/week, with a few open water lake/river/ocean swims in the summer. Not that I go fast (those 2 miles take me just shy of an hour) but it felt so good! But now my 50 yr old shoulder evidently has decided that may not be such a good idea, and I've got a massive rotator cuff tear and have been advised to have surgery. Does anyone have thoughts on this? MRI is unequivocal about the tear, so is surgery inevitable? Does anyone know a good rehab (post surgery) in Westchester County or NYC with someone who knows about swimming? I really need to get back into the water... I'm getting fat and sad! All suggestions very very welcome!

RE: Will I ever swim again?

fatboy — Tue, 01 May 2012 04:44:05 GMT

Go Lainey!

RE: Will I ever swim again?

Former Member — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 12:00:01 GMT

When my PT walked into the room he just stood there. I asked, "What?" he said, since it is so hot (it is really hot here today)I thought it was about time that you ask again. I almost jumped off the table! I can get into the pool--water up to my neck, and do a breaststroke pull while walking. No free, no back, no fly, AND I have to use the steps to get in and out--no ladder.:bouncing: Hey, it's start!

RE: Will I ever swim again?

Former Member — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 15:09:37 GMT

So sorry to hear about your injury. Good luck with your recovery and I am sure you will be able to get back into the water. Take your time and again, good luck

RE: Will I ever swim again?

Former Member — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 09:21:23 GMT

Nora, thank you! It is good to hear from someone my age who over came a similar injury. I had much the same idea about letting the water lift my arm, kicking and rolling, but I'm still getting no's. I can actually feel my arm move around in the joint when I do certain things--roll over in bed, for example. I guess that is what they mean when they tell me my shoulder isn't stable enough yet. Guess they are afraid I will dislocate it or injure the soft tissue. I'm hanging in there. I will get back in the water!

RE: Will I ever swim again?

norascats — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 10:35:16 GMT

I tore my shoulder badly two years ago. I couldn't move my arm. I used the water to float my arm up and the side of the pool to stretch. I did a lot of kicking. A lot of rotating, what I call kick and roll, with both arms at my side. At first, I was only able to do arms down, then I graduated to streamline kicking. I then did kick and scoop. I worked a lot on breaststroke. It took more than six months before I could bring my arm around in a freeestyle recovery and even longer before I had enough strength in the arm to get much of a pull. Don't give up. I am 68. I can be an active old lady of just get old. I like active better.

RE: Will I ever swim again?

Former Member — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 15:02:51 GMT

I've asked about that Jim, about a month ago, but I have a tibia plateau fracture and kicking was nixed then. It is probably time to ask again about kicking. Thanks for reminding me. Lainey

RE: Will I ever swim again?

jim thornton — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 10:50:55 GMT

Can't you get in and kick? I really think just being in the water again would do wonders for your mood. If you have to, just go in the deep end and do vertical kicking with your arm by your side. SDKs are now widely considered the second fastest stroke (after freestyle, and I think even this is in jeopardy.) You don't even need your arms to do SDKs. A great skill to learn, and a shoulder injury presents a great time to learn it!

RE: Will I ever swim again?

Former Member — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 09:14:34 GMT

Just a short note. A couple of days ago, my PT stretched my arm fairly aggressively. The next morning I was able to put my hand on top of my head to wash my hair:banana: So I decide to ask (again) about getting back in the pool. He looked at me and told me to lie on my stomach with my arm dangling off the table. He then put a 3 lb!!!!!! weight in my hand and told me to bring my arm backwards until I touched his hand. :shakeshead: oh well not yet.

RE: Will I ever swim again?

Former Member — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 12:06:20 GMT

Oh PS: I forgot to say--Not official measurement, but my PT says it looks like I have about 160 degrees of range of motion. That's an increase of about 15 degrees from last official measurement.

RE: Will I ever swim again?

Former Member — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 12:01:47 GMT

You will be back in the pool...unless you get abducted by aliens and taken to a planet with no water. Just remember, a little bit of patience now will save you a lot of delay later on. LOL sometimes this small town feels like another planet. Greg--thank you for suggesting I think of PT as swim training! As many know PT after an injury is not fun and can be down right painful. I have been dreading each appointment because of the painful/aggressive stretching, but I do it any way and do put in 100% on the exercises. It is going to be much easier now and I'll be motivated too. Thanks, Elaine

RE: Will I ever swim again?

Greg Dittmar — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 11:31:20 GMT

Hi! I'm sorry to hear about your injury. I suppose that if your doctor(s) tell you you can't swim, then I guess you can't swim. But if they leave the door open a crack, then it's up to you to kick it wide open! You just have to be very patient and diligent with your PT. In fact, if they tell you a return to swimming is possible, then I would even approach the PT as part of your swimming training; consider it dryland exercises! Put the same effort and consistency into it that you put into swimming. Diligent PT should at least theoretically pay off. Good luck! Hope they give you some good news.

RE: Will I ever swim again?

Former Member — Sun, 15 Apr 2012 15:26:12 GMT

I'm doing well enough that Doc has given me permission to drive and move back home. I'm now seeing another PT in my home town. I asked him if I could get back in the pool. You should have seen his face--it was I can't believe she asked me that. The answer was "no, your shoulder isn't stable enough yet." My strengthing exercises are mostly--yep, you guessed it--for the rotator cuff. So, I'm still out of the water. Thanks to everyone for your support and encouragement.

RE: Will I ever swim again?

taruky — Sun, 15 Apr 2012 11:42:27 GMT

You will be back in the pool...unless you get abducted by aliens and taken to a planet with no water. Just remember, a little bit of patience now will save you a lot of delay later on.

RE: Will I ever swim again?

orca1946 — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 11:50:43 GMT

WELL? How are you doing now? :cane: OR :bolt:

RE: Will I ever swim again?

Former Member — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 11:10:10 GMT

@Orca I'm progressing. I gained 44 degrees in my shoulder range of motion. However, at a Dr. appointment x-ray showed an overgrowth of bone... Could cause a loss of range of motion. Lainey

RE: Will I ever swim again?

Former Member — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 08:49:11 GMT

So sorry to hear about your injury... what doesn't kill you makes you stronger!:cheerleader: I'm sure you'll be able to swim again.. just take it easy and don't get back in too early! I know you might be anxious but patience is a virtue. Let us know how you're progressing.

RE: Will I ever swim again?

Former Member — Sat, 24 Mar 2012 15:37:04 GMT

Thanks again everyone! I appreciate all the encouragement. @Tabitha--nothing done to my knee. Was in wheelchair for over a month, then with a walker, now with a cane. Has a PT assessment Tuesday. I had gained about 44 degrees in range of motion in my shoulder. Was so proud of that... I do know you gain the most during the initial phases of PT... and that it is harder to make gains the further out you go. Went to doctor on Wednesday. He was also pleased with my progress. Then we looked at my x-ray. I have some bone over growth :( When I broke my elbows I also had bone over growth and caused me to lose a lot of range of motion. Lainey

RE: Will I ever swim again?

Former Member — Sat, 24 Mar 2012 08:21:50 GMT

Well, you should definitely ask him if you can get back in the pool. If you are allowed back, I would make sure to take it really easy. Swimmers are prone to shoulder injuries, so just be careful to not hurt it again.