Hi All - 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 particularly fast (those 2 miles take me just shy of an hour) but it felt so good! And it's the only sport I figured was sustainable and not overly demanding on my bum knees...
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 (as documented by an unequivocal MRI) and have been advised to have surgery.
Does anyone have thoughts on this? Anything I should do before or after surgery to skew the odds to get back into swimming and avoid re-injury?
Does anyone know a good rehab in Westchester County or NYC with someone who knows about swimming? I'd prefer to rehab smart and targeted, rather than otherwise... And I really need to get back in the water... I'm getting fat and sad! All suggestions very very welcome!
Hi All - 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 particularly fast (those 2 miles take me just shy of an hour) but it felt so good! And it's the only sport I figured was sustainable and not overly demanding on my bum knees...
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 (as documented by an unequivocal MRI) and have been advised to have surgery.
Does anyone have thoughts on this? Anything I should do before or after surgery to skew the odds to get back into swimming and avoid re-injury?
Does anyone know a good rehab in Westchester County or NYC with someone who knows about swimming? I'd prefer to rehab smart and targeted, rather than otherwise... And I really need to get back in the water... I'm getting fat and sad! All suggestions very very welcome!
Recommend reading book "Treat Your Own Rotator Cuff" by Jim Johnson, PT (available used on Amazon and Alibris). This can't deteremine if you need surgery BUT the rehab. is THE SAME after surgery (if you need it) or for preventing re-injury in the future!
(I have to do the exercises at least 3 times per week to stay in the pool. They now call this "prehab.")
Also recommend DVD by June Quick "Swimmer's Shoulder: Prehab. and rehab. for Swimmers." It's part of Richard Quick's big series on Championship swimming - but this end of the series is VERY basic - truly a foundation. (It includes comments on engaging core muscles while doing shoulder rehab. - VERY important.)
(Other "basic" DVD's, for example, are on pilates and on posture, line and balance in the water. The DVD's on this end are about staying in the pool, relevant to all Masters, not about swimming faster.)
The DVD is available at Swimming World and Amazon and lots of other places - don't expect a price break but it's worth every penny.
Other suggestions - stick with light dumbbells (1, 2 or 3 pounds) and light therabands (yellow or red) no matter how easy this seems (i.e., no matter how strong you are).
You only need a few reps. for each exercise but they should be done slowly and with the best form you can learn.
If it seems too easy you are doing it right.
There are lots of other exercises you can add if you need variety.
You can find many books on shoulder rehab., strength training for swimmers, pilates on a balance ball, pilates with light weights - whatever looks interesting.
I suggest getting books that include anatomy of the shoulder so you can know what muscles you are working on (however "apparently" light the work seems). The 4 key muscles are called "SITS."
Supraspinatus
Infraspinatus
Teres Minor
Subscapularis
The proof of the pudding is that once you get back in the pool, you will not be knocked out again.
One other suggestion: do not do the "empty can" exercise recommended by other sources. Almost all other exercises that are demonstrated,and there are dozens of variations on the SITS theme, will help you IF you go slow, use light weights, good form, and learn to stabilize both your core muscles and your "scapulae" while exercising.
Hi All - 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 particularly fast (those 2 miles take me just shy of an hour) but it felt so good! And it's the only sport I figured was sustainable and not overly demanding on my bum knees...
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 (as documented by an unequivocal MRI) and have been advised to have surgery.
Does anyone have thoughts on this? Anything I should do before or after surgery to skew the odds to get back into swimming and avoid re-injury?
Does anyone know a good rehab in Westchester County or NYC with someone who knows about swimming? I'd prefer to rehab smart and targeted, rather than otherwise... And I really need to get back in the water... I'm getting fat and sad! All suggestions very very welcome!
Recommend reading book "Treat Your Own Rotator Cuff" by Jim Johnson, PT (available used on Amazon and Alibris). This can't deteremine if you need surgery BUT the rehab. is THE SAME after surgery (if you need it) or for preventing re-injury in the future!
(I have to do the exercises at least 3 times per week to stay in the pool. They now call this "prehab.")
Also recommend DVD by June Quick "Swimmer's Shoulder: Prehab. and rehab. for Swimmers." It's part of Richard Quick's big series on Championship swimming - but this end of the series is VERY basic - truly a foundation. (It includes comments on engaging core muscles while doing shoulder rehab. - VERY important.)
(Other "basic" DVD's, for example, are on pilates and on posture, line and balance in the water. The DVD's on this end are about staying in the pool, relevant to all Masters, not about swimming faster.)
The DVD is available at Swimming World and Amazon and lots of other places - don't expect a price break but it's worth every penny.
Other suggestions - stick with light dumbbells (1, 2 or 3 pounds) and light therabands (yellow or red) no matter how easy this seems (i.e., no matter how strong you are).
You only need a few reps. for each exercise but they should be done slowly and with the best form you can learn.
If it seems too easy you are doing it right.
There are lots of other exercises you can add if you need variety.
You can find many books on shoulder rehab., strength training for swimmers, pilates on a balance ball, pilates with light weights - whatever looks interesting.
I suggest getting books that include anatomy of the shoulder so you can know what muscles you are working on (however "apparently" light the work seems). The 4 key muscles are called "SITS."
Supraspinatus
Infraspinatus
Teres Minor
Subscapularis
The proof of the pudding is that once you get back in the pool, you will not be knocked out again.
One other suggestion: do not do the "empty can" exercise recommended by other sources. Almost all other exercises that are demonstrated,and there are dozens of variations on the SITS theme, will help you IF you go slow, use light weights, good form, and learn to stabilize both your core muscles and your "scapulae" while exercising.
