If so, I am curious how long it took to heal.
After doing research, I am sure what I am experiencing is a first degree sternoclavicular joint injury; a sprain. And, in retrospect, I know exactly what caused it: repetitive open turns, pushing hard off the wall and extending my arm before removing it from the wall. And, since I no longer have a first rib after my thoracic outlet syndrome surgery, there are less ligaments supporting that joint, so it was more vulnerable. In addition, as I have increased my yardage for distance free training, I have had to do more turns. And, soreness has recently become an issue. So, I revamped my turn, eliminating the extended arm, but it was too little, too late. After Tuesday's 4,100 yard workout (that felt just ok at the time), my joint popped as I reached behind to spread lotion on the middle of my back; something that has never happened- until Tuesday. It popped out of place then back, again, which hurt, but seemed fine enough to swim on Wednesday. But, after my swim, I really got sore around my clavicle (collar bone), sternum (chest bone), and the front of my neck. So, I stayed out of the pool today and hit the recumbent bike, instead.
So, now, I wonder... How long will it take to heal? Everybody is different, I know, but I am already :waiting: .
As for my return to the pool, I will have to figure out a Plan B for my freestyle turns. Flip turns have been out of the picture, due to having Meniere's and getting seasick from them. I could try to plan my stroke count so I always turn with my right arm coming into the wall, instead of my left, but that could cause repetitive stress problems on my right side. I suppose I could also try to mix in some flip turns with open turns and see how many I can do before I get seasick.:eek: That may be my best choice...
Anyway, thanks in advance for any words of wisdom you can share on this! :agree:
Was it your shoulder that popped out?
If so, take it very easy and baby it until it heals because the chances it will happen again are greater now, but fortunately decrease as it heals.
I had shoulder dislocation issues for almost 10 years, weight lifting and extra care has allowed me to avoid further trouble.
Was it your shoulder that popped out?
If so, take it very easy and baby it until it heals because the chances it will happen again are greater now, but fortunately decrease as it heals.
I had shoulder dislocation issues for almost 10 years, weight lifting and extra care has allowed me to avoid further trouble.
It popped out at that joint, where the collar bone meets the sternum. I'm not sure it really popped out, but I felt it go out of place, then back again, when I pushed on it.
In one sense, I was surprised it happened, because I have taken great care to do shoulder stabilization exercises on a daily basis. But, after having my first rib removed, that area is more vulnerable. I should have realized the potential for problems before this all happened...
I'm not sure I quite picture how you are doing the open turns, but whatever it is is placing stress on the joint.
Are you grabbing the side, pulling up and then turning? If so I'm wondering if you'd put less stress on the shoulder by doing a FINA/flat wall turn, where you touch, move the hands away and turn yourself using your core rather than your shoulders?
I'm not sure I quite picture how you are doing the open turns, but whatever it is is placing stress on the joint.
Are you grabbing the side, pulling up and then turning? If so I'm wondering if you'd put less stress on the shoulder by doing a FINA/flat wall turn, where you touch, move the hands away and turn yourself using your core rather than your shoulders?
There are no gutters at the pool where I train 4 of the 6 days I swim each week, so I am used to not grabbing and doing a flat wall turn. But, when I push off, I was extending my arm and shoulder all the way out as I snapped my hips and pushed off the wall.
Here is a video of a (lousy) 50 freestyle race with a turn, although it is hard to see exactly what my left arm is doing underwater:
http://youtu.be/kbo_RxQZR04
I'd recommend no more 2000 flys. :)
Actually, fly is the one stroke that felt good the other day, as long as I kept my arms shoulder width on entry and didn't reach too far forward. The beginning of the recovery phase felt good, because it stretched my shoulders out. ;)
The good news is that I feel better today than I did yesterday. Another day biking to nowhere on the recumbent bike (and staying out of the pool) did some good.
I learned a lesson from when I had thoracic outlet syndrome and ended up having major surgery: When you feel the wrong kind of pain (and you will know when that happens), STOP! Do not push through that pain and further injure yourself! Because I stopped when I did, I think I ended up with just a first degree injury and mild sprain, rather than something more serious.
People who sublux their shoulders spontaneously have a lot of pain in their future - and should be very careful not to do anything that might accidentally cause it to recur - my mother-in-law had this issue for years, and one time on the freeway with several kids in the backseat of her stationwagon, her shoulder subluxed on her - she nearly wrecked the car it hurt so bad - and she was just driving the stupid car!! Take care - there is probably some PT you can do that will strengthen the muscles surrounding the joint (rotator cuffs etc) to help prevent subluxation in the future.
This happened to me quite regularly after I dislocated my shoulder - for about 3 years. Doesn't happen any more.
People who sublux their shoulders spontaneously have a lot of pain in their future - and should be very careful not to do anything that might accidentally cause it to recur - my mother-in-law had this issue for years, and one time on the freeway with several kids in the backseat of her stationwagon, her shoulder subluxed on her - she nearly wrecked the car it hurt so bad - and she was just driving the stupid car!! Take care - there is probably some PT you can do that will strengthen the muscles surrounding the joint (rotator cuffs etc) to help prevent subluxation in the future.
This happened to me quite regularly after I dislocated my shoulder - for about 3 years. Doesn't happen any more.
:afraid:I have never had it happen to the rotator cuff or any other part of my shoulder on the arm side; just the sternoclavicular joint that joins the clavicle to the sternum. But, I am quite concerned about it happening again to any part of the entire shoulder area; especially since it was the side of my first rib resection surgery.
I currently do shoulder stabilization exercises before my swim each day. The ones I do are: www.usmsswimmer.com/.../swimmer_stretching.pdf
I'm beginning to think it wouldn't be a bad idea to find a PT for an evaluation... Thanks, Celestial!
I can see how that might destabilize the joint at the sternum.
www.rci.rutgers.edu/.../image011.jpg
Maybe the lower chest and some of the neck muscles that attach adjacent to the joint can provide added support if worked. The upper chest muscles however, attach directly to the bone and can pull it out again.
I am totally lay medically, but have someone else apply lotion to your back for awhile. Once something moves out of place it takes time for it to heal so it doesn't happen again.
good luck
