This is actually my first post, but I figured it would fit best in this forum.
I just started swimming with USMS about a month and a half ago after years of doing laps and workouts on my own. I love it, but it's also brought out the shoulder issues I've had off and on over the years. I was diagnosed with glenohumeral internal rotation deficit (GIRD) and have been in physical therapy for the past few weeks, with slow progress. My therapist just cleared me to try some swimming again (Well, sort of...I'm allowed to try a couple laps of backstroke only. Have to start somewhere, though!), and I'm hopeful that it will get fully resolved with time. At practices I've just been doing kick sets and limited other things like running/jumping in the pool with shoes, since I was allowed to do lower body work.
My problem is that in addition to my shoulder issues, I also have what my PT has called "floppy knees" - they're a bit TOO flexible, to the point where hyperextended is their normal state. No pain, but it does mean that I occasionally have issues with soreness around my kneecaps and such. After this past week, one of my knees is acting up and my best guess based on past experience and talking with my PT is that I've just irritated some ligament or area around the kneecap a bit, but haven't done any serious damage. My coach had me try some knee tuck jumps in the pool while wearing shoes, just to mix things up, and I'm thinking that may have also played a role in irritating my knee.
Normally this wouldn't frustrate me as much, but since I'm already limited in what I can do at practices, and have just started to see improvement with my shoulder to the point where I can try (some) swimming, I'm feeling kind of discouraged. Does anyone have advice on how to deal with recovery from injuries, especially the mental and emotional frustration that comes with it? I really want to get back to swimming and competition, but it's just not going to happen overnight. Most of my friends are non-swimmers and don't really get how upset this stuff is making me. My coach and team have been great about it, but I'm still feeling a bit isolated and like I'm stuck dealing with it mostly on my own.
Since I have low back issues I avoid butterfly, but have found that I can do dolphin kick on my back. I use fins and a front mounted snorkel for some drills, which helps keep my neck and back in alignment. If I kick on my front, I will use a snorkel, if my shoulder is sore, then I keep my arms at my side.
I've been doing a lot of this - I finally broke down and bought a snorkel, after too much time with my kickboard irritated my lower back. I also found that I LOVE doing dolphin kick on my back, though if my knees are off that day I have to skip it as it aggravates them too much. The hardest part through all of this has been not being too hard on myself for not being able to do much. Everyone on my team understands, but it's still hard when they're swimming in the lanes on either side of you, and you're stuck there, just kicking along yet again. There was one day where I held it together during practice, but then ended up crying at PT later that afternoon. Good days and bad days, I guess.
Since I have low back issues I avoid butterfly, but have found that I can do dolphin kick on my back. I use fins and a front mounted snorkel for some drills, which helps keep my neck and back in alignment. If I kick on my front, I will use a snorkel, if my shoulder is sore, then I keep my arms at my side.
I've been doing a lot of this - I finally broke down and bought a snorkel, after too much time with my kickboard irritated my lower back. I also found that I LOVE doing dolphin kick on my back, though if my knees are off that day I have to skip it as it aggravates them too much. The hardest part through all of this has been not being too hard on myself for not being able to do much. Everyone on my team understands, but it's still hard when they're swimming in the lanes on either side of you, and you're stuck there, just kicking along yet again. There was one day where I held it together during practice, but then ended up crying at PT later that afternoon. Good days and bad days, I guess.
