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.
For me, I need to be more consistent with PT exercises for both. That would certainly help, although I don't think either problem will ever go away completely. Especially my knee issues since it is more a matter of my anatomy. I have found that my weekly yoga class makes a big difference. In the water, I listen to what my body is telling me and I've been trying to build up slowly. Backstroke and *** stroke are hard (I have yet to attempt fly) and I'll start with one easy length during a workout before deciding to do anything additional. My PT people showed me how to tape my knee and that definitely helps too. It helps to keep the knee cap in the right spot.
My kneecaps have tracking issues, too - I use kinesio tape to help stabilize them, usually I can manage to keep it on for a couple days before it starts coming off. I have patellofemoral syndrome with my right knee, and I'm a pro at taping that by now. Doing freestyle kick actually helps with tracking issues sometimes (depending on what's causing it), helps strengthen your quads so they can keep the kneecap in the right place. A couple years ago they diagnosed my left knee with something called plica syndrome, so I'm still experimenting with how to tape that one when it flares up.
I've been really good about doing my the exercises my PT gave me...in my head, it's either do the exercises, or give up swimming. Easy choice for me! My entire shoulder was tight, and I've finally gotten to the point where it's loose enough they can start retraining and strengthening the right muscles. I'll have to do stretches for the rest of my life, but eventually won't have to do them as often as I am now. I always end up staying up too late, then when I'm tired and ready for bed think, "Oh man...stretches. Ok, that's another 30min before I can go to bed..."
For me, I need to be more consistent with PT exercises for both. That would certainly help, although I don't think either problem will ever go away completely. Especially my knee issues since it is more a matter of my anatomy. I have found that my weekly yoga class makes a big difference. In the water, I listen to what my body is telling me and I've been trying to build up slowly. Backstroke and *** stroke are hard (I have yet to attempt fly) and I'll start with one easy length during a workout before deciding to do anything additional. My PT people showed me how to tape my knee and that definitely helps too. It helps to keep the knee cap in the right spot.
My kneecaps have tracking issues, too - I use kinesio tape to help stabilize them, usually I can manage to keep it on for a couple days before it starts coming off. I have patellofemoral syndrome with my right knee, and I'm a pro at taping that by now. Doing freestyle kick actually helps with tracking issues sometimes (depending on what's causing it), helps strengthen your quads so they can keep the kneecap in the right place. A couple years ago they diagnosed my left knee with something called plica syndrome, so I'm still experimenting with how to tape that one when it flares up.
I've been really good about doing my the exercises my PT gave me...in my head, it's either do the exercises, or give up swimming. Easy choice for me! My entire shoulder was tight, and I've finally gotten to the point where it's loose enough they can start retraining and strengthening the right muscles. I'll have to do stretches for the rest of my life, but eventually won't have to do them as often as I am now. I always end up staying up too late, then when I'm tired and ready for bed think, "Oh man...stretches. Ok, that's another 30min before I can go to bed..."
