Hi,
After having some trouble with a sore shoulder due to instability in the shoulder joint I've quit the pool for 2 weeks. Been to a physiotherapist which suggested strenghtening the rotatorcuff muscles, bicep tendons and general core stability of the shoulder. I've been doing these exercices and have noticed some improvement in the stability so I decided to go back to the pool last weekend (after talking to my physio first).
My first session was a short 1500m workout with no intensity or toys used. Two days later I went back to the pool, this time for a planned 2000m session focussing on endurance, using the pullbuoy for a total of 500m of the session, the rest was just frontcrawl and some kicking.
During the training I felt my shoulder playing up again so I ended my training early.
So I am doing something wrong obviously. I don't really see how I could make my sessions even easier on my shoulder? Basicly I'm puzzled about how to resume training and remain pain-free while recovering. Any advice?
First of all, it's great that you are checking in with a physiotherapist and working on strengthening your shoulders via dryland exercises. However, it is likely that your swimming technique is serving to continue to irritate your shoulder. If you are swimming with improper technique, it will not make a difference whether you are training with intensity or not - the repetitive improper movement will cause further strain and aggravate the injury.
If an athlete comes to me with a shoulder complaint, I first assess their stroke to discover any flaws that might be causing their pain. I will then design workouts for them that do not require the use of the shoulder, but that are still serving to increase their strength and endurance (kicking, drills that use the non-injured arm only, etc.). When there is no longer any pain in the shoulder, I will work on developing the swimmers' technique such that they will avoid the repetitive motion that caused the injury in the first place.
I would recommend getting your stroke analyzed by a coach who specializes in technique, and trying workouts that include drills specifically geared towards your particular stroke needs. There is no point in swimming fullstroke - with or without fins - if you are continuing to make the same error each time you complete a stroke cycle. Correct your technique so that you can help your shoulder heal and avoid future injury.
First of all, it's great that you are checking in with a physiotherapist and working on strengthening your shoulders via dryland exercises. However, it is likely that your swimming technique is serving to continue to irritate your shoulder. If you are swimming with improper technique, it will not make a difference whether you are training with intensity or not - the repetitive improper movement will cause further strain and aggravate the injury.
If an athlete comes to me with a shoulder complaint, I first assess their stroke to discover any flaws that might be causing their pain. I will then design workouts for them that do not require the use of the shoulder, but that are still serving to increase their strength and endurance (kicking, drills that use the non-injured arm only, etc.). When there is no longer any pain in the shoulder, I will work on developing the swimmers' technique such that they will avoid the repetitive motion that caused the injury in the first place.
I would recommend getting your stroke analyzed by a coach who specializes in technique, and trying workouts that include drills specifically geared towards your particular stroke needs. There is no point in swimming fullstroke - with or without fins - if you are continuing to make the same error each time you complete a stroke cycle. Correct your technique so that you can help your shoulder heal and avoid future injury.
