Hey all,
I've been swimming my whole life including a couple years on the HS team. After that it's been hit and miss, but I've been consistently in the pool the last 4 years and have been happy with my progress.
Just the other day I was doing some lake swimming and the last 1/2 mile I felt a pull up my right side. It wasn't debilitating at the time so I kept swimming, plus I was in the middle of a lake so I kind of had to keep going. Everything felt fine until I got in the car and drove around a bit, then the shoulder got very sore and I couldn't raise it over my head.
The next day I went to the chiropractor. He said it wasn't a tear, but the rotator cuff is strained and causing me problems. He did wonderful work and I'm very happy with him. He said it could take as long as 6-8 weeks to heal. I'm sort of resigned to that fact even though I'd signed up for a series of swims this summer that I won't be able to complete if this injury is that bad.
This is a long story for a short question. How do I avoid injuring the rotator cuff again? Is it rotation in the water? I've been conscience of pulling from my lats in the last few weeks so as not to strain the shoulder too much.
I've got a 5 mile swim in about a month if I can do it. How do I do it without injuring the shoulder even more?
Thanks
Shoulder injuries should not be taken lightly. Continue to monitor the shoulder for any changes, as you are already doing. As for preventing further injuries, my suggestion would be to get your stroke analyzed by a coach who is specialized in swimming mechanics to determine whether there are aspects of your swimming technique that may be contributing to the shoulder pain. Although rotation is a very important part of technique, there are many other areas of the stroke that need to be assessed - you might not have a strong core, you might be putting too much pressure on the upper body instead of balancing your stroke with effort from the core and legs, and so forth. It's always good to get an independent opinion, someone who can look at your stroke with fresh eyes and a different perspective. Most importantly, it is essential to not become complacent about your swimming OR try to push the limits - that can quickly lead to either injuries or a plateau in your performance. It's understandable that you should want to swim your events this summer, but don't sacrifice your shoulder simply for the fulfillment of your goals. If you want more info, this article goes into additional detail about why you should get your stroke analyzed: www.swimspire.com/get-stroke-technique-analyzed/
Good luck!
Shoulder injuries should not be taken lightly. Continue to monitor the shoulder for any changes, as you are already doing. As for preventing further injuries, my suggestion would be to get your stroke analyzed by a coach who is specialized in swimming mechanics to determine whether there are aspects of your swimming technique that may be contributing to the shoulder pain. Although rotation is a very important part of technique, there are many other areas of the stroke that need to be assessed - you might not have a strong core, you might be putting too much pressure on the upper body instead of balancing your stroke with effort from the core and legs, and so forth. It's always good to get an independent opinion, someone who can look at your stroke with fresh eyes and a different perspective. Most importantly, it is essential to not become complacent about your swimming OR try to push the limits - that can quickly lead to either injuries or a plateau in your performance. It's understandable that you should want to swim your events this summer, but don't sacrifice your shoulder simply for the fulfillment of your goals. If you want more info, this article goes into additional detail about why you should get your stroke analyzed: www.swimspire.com/get-stroke-technique-analyzed/
Good luck!
