Hello, A few months ago I tried to break out of sedentary habits and begin exercising by swimming at my local pool (a bout of 20 minutes of vigorous sidestroke laps. Sidestroke is what I am most comfortable with.) Sometime after that I developed a frozen shoulder, which continues to bother me even after a couple of months of physical therapy (which ended several weeks ago.) I am tempted to return to the swimming but was curious as to whether or not it would be advisable to do the sidestroke. (I have gentle exercises prescribed for me to do specifically for the shoulder as well.) Maybe this is a question for my doctor. Any advice is gratefully appreciated, thank you.
Hello, A few months ago I tried to break out of sedentary habits and begin exercising by swimming at my local pool (a bout of 20 minutes of vigorous sidestroke laps...
Well I think part of the problem is right there...Too Much Too Soon (TMTS). You overdid it. You went directly from "sedentary" to "vigorous." You should take it a little...a lot...more gradually.
Dan
I've always thought of sidestroke as more of a rescue stroke. Master's swim teams, at least the ones I know of only use the 4 competitive strokes and drills for them.
If I were you I'd mix my strokes up. When you sidestroke you are repeatedly doing your long, power stroke with the same arm over and over again. At the very least try to alternate sides so you get a different arm pattern every other lap. I'm just coming off 8 weeks of rotator cuff irritation. The things I did was rest, ice, shoulder strength exercises (pulling with a rubber tube helped lots), but most importantly I've been doing lots of backstroke. I normally swim mostly freestyle and I think a summer of hard, chest down swimming did me in. I've been doing at least 40% of my workout backstroke and after a week things started feeling much better. My backstroke is getting better too. This morning at workout I told my coach, this is my year of the backstroke.
Good luck and congratulations on finding a more active lifestyle! Your new lifestyle will pay off with benefits you never even though were obtainable!!
My physical therapist gave me a tube and thanks for reminding me -- you've encouraged me to do those exercises more often forums.usms.org/.../smile.gif Thanks for the good advice.
About 4 years ago I had a frozen shoulder. As you know it sort of sneaks up on you. As I have been swimming a long time I am used to complaining about sore shoulders, or torn rotator cuffs or whatever so I initially just ignored it. Assuming it was more of the same. And because I did not want to be told to stop swimming. So I kept on swimming. After about 4 months of increasing pain that was so severe I could not sleep I went to the doctor who diagnosed frozen shoulder. But here is the thing, he said that the fact that I kept on swimming kept my shoulder from completely freezing up and was in fact good for it.
Thanks for your note, this is very helpful information. Recently I started exercising more regularly and (while not in the pool yet) it seems to be helping. Best wishes, B10 About 4 years ago I had a frozen shoulder. As you know it sort of sneaks up on you. As I have been swimming a long time I am used to complaining about sore shoulders, or torn rotator cuffs or whatever so I initially just ignored it. Assuming it was more of the same. And because I did not want to be told to stop swimming. So I kept on swimming. After about 4 months of increasing pain that was so severe I could not sleep I went to the doctor who diagnosed frozen shoulder. But here is the thing, he said that the fact that I kept on swimming kept my shoulder from completely freezing up and was in fact good for it.
