I'm going to see a neck and spine specialist this week to figure out why I have chronic neck pain. I've read on the arthritis foundation website that they don't recommend freestyle swimming - in fact it's one of the exercises they say to Not do - for neck arthritis. I am very much worried that the doctor's going to diagnose arthritis, which runs in my family, and tell me no more freestyle, breaststroke, or any other swimming that requires turning or lifting my head. Aside from using a mask and snorkel, I can't figure out a way around it.
Do any of you have arthritis in your neck? Usually, swimming is one of the best exercises for arthritis, but apparently head turning causes inflammation and pain. Am I to be a part of the shameful shower cap, noodle crowd? Input appreciated.
Denise, swimming itself doesn't cause arthritis and just like you said that swimming is one of the best exercises to treat arthritis. This statement is 100% true. Although arthritis foundation have suggested you not to do swimming but I would suggest you to get in touch with a swimming coach for this. I believe that if you maintain a good position then you should have no problem in swimming and it will actually help you to treat your problem. But a slight error may result in many problems later on. Therefore, a swimming coach will be able to help you out in this thing. An endless pool will also be highly beneficial in this case because it will give you full image of what you are doing and what your actions are plus your coach will be able to provide you personal attention continuously. Hope this helps!
avalon222, thank you for mentioning the Shaw Method. I watched his video and it looks really interesting.
My physical therapist, a young woman who is very much into exercise, still doesn't want me to swim just yet, but I'm having an MRI on Monday which should show what's causing my neck pain, hopefully. I did get to the gym yesterday for some brief cardio and light weight lifting and was pretty sore even after pt yesterday.
I've actually tried to contact Julia at Swimspire about some private coaching but didn't hear back.
I have arthritis in my neck (and a boatload of other neck issues, too, some stemming back to an old injury and others the result of decades of desk work). I swim 4-5 miles per week, a mix of strokes, kicking, pulling, drills, etc. I also do drylands 2-3 times per week: a mix of cardio, weights, and strength exercises given to me by my physical therapist. If I stay on this regime, watch my stroke mechanics, don't slack off on my drylands, and don't try to go crazy with the yardage, I'm fine. I would not, for example, try to do a two mile swim of nothing but freestyle. And when I do swim freestyle, I always alternate the side I breathe on. I do specific sets where I breathe only to the left or only to the right or alternating right and left. And in my daily life, try to remember good posture.
Knock on wood, my neck is rarely an issue. Once in a while, I'll have a muscle spasm in my neck or shoulder that requires PT to get under control, but these days that's the exception rather than the rule. For milder issues, I can work those out myself with foam rollers and strategically placed tennis balls (ow ow ow, but it works).
I assume, based on the little twinges of pain I get sometimes, that I have arthritis elsewhere in my body--my mom has it, and my father had it pretty badly. But I'm living almost completely pain-free (knock on wood), and I credit a lot of that to exercising every day.
So, IMO, you can swim with neck arthritis, you just need to be careful about it.
On the other hand, or actually on the other end of the spine, I was forced to give up running due to arthritis in the lumbar vertebrae and it was swimming that was recommended. I had already been into it for a long time so I was happy to increase the swims while turning the runs into walks. The impact of running was pinching a nerve.
