I am just returning to Master's swimming after an on and off 15 year layoff, partly due to bad shoulders. I just had my left shoulder "totally reconstructed", as the surgeon put it, for the second time this last October. This included a Bankart repair with anchors, a rotator rip repair, tightening of the capsule and multiple rips and tears sewn up. According to the surgeon, now that I'm 6mos past surgery and have full range of motion, I can do "anything".
Right now I'm swimming about 1,000 yds, or whatever I can do in 45 minutes 3-4 a week. I'm increasing 10 minutes a week. I'm also doing a few band exercises for strength, running/walking about 3 miles every other day, since I can't move fast enough in the water to get an aerobic workout yet.
My orthopedic surgeon has left me on my own to rehab as far as figuring out how to get strong enough to swim again. My coach isn't experienced in shoulder injuries of this magnitude. I am hopeless, pain is no guide as I was swimming 3,500 yds the week before I went in for the last surgery in October (hey, I'm a butterflier- we're immune to pain!).
If anyone has gone through even part of this, and has shoulder strengthening ideas, please, please help me. Right now I'm at a loss as to what sorts of exercises I should be doing- I've "out grown" those the physical therapist has given me.
Any workout advice (except fins- can't do those, they eat up my feet) as to what and how much to do, machines at the gym, free weights...I'd be eternally grateful. My goal is to get back to butterfly again, the surgeon doesn't think that's unreasonable, he just doesn't know how to get me there!
