I swam competitively from age 9 through high school and hated it. Now at age 30, I joined a local Master's team and love it. My friends say that it is my religion. My change of heart is a different topic however. Now I need some help solving my latest "possible" swimming related problem. I read another post about cervical injury and swimming but thought that this was a somewhat different subject.
Over the past three months, I have had numerous whiplash injuries to my neck and shoulders. Both my right and left sides have been affected. I end up in the doctor's office in such pain that I need muscle relaxants, vicodin, a whole lot of icy hot and some beer to move about. I end up taking time off of swimming to let my injuries heal. The doctors think that it might be swimming related. I personally don't think so and don't want it to be (since I now love it). But maybe I am doing something inadvertently.
1) I have been told that I have "beautiful" stroke technique (expect backstroke where I cross over)
2) I never dive in except in meets
3) I alternate breathe except when my neck won't allow it
4) The pool is over 80 degrees
5) I swim three to four times a week 3500 yards at a time
I want to know if anyone else has these problems or if anyone can think of swimming related techniques that would cause this.
Thanks
Parents
Former Member
I’ve read quite a bit about neck injuries since I’ve developed one. I can’t offer specific diagnoses or advice without doing a medical history and physical exam, but I do have some thoughts. Re. Whiplash injuries – they seem to be mostly due to muscular tears or trauma to the ligaments and tendons surrounding the neck. However, I’d like to know the following:
1. Have you had any imaging studies of your cervical spine and shoulders (MRI, CT scan) since you’ve had this injury?
2. Were you having any pain prior to the whiplash injuries?
3. Did the whiplash injuries involve you hitting any part of a motor vehicle (dash, steering wheel, etc.)?
If the answer to 1 was “no,” I’d get an imaging study. Pain could be related to a herniated disc. Pain could also be related to a shoulder impingement (I’ve had that in the past). However, that’s less likely to be bilateral.
If the answer to 2 was yes, that still wouldn’t rule out a disc problem. However, the whiplash injuries make me worry a bit about that, as does the need for vicodin and muscle relaxants. Finally, if the answer to 3 was “yes”, and you haven’t gotten an imaging study, I would press your physician for one. I would also ask to be evaluated by a neurologist, physical medicine & rehab physician, or sports medicine specialist.
I’ve read quite a bit about neck injuries since I’ve developed one. I can’t offer specific diagnoses or advice without doing a medical history and physical exam, but I do have some thoughts. Re. Whiplash injuries – they seem to be mostly due to muscular tears or trauma to the ligaments and tendons surrounding the neck. However, I’d like to know the following:
1. Have you had any imaging studies of your cervical spine and shoulders (MRI, CT scan) since you’ve had this injury?
2. Were you having any pain prior to the whiplash injuries?
3. Did the whiplash injuries involve you hitting any part of a motor vehicle (dash, steering wheel, etc.)?
If the answer to 1 was “no,” I’d get an imaging study. Pain could be related to a herniated disc. Pain could also be related to a shoulder impingement (I’ve had that in the past). However, that’s less likely to be bilateral.
If the answer to 2 was yes, that still wouldn’t rule out a disc problem. However, the whiplash injuries make me worry a bit about that, as does the need for vicodin and muscle relaxants. Finally, if the answer to 3 was “yes”, and you haven’t gotten an imaging study, I would press your physician for one. I would also ask to be evaluated by a neurologist, physical medicine & rehab physician, or sports medicine specialist.
