I've been a lap swimmer for years but in the last couple of years have increased my distances substantially compared to past years.
Unfortunately one of the negative by products has been headaches after I finish my workouts.
This usually occurs when I swim longer then 90 minutes. During the swim I'll feel great. No problems after quitting. Then about 30 to 45 minutes after I finish I'll feel the headache coming. 90 minutes after the swim ended I'll have a nasty headache. I take ibprofene for it and it goes away after an hour or so.
I thought it might be dehydration, so I started swimming with a large water bottle at the end of the lane and I'd take a quick drink every 1/4 to 1/3 of a mile. That didn't seem to help. I added a 20 oz bottle of Gatorade, along with the water, doesn't seem to have made any difference.
I went to my family doctor about 8 months ago and had a bunch of blood tests done to see if something would show up there, nothing. No blood sugar problems or other "inbalances".
So I keep swimming and keep getting these damn headaches.
Anyone have any clues as to what could be causing them or possible remedies?
Thanks,
Parents
Former Member
Since your doctor didn't find any medical explanation, my guess is that the headaches come from tension in your neck muscles while you swim. Based on personal experience, I think this can happen if you keep your head position high, for example by looking forward. You have to keep your neck muscles flexed to do this, which tightens them. When you increased the time of your workout you also kept those muscles flexed longer than they were used to.
I used to get headaches after long workouts occasionally, also. They stopped after my coach told me to keep my head in a "neutral" position, i.e., looking toward the bottom of the pool instead of the end.
Since your doctor didn't find any medical explanation, my guess is that the headaches come from tension in your neck muscles while you swim. Based on personal experience, I think this can happen if you keep your head position high, for example by looking forward. You have to keep your neck muscles flexed to do this, which tightens them. When you increased the time of your workout you also kept those muscles flexed longer than they were used to.
I used to get headaches after long workouts occasionally, also. They stopped after my coach told me to keep my head in a "neutral" position, i.e., looking toward the bottom of the pool instead of the end.
