just a question for the older swimmers,how does swimming affect joints as we get older,i'm 37 and wonder what swimming does for or against joints as we age.The common point of view is that swimming is good for you,is this also true for bone joints?My reason for asking is that a while ago i used to do mainly breastroke until my knees got bad from this,been doing mainly freestyle for over a year i think now and my left shoulder now twinges from time to time.:confused:
I'll direct my comments to you specifically rather than joints in general.
I coach people who go to the pysical therapist, or doctor more often, who says "It's an overuse injury, rest for two weeks and take these meds." That works for a while except a few months later he is back at the office. That's if he is lucky, if he is not lucky he quits and tells me over coffee one day "Yeah I used to swim but my shoulders couldn't take it."
Into this story you can insert bicycling and knees, running and feet, racquetball and spleen etc etc.
If he is really lucky, he sees a physical therapist or doctor who says, well the problem is that your whatsits is too loose and your thunklits is too strong. We need to correct those imbalances. If the guy wins the health care lottery the doctor or other health care person actually has an idea of how to tweak techniques to avoid injury.
My basic point is that overuse is a bad term. I'd characterize most overuse injuries as misuse injuries. Swimming 10k with healthy form won't hurt. Swimming 10k with unhealthy form most certainly will. Notice I mention helathy and not fast. In MOST cases healthy form is fast form, but not necessarily all the time in the short term. In the long term it is, and by long term I mean 20 years. Swimming with healthy form now means you'll still be swimming in 20 years. Swimming with unhealthy form means that you'll quit swimming breastroke because your knee bothers you.
Of course this is a simplification of the situation and there is an exception that proves every rule.
However, in your particular case, shoulders don't just twinge all on their own. Something about the strength of your shoulder joint and the way you swim is causing this problem. It won't be easy to find exactly the problem but you can find it if you look hard enough.
I find a good place to start the search is here (www.coachesinfo.com/.../)
Nice link.
Awesome reply, Kevin, something us docs should listen to. {spleen???}
Lainey: the concern your doc is mentioning is probably based on the idea that weight-bearing exercise helps prevent osteoporosis. Weight lifting is just one weight-bearing exercise -- I am sure you can come up with many more. It does NOT cause more bone loss or joint weakness. It is not on the "minus" side of the house, but then it is not a "plus" either.
Edit: By "it" I am referring to swimming.
I just wanted to add a thanks too, I have been down this "ouch" road too often. I am happy that I am not the only one!
Then I think that Natalie Coughlin has some of the same "ouch" and revameped her strokes --or so was the stories reported at the Olympics. Thanks for the input.
Originally posted by sparx35
i may try weights
Replace that "may" with a "will". But importantly find out what things you should be doing before you try "weights." The same can be said for "stretching." Both weights and streching are important parts of rehab, but doing the proper exercises and stretches are very important. Doing the wrong weight exercises and the wrong stretches will actually make the problem worse.
Specifically resisteance exercises for your chest and many stretches for your shoulders would very likely be contraindicated in many shoulder injuries. Swim magazine had a very good article a year or two ao showing that the stretches that you see almost every swimmer do before they get in are actually bad for your shoulder.
USA Swimming has already produced a workout plan for guys like you and me with twinging shoulders. www.usaswimming.org/.../ViewMiscArticle.aspx
It's probably a very good starting point for resistance exercise. But if you really want to get rid of your pain I suggest seeing a sports physical therapist.
Good luck, I have literally felt your pain.
Great post and link. I've been doing exercises 1-4 for over a year (as prescribed by a physical therapist with a sports medicine background). The key is consistency--this is a lifelong program if you plan to continue swimming. In combination with stroke modification and some weight exercises (lat pulldown and triceps extensions), I have noticed significant improvement and can now complete 3000+ workouts without pain (during or after).
As Kevin said, certain exercises can make the problem worse and should be avoided (dips, for example).
