After 20 years of no exercise at all - I've recently started swimming again. It's been about 6 months since I re-started swimming, and I'm up to 3000 yards a day, about half of that is IM.
The problem: About three weeks ago my left shoulder started popping. I'd say that it's popping out of it's socket, but it's more like when you crack your knuckles (or whatever you like to crack) :) Pretty much it does it all day long. If I straighten my arm to the side and twist my wrist - my shoulder pops/cracks.
In the pool I've noticed (during crawl mostly) that my left shoulder (when I breathe to the right) feel like it's hyper extending. I've been trying to compensate by breathing to my left more, but it seems like it's getting a little worse over the last few weeks.
Obviously I don't expect professional medical advice. But, it would help me to know if anyone else has similar problems or advice as to what exercises, stretches, swimming technique, or anything else that I might consider doing.
All I can come up with is stretching more (I don't do very much), but I'm slightly worried that it's possible to hyper-extend it more (if that's what it is). I'm also considering spending more time on drills, and less on sprints for a while.
I'm not in allot of pain. Mostly my shoulder is just uncomfortable all day long. The most pain, and it's not that severe, is in the pool. When it happens (and it's happened only three or four times) I stop swimming and start my warm down.
Thanks.
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Former Member
I did find www.bodyresults.com/E2RotatorCuff.asp and what's been said about the rotator cuff makes allot of sense. It's certainly the culprit.
The website above says to use an 8lb to 12lb dumbbell for men, 3lb to 5lb for women. A 3lb dumbbell was about all I could lift repetitively. My muscles appear to be equally weak on both of my shoulders.
I think this tells all. I'll be gentle, continue the exercises, and see if it improves.
There is no pain/popping when I move or exercise normally. The popping is when I stretch my arm to the side and twist my wrist - it's like cracking a knuckle. The very slight pain is when I'm reaching forward during freestyle.
LindsayNB - You may be right. Though, I do think I'm rotating enough. I'm probably breaking my body plane with my left arm. I'll bring the video camera to my workout today and we'll see if it's something obvious. Also, I can swim without feeling pain. I just have to keep a conscious effort not to extend my left arm too far.
330man / Seagurl51 / Alicat - It's not pride. It's a money. I can't afford the worst case scenario alone and Medicare doesn't handle problems until they're disabilities. Even then, they like problems you can see. We have a crappy healthcare system in this country for those who are poor (of which, I qualify). You have to be in lots of pain or bleeding profusely before you can get financial help. I'm not in any pain to speak of and have slight discomfort when I swim in a particular way. I can't imagine going to Medicare with that. When I say "I'm not going to a doctor" I mean, "I can't reasonably be expected to get treatment for the worst case scenario."
- I had an opportunity to ***, so I took it, sorry. ;)
Anyway, it's certainly a rotator cuff problem. My cuff muscles are really weak and I've been swimming 100's on the minute. The weakest link is feeling the effects. If all I can lift repetitively is what's recommended as the lightest female weight - I think a conclusion can safely be made.
I did find www.bodyresults.com/E2RotatorCuff.asp and what's been said about the rotator cuff makes allot of sense. It's certainly the culprit.
The website above says to use an 8lb to 12lb dumbbell for men, 3lb to 5lb for women. A 3lb dumbbell was about all I could lift repetitively. My muscles appear to be equally weak on both of my shoulders.
I think this tells all. I'll be gentle, continue the exercises, and see if it improves.
There is no pain/popping when I move or exercise normally. The popping is when I stretch my arm to the side and twist my wrist - it's like cracking a knuckle. The very slight pain is when I'm reaching forward during freestyle.
LindsayNB - You may be right. Though, I do think I'm rotating enough. I'm probably breaking my body plane with my left arm. I'll bring the video camera to my workout today and we'll see if it's something obvious. Also, I can swim without feeling pain. I just have to keep a conscious effort not to extend my left arm too far.
330man / Seagurl51 / Alicat - It's not pride. It's a money. I can't afford the worst case scenario alone and Medicare doesn't handle problems until they're disabilities. Even then, they like problems you can see. We have a crappy healthcare system in this country for those who are poor (of which, I qualify). You have to be in lots of pain or bleeding profusely before you can get financial help. I'm not in any pain to speak of and have slight discomfort when I swim in a particular way. I can't imagine going to Medicare with that. When I say "I'm not going to a doctor" I mean, "I can't reasonably be expected to get treatment for the worst case scenario."
- I had an opportunity to ***, so I took it, sorry. ;)
Anyway, it's certainly a rotator cuff problem. My cuff muscles are really weak and I've been swimming 100's on the minute. The weakest link is feeling the effects. If all I can lift repetitively is what's recommended as the lightest female weight - I think a conclusion can safely be made.
