I have been swimming almost a year and as I am getting "better" I have been upping my distance and workout frequency.
I have slowly worked my way up to swimming three times a week and the distance is about 1500-2000yds a workout. I mix up intervals and straight swims. Mainly long swims in the summer and intervals in the winter. I think my approach has been rational thus far.
However, my left shoulder has started to bother me. I have made adjustments to my mechanics and as long as I don't let it get out too far from my body I can deal with it. Right now my left arm is really only along for the ride so to speak and I can't really crank on it the way I would like to generate full power.
I have talked with more experienced swimmers who have gone through shoulder issues. I am just working through it and hope it will subside.
What is likely going on in my shoulder? Is it just inflamation? What advice can you give? Should I just work through it at reduced intensity? Any specific workouts in or out of the water to help? I am freestyle only.
I'm right-handed and have had problems with both my shoulders. What Gull says is very true... the shoulder is an instable joint and personal anatomy plays a huge factor is who has shoulder issues and who does not. My acromion (the end of the bone below which your humerus 'hangs') curves and tilts down at the end which makes impingement issues more likely.
For me, technique is critical. I have to watch that I don't 'overwork' the catch in freestyle and that I keep my elbows up. You really can't beat having a coach look over your stroke. When doing the 'semi-catchup' freestyle that lots of people use today, it is very easy to allow the hand of the outstretched arm to drift up. Obviously if your hand drifts up, your elbow is going down. To visualize what this does to your shoulder, try lying on the ground on your stomach. Put both hands in front of you, palms flat on the floor, lift your elbows up, and push your chest up. Pretty easy, right? Now imagine there is a bar 3" off the ground in front of your hands. This time instead of getting your chest up by pushing on the ground with your elbows up, imagine that starting with your elbows on the floor, you grab that bar out in front of your hands and push on the bar. Ouch! Not exactly the same mechanism of dropping your elbow in swimming, but it illustrates the point.
So technique is key, but I'd still go see a doctor. If nothing else, you should be able to get a prescription for some PT. Rotator cuff exercises are a wonderful thing, but need to be done with proper form. Also, since shoulder stability is entirely dependent on the balance and strength of the muscles surrounding joint, you want to make sure you're strengthening the right areas. Swimmers tend to be overly tight in the front of the shoulder and way too lax in the back.
Just try to find a doctor that has experience with athletes. Since you're a runner by background, maybe you already know of a good doctor or your running partners do. You could also check with the coach/trainer at a nearby university and ask where they send their swimmers.
Hopefully this wasn't too ridiculously long of a post and good luck!
I'm right-handed and have had problems with both my shoulders. What Gull says is very true... the shoulder is an instable joint and personal anatomy plays a huge factor is who has shoulder issues and who does not. My acromion (the end of the bone below which your humerus 'hangs') curves and tilts down at the end which makes impingement issues more likely.
For me, technique is critical. I have to watch that I don't 'overwork' the catch in freestyle and that I keep my elbows up. You really can't beat having a coach look over your stroke. When doing the 'semi-catchup' freestyle that lots of people use today, it is very easy to allow the hand of the outstretched arm to drift up. Obviously if your hand drifts up, your elbow is going down. To visualize what this does to your shoulder, try lying on the ground on your stomach. Put both hands in front of you, palms flat on the floor, lift your elbows up, and push your chest up. Pretty easy, right? Now imagine there is a bar 3" off the ground in front of your hands. This time instead of getting your chest up by pushing on the ground with your elbows up, imagine that starting with your elbows on the floor, you grab that bar out in front of your hands and push on the bar. Ouch! Not exactly the same mechanism of dropping your elbow in swimming, but it illustrates the point.
So technique is key, but I'd still go see a doctor. If nothing else, you should be able to get a prescription for some PT. Rotator cuff exercises are a wonderful thing, but need to be done with proper form. Also, since shoulder stability is entirely dependent on the balance and strength of the muscles surrounding joint, you want to make sure you're strengthening the right areas. Swimmers tend to be overly tight in the front of the shoulder and way too lax in the back.
Just try to find a doctor that has experience with athletes. Since you're a runner by background, maybe you already know of a good doctor or your running partners do. You could also check with the coach/trainer at a nearby university and ask where they send their swimmers.
Hopefully this wasn't too ridiculously long of a post and good luck!
