Hi everyone, I'm a long time lurker and a first time poster. I really have enjoyed the discussion and really appreciate all of your advice.
I started swimming again (2 months ago) regularly after taking a few years off. I have been swimming between 2 and 3k (SCY) per day about 4 or 5 times a week since then.
A couple of times (usually when I've been swimming for a while and am pretty tired) I have tweaked the nerve that runs down the left side of the back of my neck. Usually it happens when I am taking a breath on the right side. Once it made me have to stop and rest in the middle of my set before I felt comfortable to continue.
I thought that it was probably because my form is maybe not quite right, and my lack of proper rotation is causing me to lift my head to breath instead of just rolling over. Does that sound plausible? I don't anticipate that there is anything seriously wrong, but I'm thinking about doing a short triathalon....would hate for this to happen in the middle of a lake or river or sumpin'....
Does this happen to anyone else? Is it something to be concerned about? Is it caused by my poor form?
Thanks in advance.
James.
Thanks for your response. I'll try those things.
Come to think of it, this started when I started swimming in the morning instead of at lunch. It may very well be a streching/warming up thing.
Thanks again.
James.
I used to pinch nerves alot with bilateral breathing. Now I only breathe to one side. It stinks but it is just the way it is for me. I mix up breathing every stroke and every four. I can still peak to the right when racing.
I don't advocate you give up or experiment with a solution. For me, I just do what works and don't complain too much anymore.
I think when swimming fast, there is less body rotation because a strong kick does not allow it. This may force more head turn when sprinting. 4 beat or 2 beat allows a bit more body roll so you spine should stay in more alignment when breathing. You should not be lifting your head at all, or looking back. You should turn just enough to sneak some air.
If it is predictable when it happens, then stop short of it, or change strokes.
Just my limited opinion.
what are doing OUTSIDE of the pool (w/ your neck) ?
i'd get a "kink" in my neck once a month for a handful of years until i realized via my
doc that i had poor posture when sitting in front of computer... when driving.... when
ducking my head under the shower-head ! (seriously).
you want a nice, "tall" neck... so that the bones/tendons/ligaments are in good alignment.
when i catch myself slouching (eg, when i don't have a "tall neck"), then i straighten
it out...
i now have had 3 neck-kinks in probably 3 years... or maybe only one. it's been
amazing.
FYI: i don't use a kickboard on flutter-kick-sets because it holds my neck in the
"kinked position". i flutter-kick on my side.... or do the "catch-up" style of kicking.
/andrew
"stuff about his bad neck"
James.
James.
Definitely get a massage you may have a little issue there that will benefit.
Work on pressing your t and rolling to breathe. Do it slow and feel how you're doing it--I've been working on my stroke and seen good improvement & can now breathe easy on either side.
Make sure you warm up in shower and then with neck stretches if you''ve been feeling it. side bends and back and front bends...not full circles...
I'm a returning swimmer so not an expert but at back and neck pains etc-- I'm probably a world champ by now! ;)
Good luck...
This is a problem that I've had in the past. It's root cause is certainly posture related -- especially posture in front of the computer screen. It's way too easy for me to let my head get out in front of my body.
I tried several different cures: chiropractic treatment, massage, heating pads, conscious realignment of my body, etc. Finally my swim coach made a recommendation that has fixed it for me: he told me I was starting my pull too early. Once I changed my stroke, the pain went away. The only time that I feel it come back now is when I'm doing a lot of sprints and I start to get tired . . . I think I fall back into my old habit.
Try letting your hand fall weightlessly throught the first part of your pull before you apply pressure. Maybe it will help you, too!
I tend to agree w/ Liz on the early pull theory. I changed my pull pattern to begin after allowing my leading arm/hand to drop a bit (its a trade off on the glide but seems to help w/the pressure exerted on the joint) I tend to agree with the tenet that the farther out the lead arm extension when beginning the pull the more pressure is placed on the shoulder/neck nerve plexus. IMHO.Good luck.
Every once in awhile I get a truly paralyzing twinge in my neck. I could just move the wrong way walking around, it's happened in the shower, but never in the pool.
It feels like someone has just grabbed the nerve in the left side of the back of my neck, and I literally seize. Since I started lifting it's gotten much better, and so has my posture.
I wonder though if it's not genetic, because it happened to my 4 year old daughter one day. She just started wailing and grabbing the back of her neck. She wasn't doing anything strenuous, just playing with toys on the floor.
