Hi there,
This is my first post on this forum and I'm really hoping someone out there has been through this. I am an open water swimmer, generally averaging about 25 thousand yards a week and gearing up for this summer when I finally get to swim outside!
In February, my family and I went on vacation in the Caribbean and I swam like crazy every day. Since that time, i have been having pain on my right side, in the back, basically under my right shoulder blade. I didn't cut down on my volume, which I know I should have done, and the pain has gotten worse over the past few months.
I saw my orthopedist/sports medicine doctor today, at long last, after pain since February. I've been having therapeutic, aka painful, massage from the massage therapist who works with the local college swim teams. I'm also doing chiropractic Active Release Therapy and have had only brief, very temporary respites from pain, with time off from swimming, etc. I'm doing all the other normal things--ice, ibuprofen, exercises, etc.
Today I was diagnosed with subscapular bursitis. Both the chiropractor and orthopedist think that my pec muscles are pulling my scapula over and out of place, but that it also may be rubbing against my ribs. I also seem to have developed swimmer's posture--rounded shoulders, etc.
Of course this was just a few weeks before Chesapeake Bay, which I am set to do for the first time after getting in through the lottery! I was extremely dismayed as this is finally the start of the season, and what I've been working for all these months. I typically race up through October, ending with the St. Croix 5-mile swim.
For anyone who has experienced this, how long was your recovery and what did you do for recovery? How long was it before you got back in the water, and after that, did you experience pain when you swam? I tried a kick set today, with fins, and even that caused pain. I am running a ton--because otherwise, my mood is bad enough that someone will die! But I am dying to get back in the pool. At this point, I am having pain when I go to sleep, pain when I sneeze, cough, etc--anything that strains that area at all.
The doctor has recommended twice a week physical therapy for 8 weeks, a re-evaluation, and if that doesn't work, a possible cortisone shot. Of course, he said that carries a 50% risk of nicking my lung, and I'm not interested in that. If those two didn't work, he would recommend surgery as a last resort.
Any thoughts? Suggestions?
Thank you in advance.
Sydne
I've never been diagnosed with subscapular bursitis, but I have had scapular pain. There are many causes of scapular pain, and I am not a doc. It could be referred pain from another primary cause (such as the labrum). It could be that you are overusing the scapular muscles to protect another joint involved in the shoulder motion. You mentioned that you are doing ART. I've an ART devotee. It doesn't necessarily "cure" a condition, but it can minimize the problem for quite awhile and materially reduce inflammation. How often were you going? Twice a week? And, have you been doing rotator cuff exercises during this time? You didn't mention that, except to say you were headed to PT and doing "exercises." It's critical to do both scapular and rotator cuff exercises, perhaps in addition to ART. Muscular balance is key. If you're dong all those things, and it sounds like you are because you're so interested in a cure, perhaps the source of the problem is somewhere else. Have you had an MRI or arthrogram on the shoulder? But if you haven't been doing the Buchberger type exercises, that could account for the continued pain.
As for a cortisone shot, I'm told a first time shot in the bursa of the shoulder joint can do wonders for adult. But typically each injection is less and less effective and degrades the tendons. I have had a shot in my trap in the scapular area after persistent pain about 18 months ago. My orthopod wasn't sure it would be effective. It wasn't. It did nothing at all when injected in muscle. But your target area may be different.
Also, you must fix your posture. A PT will give you posture exercises. Poor posture is definitely stressing your scapular area.
If you are in this much chronic pain, though, it sounds like a break from swimming is in your future. You may have just overdone it on vacation. I hope that's not the case. Good luck!
I've never been diagnosed with subscapular bursitis, but I have had scapular pain. There are many causes of scapular pain, and I am not a doc. It could be referred pain from another primary cause (such as the labrum). It could be that you are overusing the scapular muscles to protect another joint involved in the shoulder motion. You mentioned that you are doing ART. I've an ART devotee. It doesn't necessarily "cure" a condition, but it can minimize the problem for quite awhile and materially reduce inflammation. How often were you going? Twice a week? And, have you been doing rotator cuff exercises during this time? You didn't mention that, except to say you were headed to PT and doing "exercises." It's critical to do both scapular and rotator cuff exercises, perhaps in addition to ART. Muscular balance is key. If you're dong all those things, and it sounds like you are because you're so interested in a cure, perhaps the source of the problem is somewhere else. Have you had an MRI or arthrogram on the shoulder? But if you haven't been doing the Buchberger type exercises, that could account for the continued pain.
As for a cortisone shot, I'm told a first time shot in the bursa of the shoulder joint can do wonders for adult. But typically each injection is less and less effective and degrades the tendons. I have had a shot in my trap in the scapular area after persistent pain about 18 months ago. My orthopod wasn't sure it would be effective. It wasn't. It did nothing at all when injected in muscle. But your target area may be different.
Also, you must fix your posture. A PT will give you posture exercises. Poor posture is definitely stressing your scapular area.
If you are in this much chronic pain, though, it sounds like a break from swimming is in your future. You may have just overdone it on vacation. I hope that's not the case. Good luck!
