Hi everyone, I really hope someone has had a similar experience, as my doctor seems a little lost.
Around the same time as I started doing bench press to improve my upper body strength for front crawl, I experiences pain in my shoulder which was quite severe. After taking 2-3 weeks off the pain has gone away.
However, I now find severe clicking sounds in my shoulder, especially when moving it in a circle. Most disturbing is when making the catch with a high elbow position, subtle pain and clicking resonates in my shoulder and after only 1000m my shoulders feel as though they have taken on 5000m.
Thank You!
I don't know if you have any history of shoulder problems, but if you do, bench pressing is NOT a good activity. Some clicking is normal -- it's scar tissue. But you may need to back off and do some rotator cuff and scapular stabilizing exercises. We discussed shoulder issues on a recent thread, forums.usms.org/showthread.php. That thread references many other threads dealing with the causation and treatment of shoulder injuries. If the pain continues, it may be tendonitis. See a doc -- preferably one that knows something about swimming. Good luck!
I had clicking for years--it finally disappeared after months of rotator cuff exercises (and a year of Vioxx). Most likely you have tendinitis involving the rotator cuff. The only way to tell if you have a tear (say, of the labrum) would be to have an MRI. As Fort suggested, check out the other threads on this subject.
About a year ago, I was benching like I normally do but strained or tore something in my shoulder. I tried to let it heal but benching and even full push-ups aggravated it. So, I do fly's and 1/4 push-ups (great chest results and triceps). I've had clicking in my shoulders since college and slow motions through the clicking seems to help. I take the pullouts in Br very slow and deliberate and when doing fly, I only do sprint 25's and drills without an over-the-water recovery. My times are dropping and I'm happy with the physical results. So, you need to find a routine that will help you do the things you like and keep you at the peak of your game (possible with experimentation). I've slowed my drills, incorporated EVF isometrics and stretch cord exercises and I hit upon my routine that gets me positive results. I'm sure you'll find something that works for you and like the previous reply, find a Dr. that knows something about swimming or a good Sports Med Dr. Good luck! Coach T.
