Women's Locker Room

Here's a thread for the ladies to discuss anything that relates to women and swimming. For example, feel free to discuss how disgustingly ugly fastskins are, how the "curse" can kill a meet, how suits don't fit, how swimming wrecks your hair, how hormones unhinge you, etc.
  • Former Member
    Former Member
    Les (and other ladies), 2 homeopathic things I've heard about colds and allergies: Apple Cider Vinegar and honey for sore throats and colds--tastes awful... Allergies, apparently, consume local honey. It supposedly gets your body used to the local pollens and such (as the bees use this to make honey) and helps ease your allergies. Worth a shot. NB I don't know if the honey in the cider vinegar and honey needs to be local... I think it's just to soothe and cover the taste.
  • Former Member
    Former Member
    Some questions for the ladies: 1. Is everyone wearing their wedding/engagement ring(s) during practice or meets? I knew that I'd be more likely to lose my ring by taking it off and on all the time than by swimming in it. I also decided that if it was going to have any stones in it, I didn't want prongs because they'd snag things. So I did a bunch of research and ended up with a chlorine-resistant metal (palladium) and a cast bezel setting. The jeweler assured me that the stone would be very secure in the setting.
  • A kind forumite posted this exercise on my blog. What's a foam roller? Where do I find your blog??? Skip
  • Hi Fort - I had some really bad "hip" issues, originally diagnosed as SI joint, then later a wonderful PT/acupunturist diagnosed it as piriformis. She did a few sessions of acupuncture and I have not had trouble since. If it continues to bother you, you can try acu to see if that would help release that muscle. It can be difficult to get to, even with the tennis ball or foam roller. I love the foam roller though, so thanks to whoever posted that foam roller exercise for it - I will definitely be trying that.
  • What's a foam roller? Where do I find your blog??? Skip Hey Skip, The blog tab is found in that blue band at the top of the page. There are 40+ blogs now, filled with workout info. Mine is at forums.usms.org/blog.php. We're having a lively discussion about weight training the last couple days. BTW, ladies, I wish I had some idea what exercises other women are doing and how much you're lifting. I really have no idea ... I've recently started to post more details on my weight workout. Would love some input! Thanks Diana! Glad you're better. I will keep going with the foam roller and hot tub now, but keep that in mind. Oh, here's the foam roller I have. www.power-systems.com/p-4092-premium-textured-eva-foam-roller.aspx
  • Hi Fort - I got my foam roller from my previous PT. She had shown me some things to work on my ribs - I have a weird rib that pops in and out - very strange, but laying on the roller seems to help get it back where it needs to be. I forgot - I never wear my jewelry in the pool or to sleep, except for a thumb ring and a toe ring. Everything else goes into my glasses case in the evening when I get home from work and directly into my swim bag. Then after practice, I put everything on and put the glasses in the case (wear contacts). My jeweler told me long ago that the chemicals in the pool will eat away at the gold and not to wear it in the pool, so I don't. This routine seems to be working out well for me.
  • I've recently been trying to remember to leave my wedding ring at home before I go swim. I often swim with it on, but know I probably shouldn't. I agree that it's probably more likely to be lost by removing it at the pool than by swimming with it. However, years ago, when my brother was lifeguarding in Oklahoma, a woman at his pool was frantic because her diamond fell out of her ring. He swam under water scanning each lane until he finally found her diamond for her. I think he was pretty lucky to be able to find it. As for the nagging hip injury, Fort, I'm not sure what kind of injury you have but I am sometimes plagued with piriformis issues. I've found that it isn't worsened by exercise and often resolves itself if I don't get too stressed out about it. 10 minutes in the hot tub with the jets right on my lower back or hip helps loosen it up also.
  • I have not had the good fortune as some of you other ladies of going through the changes to your body during pregnancy and after childbirth. But I do know from my sister (who used to be a half-marathoner) that when the hips widen it puts extra strain on the piriformis. She suffered for a while with piriformis inflammation and hip bursitis when she tried to get back into serious running shape after her third child. Unfortunately she is not a swimmer, but I wish she was. Swimming is much nicer on your body than running is! I am pretty fortunate that my injuries have been limited to ankles (can't keep my balance on dry land to save my life--typical swimmer). Fortunately my overly flexible ankles give me a fabulous kick.
  • There's a great foam roller stretch for piriformis tightness. You sit on the roller and cross one leg over the other (straight) leg. Then you lean over towards the crossed leg side and roll back and forth over your hip on that side. Like having a really deep massage on the hip muscles. Hurts at first, then feels much looser. A kind forumite posted this exercise on my blog. It's called a hip rotator, and I've been doing them. It's not as painful now, so I think it's getting better. Amy, it might be a piriformis issue; I'm not really sure which muscle is involved. It seems to be slowly getting better. I ran the other day without it bothering me much. I do expect it to resolve itself over time. I'm trying to help it along with the hot tub! I've heard a few stories about diamonds falling out of rings now ... I guess Jayhawk had the right idea!
  • There's a great foam roller stretch for piriformis tightness. You sit on the roller and cross one leg over the other (straight) leg. Then you lean over towards the crossed leg side and roll back and forth over your hip on that side. Like having a really deep massage on the hip muscles. Hurts at first, then feels much looser. You can also roll around on a tennis ball (should have mentioned that one before). Hurts like the dickens but loosens things up (and you don't have to buy a special roller).