Jim, what is the treatment for scapular winging? What if the nerve doesn't "kick in"? Pain? You seem to be swimming very well despite it!
The ortho dude wanted me to stay out of the water and well, you know that's just not an option. I was scheduled for therapy but ended up not going due to the inconvenient times they were offering. I decided that the best thing for me was to just go kind of easy for a while, build up the other muscles in the area to compensate for the anterior serratus not working - that is what is "served" by the long thoracic - and see how things developed. There's no pain now because the other muscles have gotten with the program. The nerve's still palsied - they said 6 mos to 5 years - maybe. And maybe never.
I ended up after 20 years of competitive swimming I ended up with a significant rotator cuff injury. I had a major tear in a tendon, a tear in the cuff (labrum) and a tear in the bicep tendon. I waited too long for surgery and I think the pt only aggravated the problem.
I am finally swimming again after about 2 years. I only have about 95% range of motion back on my shoulder but I have no pain and I can swim for an hour or so about five times a week. I do not swim fly or backstroke anymore. I didn't think for a long time I'd ever get back in the pool but here I am!
Ortho Dudes know nothing about stroke modification. The only solution they have is stay out of the water. Right in some cases for sure. However that is not what we want to hear.
When it comes to masters swimming, perhaps longevity is just as important as efficiency.
Now that's a fact.
I watched Tom Lane swim 50 free at Masters Nationals at USC in 1990 at 102 years old. I swear he was swimming backwards when he got within 5 yards from the finish.
Made a National record, too, I think. :applaud:
He suggested a couple of modifications for my stroke and I have never had shoulder pain again.
Isn't it amazing how that works? And -- from what I have heard -- the modifications are not always that big, either.
I have been swimming year-round for 36 years without (knock on wood) serious shoulder problems. For that reason alone I resist stroke modifications; sure, I could probably be more efficient but I worry that changes would cause other problems.
When it comes to masters swimming, perhaps longevity is just as important as efficiency.
Mild symptoms that resolve on their own
From time to time I experience inferior glide impingement in my right shoulder. When I feel that movement begins to become restricted, I go to my chiropractor and he works his "magic". About once a month I will need to have him adjust my shoulder.
I suspect that this situation is due more to my sleep pattern and right side dominance rather than repetitive stroke syndrome.
Ortho Dudes know nothing about stroke modification. The only solution they have is stay out of the water. Right in some cases for sure. However that is not what we want to hear.
I did PT for 9months with no significant improvements, found myself a better ortho and had both of my shoulders cleaned, gutted, shaved and reconstructed at the age of 18. My orthopedic surgeon was phenomenal! She was a competitive swimmer all her life, and her son swims very competitively as well. She was also a world-class rower. She was the ortho/ physician in Athens (2004 Olympics) for the crew teams but also ended up working on some swimmers as well while she was there.
She specialized in joint problems in female athletes (shoulders, knees, elbows) and sports medicine in general.
The day after each surgery she had me test my range of motion VERY VERY slowly while laying on the floor by raising my arm from by my side to over my head as far as I could. I expected you know to get to like maybe 110degrees the first day, but when I got passed 90 I was in shock, and that very first day after surgery I got my shoulder all the way over my head into streamline position--for the first time in probably 2years. I was swimming competitively within 2months of my second (right shoulder) surgery at the college level and was named rookie of the ECAC swim league that December (had the surgeries Sept6th and Oct 6th).
I would recommend shoulder surgery any day if the person had the same opportunity to be worked on by Dr. Hannafin, I never regretted having the surgeries. But obviously, not everyone will be as lucky and there are complications to keep in mind, but two shoulders, two surgeries and the same results both times...and I had a friend get his knee done by her and he went on to play DI soccer that very next fall...:bow:
You certainly found the right one. I had one who told me I would never be able to swim again.
I was lucky I went to Egypt and found a doctor who worked with the Egyptian marathon swimmers. He suggested a couple of modifications for my stroke and I have never had shoulder pain again.
