After ages I started swimming again last year alternating free and back. After a couple of weeks my right shoulder started to bother me while pulling in backstroke. I had started also with some machine exercises. I stopped altogether and after some rest followed a prescription of rotator cuff specific exercises. Since then I have avoided backstroke.
However there is an article where Dara Torres says she includes a substantial percentage of backstroke in her routines to prevent swimmer's shoulder.
So I assume it would be a good idea to do the same.
Any opinions ?