I am a former high school and masters swimmer trying to get back in the water. I'm a breaststroker and never was much of a freestyler. I was always told "elbows high". My bad freestyle form has caught up with me. I'm going on 40 and the bad form just doesn't mix well with my aging body. Maybe I should have listened all those years ago-huh?
This summer I had a terrible case of tendonitis. I was in pain and had no idea why. I couldn't swim most of the summer. Thank God for a miracle cortisone shot! But, I still had to recover.
I'm ready to try again. I went to the pool today and did a 1650 in sets of 200's . Lots of kicking, and breastroke, mixed it up a lot. Trying to take it easy on the shoulder. Tonight, it's making the bad pop sound and a bit sore. I'm paranoid that it will flare up again.
I've been watching lots of u-tube technique videos. I know I need to keep my elbows higher and not dig in so much with my right arm. I'm overreaching as well. It's the right shoulder that hurts. Same stuff that I've been told to fix when I was a kid. I guess pain will make you listen.
I've also heard about breathing to the right instead of the left, I'm right handed. Does anyone think this helps? I try to breath bi-laterally when practicing.
It's so aggrivating. When you can't do something, you want to do it more than ever. I don't want to get the tendonitis again, it hurt so bad!
If anyone knows 1-2 excercises or tips to help with this I would appreciate it. I have a short attention span and can only hold onto a few bits of info. Looking for the most beneficial, simple, easy ideas.
Anyone had problems with this? Thanks, Lisa
Parents
Former Member
After 40, the recovery is really slow, because your muscles don't bounce back the way they used to.
I think jumping back in and swimming more than 800 may have been too much too soon. I've been recovering for five months now and only now swim more than 50 yards at a time or more than 500 in a workout. And no AFAP sets. (I'm doing A LOT of kicking.)
Even so, I'll have twinges for a day or so, but not nearly as bad as it was, when it hurt to hug my kids. And the twinges get smaller with each week. I'm hoping to be all the way back by January.
As for exercises, either see a PT or prepare yourself for a lot of trial and error - and setbacks. As a trial-error-setback victim, I found that some of the prescribed exercises were godsends and that others made the problem worse. I suspect that everyone has a different "best set" of PT exercises based on their age, body type, stage of recovery, athletic ability, etc., and a PT would help you find that set quickly.
After 40, the recovery is really slow, because your muscles don't bounce back the way they used to.
I think jumping back in and swimming more than 800 may have been too much too soon. I've been recovering for five months now and only now swim more than 50 yards at a time or more than 500 in a workout. And no AFAP sets. (I'm doing A LOT of kicking.)
Even so, I'll have twinges for a day or so, but not nearly as bad as it was, when it hurt to hug my kids. And the twinges get smaller with each week. I'm hoping to be all the way back by January.
As for exercises, either see a PT or prepare yourself for a lot of trial and error - and setbacks. As a trial-error-setback victim, I found that some of the prescribed exercises were godsends and that others made the problem worse. I suspect that everyone has a different "best set" of PT exercises based on their age, body type, stage of recovery, athletic ability, etc., and a PT would help you find that set quickly.
