A lot of the people on this list like myself have several thousands of miles in the pool. What’s the key to keeping your shoulders injury and mostly, pain free.
Certain exercises out of the pool? Exercises to avoid? Stretching movements? Massages? Particular training program? Taking several day breaks periodically?
What has or hasn’t worked for everyone?
Was a 200 flyer in college and after a 5 year break from swimming, have now been participating in masters swim meets for 15 years. I'm blessed in that I have never had shoulder problems except for one time when I strained a tendon as I was doing running sprints (of all things) down a hill.
I think the following has kept me from having shoulder problems:
1. Avoid too much yardage combining paddles and pull buoy. The pull buoy alone is not as bad as it gives you proper body position and this alone may lessen strain on shoulders. Paddles alone are o.k. for a little bit of yardage if you have your legs free to kick.
2. Being careful about using paddles on backstroke. I have known several people who tore their rotator cuffs while doing a set with paddles. Don't ever combine paddles and a pull buoy on backstroke.
3. I have always done the military press since I was 15 and feel it has helped stabilize my shoulders.
4. Using fins on some of my swim sets to take the load off my shoulders.
5. Cross-training.
5. Backing down when I felt pain or soreness and didn't try to "push through it."
6. If my shoulders got sore from lifting weights, did some kick sets for a few days with or without the fins. Did not use a kickboard when doing this as I have heard it seems to aggravate shoulder problems.
7. Didn't get into weight-lifting competitions with pals. So many of the male swimmers I have known who have gotten shoulder injuries or some upper body injury have done it in the weight room. I try to use the weight room as a place to prevent injury while swimming, not as a place to become the strongest swimmer in the weight room.
8. Got my stroke critiqued. Stroke flaws are often the reason for shoulder problems.
9. Strengthened my core and my kick. A strong core and a strong kick take the workload off the shoulders.
10. Avoided too much, too soon, too fast.
Was a 200 flyer in college and after a 5 year break from swimming, have now been participating in masters swim meets for 15 years. I'm blessed in that I have never had shoulder problems except for one time when I strained a tendon as I was doing running sprints (of all things) down a hill.
I think the following has kept me from having shoulder problems:
1. Avoid too much yardage combining paddles and pull buoy. The pull buoy alone is not as bad as it gives you proper body position and this alone may lessen strain on shoulders. Paddles alone are o.k. for a little bit of yardage if you have your legs free to kick.
2. Being careful about using paddles on backstroke. I have known several people who tore their rotator cuffs while doing a set with paddles. Don't ever combine paddles and a pull buoy on backstroke.
3. I have always done the military press since I was 15 and feel it has helped stabilize my shoulders.
4. Using fins on some of my swim sets to take the load off my shoulders.
5. Cross-training.
5. Backing down when I felt pain or soreness and didn't try to "push through it."
6. If my shoulders got sore from lifting weights, did some kick sets for a few days with or without the fins. Did not use a kickboard when doing this as I have heard it seems to aggravate shoulder problems.
7. Didn't get into weight-lifting competitions with pals. So many of the male swimmers I have known who have gotten shoulder injuries or some upper body injury have done it in the weight room. I try to use the weight room as a place to prevent injury while swimming, not as a place to become the strongest swimmer in the weight room.
8. Got my stroke critiqued. Stroke flaws are often the reason for shoulder problems.
9. Strengthened my core and my kick. A strong core and a strong kick take the workload off the shoulders.
10. Avoided too much, too soon, too fast.
