after swimming hard 5 days a week for the last 30 years, last summer before masters nationals i started getting a lot of pain in my shoulder joints and down my arm in my muscle to my elbow. my mri's revealed no shoulder damage so the doctor is thinking that the pain may be coming from a herniated disc i have in my neck c5/c6). over the years i have had pain from that down both sides of my neck toward my shoulders but i have never had pain in my shoulders and arms that completely skips the neck area. my other theory is that it could be bicep tendonitis. it seems unlikely to me that after all these years both of my shoulders broke down at exactly the same time so i am tending to believe that the pain is related to my neck, but the neck isnt any worse than it has always been
any opinions and remedy strategies would be greatly appreicated.
thank you
Parents
Former Member
I too have a bad disc between c5/c6. I believe it causes nerve problems that radiate into the scapula which weakens certain muscle groups and creates scapular and rotator cuff instability. I have no neck pain from it but I do have shoulder issues...and I am convinced this is the source...causing weakness down my arms into my hands. In 2006 I took many months off, took some heavy anti-inflammatories (mobic?) then got back in the pool and was ok. I am currently struggling with this issue, and have limited my swimming to 3500yds or so per workout after a long hiatus..I do a great deal of external rotator cuff band exercises, and scapular stability band exercises, and traction (which seems to help) Kinda frustrating.
If you resolve this issue, I'd love to know how you approached it.
I too have a bad disc between c5/c6. I believe it causes nerve problems that radiate into the scapula which weakens certain muscle groups and creates scapular and rotator cuff instability. I have no neck pain from it but I do have shoulder issues...and I am convinced this is the source...causing weakness down my arms into my hands. In 2006 I took many months off, took some heavy anti-inflammatories (mobic?) then got back in the pool and was ok. I am currently struggling with this issue, and have limited my swimming to 3500yds or so per workout after a long hiatus..I do a great deal of external rotator cuff band exercises, and scapular stability band exercises, and traction (which seems to help) Kinda frustrating.
If you resolve this issue, I'd love to know how you approached it.
