Swimming with rhomboid strain

I know somewhere on here recently there was a thread about sore shoulders, but I'm sleepy and can't find it right now. I have recently found out the importance of scapular strenghthening, the hard way. Can't swim for maybe 8 weeks. Can't lift left arm above head. Impingement syndrome. I know it's here somewhere, discussions about it. But all these weird exercises I should have been doing all along to strengthen my scapulae, sigh. I've always done internal/external rotation, shrugs, biceps, triceps, some others I can't remember. But except for the plank, have pretty much ignored my scapulae per se. Now I am trying to isolate my left scapula by shrugging it back, then lowering it slowly (standing), only using my scapula. Lying on the floor and raising my arm (no weights yet) straight up to ceiling just an inch or so and lowering it slowly. Lying on my "This End Up" table (excellent investment; indestructible; so far hasn't tipped over with my weight on its edge) with arm hanging down: extend it back parallel to my body, palm facing ceiling, hold for six seconds, release. Do 20. Newly added: same exercise but palm facing floor, arm out to side, no weights, hold 6 seconds. And the most recent but hardest one yet: stand at a wall, feet about 12" from wall and 12" apart. Arms are straight and on wall. Push out so scapulae stretch back (easy part). Then, without adjusting arms, squeeze scapulae down and together. Repeat x 10 for now. Very hard to squeeze scapulae together without adjusting arms or arching back (you keep arms straight the whole time). And on the thread I remember but am too sleepy to hunt for, there is the roll the ball against the wall with straight arm, only I'm told I'm not ready for that one yet. I think the scapular exercises are not always emphasized. I really thought I was doing all the ones I needed. Not. Am also trying to use dance imagery, which is very weird. My dance books say that the forward head and how you walk determines lots of problems with shoulders. Images include imagining you have a long, lizardlike tail dragging behind you when you walk; that you take a hammer and tap the back of your shoulder tips forward (imagined); that your neck grows long like Alice in Wonderland's; that your arms are falling out of their sockets like an old broken doll's; that your first rib is rising up toward your head; so you never know what someone is thinking about when they walk down the street. Good luck to all. I noticed with alarm that if I am slumping while talking my palms face completely to the back so I look like an ape. I have become most interested in observing how people hold their hands when they walk. A fellow swimmer said her doctor told her to be able to see her thumbs when she walks (in other words, don't walk with ape hands). I am now looking at people all the time to see how they hold their hands. And thanks for the kick set. I am kicking a lot with arms by my side. Kind of boring but kick needs work. I find doing 360-degree underwater dolphins as far as I can gets me nice and winded (two or three kicks on front, then to side, then upside down, then to other side, then on front). It's also a good way to drown, since my arms are by my sides. Have to time it so I can get up for air quickly.

I know somewhere on here recently there was a thread about sore shoulders, but I'm sleepy and can't find it right now. I have recently found out the importance of scapular strenghthening, the hard way. Can't swim for maybe 8 weeks. Can't lift left arm above head. Impingement syndrome. I know it's here somewhere, discussions about it. But all these weird exercises I should have been doing all along to strengthen my scapulae, sigh. I've always done internal/external rotation, shrugs, biceps, triceps, some others I can't remember. But except for the plank, have pretty much ignored my scapulae per se. Now I am trying to isolate my left scapula by shrugging it back, then lowering it slowly (standing), only using my scapula. Lying on the floor and raising my arm (no weights yet) straight up to ceiling just an inch or so and lowering it slowly. Lying on my "This End Up" table (excellent investment; indestructible; so far hasn't tipped over with my weight on its edge) with arm hanging down: extend it back parallel to my body, palm facing ceiling, hold for six seconds, release. Do 20. Newly added: same exercise but palm facing floor, arm out to side, no weights, hold 6 seconds. And the most recent but hardest one yet: stand at a wall, feet about 12" from wall and 12" apart. Arms are straight and on wall. Push out so scapulae stretch back (easy part). Then, without adjusting arms, squeeze scapulae down and together. Repeat x 10 for now. Very hard to squeeze scapulae together without adjusting arms or arching back (you keep arms straight the whole time). And on the thread I remember but am too sleepy to hunt for, there is the roll the ball against the wall with straight arm, only I'm told I'm not ready for that one yet. I think the scapular exercises are not always emphasized. I really thought I was doing all the ones I needed. Not. Am also trying to use dance imagery, which is very weird. My dance books say that the forward head and how you walk determines lots of problems with shoulders. Images include imagining you have a long, lizardlike tail dragging behind you when you walk; that you take a hammer and tap the back of your shoulder tips forward (imagined); that your neck grows long like Alice in Wonderland's; that your arms are falling out of their sockets like an old broken doll's; that your first rib is rising up toward your head; so you never know what someone is thinking about when they walk down the street. Good luck to all. I noticed with alarm that if I am slumping while talking my palms face completely to the back so I look like an ape. I have become most interested in observing how people hold their hands when they walk. A fellow swimmer said her doctor told her to be able to see her thumbs when she walks (in other words, don't walk with ape hands). I am now looking at people all the time to see how they hold their hands. And thanks for the kick set. I am kicking a lot with arms by my side. Kind of boring but kick needs work. I find doing 360-degree underwater dolphins as far as I can gets me nice and winded (two or three kicks on front, then to side, then upside down, then to other side, then on front). It's also a good way to drown, since my arms are by my sides. Have to time it so I can get up for air quickly.