I am young.. 24... I think that my problem may be related to overuse from weightlifting and swimming over the years... anyways I used to never have problems with swimming, only certain weightlifting exercises would aggravate it, but recently it has been feeling funny.
Whenever my left shoulder feels really stretched out in my armpit area. If I try and stretch my chest I dont get a whole lot out of the stretch as I feel my armpit stretching out more. The whole area does not feel nearly as stable as the right side. When I do the catch I feel like I could take a much harder stroke if it was not for the weakness of that area. Also, I tend to dip my left arm into the water in a very awkward motion during freestyle... I think I am shying away from getting my elbow high and then pushing it far out in front of me. Lots of popping and clicking going on.
I have been doing plenty of RC exercises and other exercises to strengthen the area around my shoulder blade on that side... and I do feel them working but when I go to swim again it sets me back.
I should also mention that there is usually no pain and probably no inflamation either.
Lots of popping and clicking going on.
Not one for this type of advice but I think that should be avoided
when I go to swim again it sets me back.
Maybe you can get form feedback from a coach. You can also film yourself (underwater even better) and see what the elite swimmers have to say - there's a ton of experience here for useful feedback.
Former Member
ive had a bit of the same issues; mostly in my left but some in my right. 'subluxation of the shoulders' or something like that. i did more or less the same things you are. lots of RC work. what i would say that worked best for me was stretch cords.
what sort of RC work are you doing?
Former Member
sounds familar. i was suffering pain in the front of my left shoulder, which would not go away. I went to the physio who diagnosed a weak serratus anterior. i was given exercises to do and found some others in Complete Conditioning for Swimming. the pain at the front came from weakness at the back!!!!
The results have been amazing. interestingly the weakness developed because i broke a clavicle badly a few years ago and the seratus anterior probably weakened during the healing process. i ended up with a twist in my upper body and a winged shoulder blade.
two months on and i can't tell you how good I feel whilst swimming and because of a general posture change.
don't know if it helps but its my tuppence worth
Former Member
I am young.. 24... I think that my problem may be related to overuse from weightlifting and swimming over the years... anyways I used to never have problems with swimming, only certain weightlifting exercises would aggravate it, but recently it has been feeling funny.
Whenever my left shoulder feels really stretched out in my armpit area. If I try and stretch my chest I dont get a whole lot out of the stretch as I feel my armpit stretching out more. The whole area does not feel nearly as stable as the right side. When I do the catch I feel like I could take a much harder stroke if it was not for the weakness of that area. Also, I tend to dip my left arm into the water in a very awkward motion during freestyle... I think I am shying away from getting my elbow high and then pushing it far out in front of me. Lots of popping and clicking going on.
I have been doing plenty of RC exercises and other exercises to strengthen the area around my shoulder blade on that side... and I do feel them working but when I go to swim again it sets me back.
I should also mention that there is usually no pain and probably no inflamation either.
Good thing about the lack of pain. Popping and clicking will happen, I'm not sure it's always bad. You might try taking a longer break from swimming and lifting (except RC/scapula stuff), if you can stand it.
Former Member
Ever since I was about 18 I have not been able to throw a football or baseball. I have always wondered if that came from swimming, primarily butterfly. If I do an arm circle with my right arm it pops or clicks every time. Sometimes it feels a little sore from a lot of swimming, yet it never actually bothers me in the least while swimming or doing much of anything else so I don't worry about it too much.
I started doing some dumbell exercises and shoulder exercises are painful even with low weight. I wonder if that does more harm than good?
Former Member
its been six months and my shoulder pain/discomfort still comes and goes...
I find what works for me is:
rc work (I do a lot of side lying external rotations only to where my forearm is perpindicular to my body with NO weight)
lots of work on the rear delts
anything that strengthens the muscles around the scapula (lots of light db rows)
I read "Shoulder Savers Parts 1-3" by Eric Cressey (Its mainly for powerlifters but who its for is moot... the exercises are designed to rehabiliate the shoulder and ensure it is powerful through its full ROM... and he focuses on the serratus (ribcage muscle right next to the nipple) that stabalizes the scapula
I have my new deductible starting Jan 1st so maybe I will get an MRI then but I feel like its not going to show anything significant (dont think I have a tear) ... think my biomechanics is off and I need to learn to use muscles that I have not been using and I need to correct my posture so I am not really slouching ever (winged scapula)
