I'm a 35 year old former collegiate swimmer who has been back at it for the past two years. About 5 months ago I started experiencing pain in my left shoulder. It has been diagnosed (exams plus MRI) as an arthritic AC joint. A cortisone shot lasted about 2 weeks before the pain returned.
At this point I believe my only real option is undergoing surgery to eliminate interference between the two bones in the joint.
I believe I've read about Dara Torres having this done after Beijing. Has anyone here gone through this procedure? I would like to hear about recovery time and what to expect long term.
Thanks,
Micah
Parents
Former Member
I think, depending on your physiology, they are somewhat inevitable for many people. I swam intensively for ten years when I was young, capping with workouts like 100x100 on the 1:45. When I returned to swimming twenty years later, nagging shoulder problems became chronic.
I am in the process of changing my stroke. I was taught to keep my shoulders level and use my arms to get leverage. I'm now trying to keep my hands inside the shoulders and use my core to get leverage (with more roll). I slip into old habits, however, when I get tired.
I do believe that technique has a lot to do with the strain we put on our shoulders. If I defer surgery, I'm going to be looking for a stroke coach in conjunction with my PT.
Reply
Former Member
I think, depending on your physiology, they are somewhat inevitable for many people. I swam intensively for ten years when I was young, capping with workouts like 100x100 on the 1:45. When I returned to swimming twenty years later, nagging shoulder problems became chronic.
I am in the process of changing my stroke. I was taught to keep my shoulders level and use my arms to get leverage. I'm now trying to keep my hands inside the shoulders and use my core to get leverage (with more roll). I slip into old habits, however, when I get tired.
I do believe that technique has a lot to do with the strain we put on our shoulders. If I defer surgery, I'm going to be looking for a stroke coach in conjunction with my PT.
