If you’re a swimmer or even just enjoy the occasional dip in the pool, you may have heard of swimmer's shoulder. It’s a common injury that affects many people who swim regularly, but the good news is you can overcome it and get back to doing what you love. Let’s dive into what swimmer’s shoulder is, the symptoms and the steps you can take to heal and prevent it from coming back.
What Is Swimmer's Shoulder?
Swimmer's shoulder refers to a collection of shoulder injuries that are often caused by repetitive overhead motions, like those involved in swimming. Over time, these repetitive movements can cause stress and strain on the shoulder muscles, tendons and ligaments, leading to pain and discomfort. If left untreated, this can hinder your swimming performance and even affect your daily life.
The most common areas affected are the rotator cuff and the shoulder blade muscles. Other conditions synonymous with Swimmer's shoulder include, shoulder impingement, rotator cuff tendinopathy, labrum injuries, shoulder muscle strains and shoulder instability.
Swimmer's shoulder is especially common among competitive swimmers, but it can also affect recreational swimmers and people who engage in other activities involving overhead movements.
Symptoms Of Swimmer's Shoulder:
- Shoulder pain (often around the front or outside of the shoulder)
- Pain that worsens with overhead movements (e.g. swimming strokes like freestyle, backstroke and butterfly)
- Shoulder weakness
- Limited range of motion
- Tenderness when touching the shoulder
- Swelling or inflammation in the shoulder joint
- Clicking or popping sounds during movement
- Stiffness in the shoulder, particularly after rest or during warm-up
How Can A Physiotherapist Help?
Physiotherapy is highly effective for treating swimmer’s shoulder. During assessment, physiotherapy focuses on reviewing swimming routine, exploring the movements that trigger pain and discussing any previous injuries. Shoulder range of motion, strength and posture will be considered to identify the underlying cause of the pain.
Once diagnosed, treatment typically begins with reducing pain and improving range. A physiotherapist can help correct posture and swimming technique to avoid unnecessary strain on the shoulder. Treatment may also involve strengthening exercises for the rotator cuff and surrounding muscles, aiming to improve shoulder stability and endurance.
Additionally, physiotherapists may provide manual therapy in conjunction with stretching and mobility exercises to keep the shoulder flexible and prevent future injuries. Finally, they can educate you on proper warm-up, cool-down, and injury prevention strategies to ensure long-term shoulder health - helping you stay on track in the pool!
Book here to see your physiotherapist about Swimmer's Shoulder.
How to Prevent Swimmer's Shoulder:
Preventing Swimmer's Shoulder is all about building strength, improving technique and staying consistent with your shoulder care. Here are some key tips:
- Warm Up Properly: Always warm up before you swim with dynamic stretches and gentle movements to prepare your muscles.
- Focus on Technique: Poor swimming technique is a major contributor to shoulder injuries. Take time to work on your form, especially with strokes like freestyle or butterfly, which put extra stress on the shoulders.
- Strengthen Your Shoulder Muscles: Regularly incorporate shoulder-strengthening exercises into your routine to keep the muscles balanced and strong.
- Take Rest Days: Give your body time to recover between swim sessions to avoid overuse injuries.
- Listen to Your Body: If you start feeling discomfort in your shoulder, take it seriously and seek treatment early. It’s always better to address the issue before it becomes a bigger problem.
More Information:
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