What is swimmer’s shoulder?
Swimmer’s shoulder is a common shoulder problem with swimming athlete. Shoulder pain occurs when the tendons or the bursa that cross the shoulder joint become inflamed as they are repetitively compressed into the bony roof of the shoulder complex, during overhead movements. This is referred as shoulder impingement. When these tissues become inflamed due to excessive compression, they begin to break down and become painful leading to a condition of bursitis or tendonitis.
Why do swimmers get swimmer’s shoulder?
– Poor swimming technique may increase the risk for impingement to occur.
– Overtraining. As the muscles of the shoulder fatigue, they become unable to provide the shoulder with the necessary stability.
– Breathing only from one side causes the muscles in the opposite shoulder to work harder, which may lead to fatigue of those muscles.
– Improper use and overuse of certain training equipment
How can you prevent swimmer’s shoulder?
Swimmer’s shoulder may be prevented by:
– using proper swimming technique
– avoiding sudden increases in frequency and intensity training regimen
– stretching of the muscles that are prone to becoming tight
– strengthening of the muscles that stabilize the shoulder and shoulder blade.
How physiotherapy can help?
If a sore and painful shoulder is keeping you from enjoying your swimming routine, you may have swimmers shoulder or shoulder dsyfunction. Resting from swimming doesn’t necessarily fix the problem; the underlying biomechanics or muscle recruitment patterns need improvement. Physiotherapy and proper training modifications are the best way to resume your normal swimming activity.
Call us at 96390509 to book an appointment for your swimmer’s shoulder!
