Shoulder pain is a condition that afflicts many of today's athletes, and swimmers are not immune. Swimming typically involves a fair amount of freestyle swimming stroke, which is a stroke that requires the shoulder to continually rotate. It has been said that high level competitive swimmers will have as many as 16,000 arm rotations a week. The motion required for a traditional freestyle stroke, when repeated over and over, causes significant strain on the shoulder - strain that the shoulder may not be ready for.
Most people are shocked to hear of such a condition arising from what physicians (myself include) label as a safe and healthy sport. Swimming is still a very safe form of exercise and competition, but there is a risk of over using the shoulder through the course of competition.
Over use is defined as using a body part in a repetitive way beyond which it was designed. This stress can, at times, lead to impingement upon the superspinatus tendon, which oftentimes is only the first of a cascade of injuries that lead to a full blown case of rotator cuff tendonitis. Rotator cuff tendonitis is a condition causes significant shoulder pain. It more frequently limits a swimmer's training schedule due to shoulder pain.
As is often the case with sports injuries, shoulder disease and rotator cuff tendonitis can be avoided. Firstly, it is helpful to understand the anatomy of the rotator cuff in order to understand why certain exercises will mitigate the risk of a condition.
The rotator cuff consists of four muscles, the superspinatus is only one of four muscles. The superspinatus is also the muscle that is most stressed and at times the one most warn down by free stroke swimming. Swimmers need to understand that there are three other muscles of the rotator cuff that need to be strengthened in order to form a strong shoulder that will be able to handle the stresses they put the joint through.
Trying to balance out the amount of freestyle strokes with another stroke that will use some of the other three muscles, such as a backstroke, will help prevent shoulder conditions. The backstroke itself is best for strengthening the infraspinatus muscle of the rotator cuff.
Additionally, in order to further diversify the workout regiment in order to benefit the most muscles of the shoulder, I typically recommend that swimmers include a slightly weighted jump rope at the end or beginning of their swimming workout.
The swimmer needs to jump rope by keeping the arms low, and will find the most benefit by repeating the jump rapidly, which will serve to strengthen the other three muscles of the rotator cuff. This allows for balance within the very complex shoulder joint and specifically the structure of the rotator cuff. This will go a long way towards helping prevent swimmer's shoulder. Specifically, I typically recommend the blue jump rope put out by Lifeline Fitness. It's called a speed/workout jump rope.
Problems with shoulders are common with both high level and low level competitive and fitness swimming. It is important to address this problem early. It is important to understand that the shoulder needs balance in its strength. Again, I recommend to my swimmers that they employ usually some increase backstroke and again I recommend using a weighted jump rope for ten minutes of jumping rope at the beginning or end of their practice. This will hopefully prevent shoulder pain, shoulder disease, and allow people to enjoy the rather incredible and unique sport of swimming which I uniformly recommend as an excellent form of low impact exercise.
Most people are shocked to hear of such a condition arising from what physicians (myself include) label as a safe and healthy sport. Swimming is still a very safe form of exercise and competition, but there is a risk of over using the shoulder through the course of competition.
Over use is defined as using a body part in a repetitive way beyond which it was designed. This stress can, at times, lead to impingement upon the superspinatus tendon, which oftentimes is only the first of a cascade of injuries that lead to a full blown case of rotator cuff tendonitis. Rotator cuff tendonitis is a condition causes significant shoulder pain. It more frequently limits a swimmer's training schedule due to shoulder pain.
As is often the case with sports injuries, shoulder disease and rotator cuff tendonitis can be avoided. Firstly, it is helpful to understand the anatomy of the rotator cuff in order to understand why certain exercises will mitigate the risk of a condition.
The rotator cuff consists of four muscles, the superspinatus is only one of four muscles. The superspinatus is also the muscle that is most stressed and at times the one most warn down by free stroke swimming. Swimmers need to understand that there are three other muscles of the rotator cuff that need to be strengthened in order to form a strong shoulder that will be able to handle the stresses they put the joint through.
Trying to balance out the amount of freestyle strokes with another stroke that will use some of the other three muscles, such as a backstroke, will help prevent shoulder conditions. The backstroke itself is best for strengthening the infraspinatus muscle of the rotator cuff.
Additionally, in order to further diversify the workout regiment in order to benefit the most muscles of the shoulder, I typically recommend that swimmers include a slightly weighted jump rope at the end or beginning of their swimming workout.
The swimmer needs to jump rope by keeping the arms low, and will find the most benefit by repeating the jump rapidly, which will serve to strengthen the other three muscles of the rotator cuff. This allows for balance within the very complex shoulder joint and specifically the structure of the rotator cuff. This will go a long way towards helping prevent swimmer's shoulder. Specifically, I typically recommend the blue jump rope put out by Lifeline Fitness. It's called a speed/workout jump rope.
Problems with shoulders are common with both high level and low level competitive and fitness swimming. It is important to address this problem early. It is important to understand that the shoulder needs balance in its strength. Again, I recommend to my swimmers that they employ usually some increase backstroke and again I recommend using a weighted jump rope for ten minutes of jumping rope at the beginning or end of their practice. This will hopefully prevent shoulder pain, shoulder disease, and allow people to enjoy the rather incredible and unique sport of swimming which I uniformly recommend as an excellent form of low impact exercise.
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