Swimmer’s Shoulders: What Is It And Its Symptoms, Treatment and Exercises  – News18

If you are putting an excessive strain on your shoulders, you might have Swimmer’s Shoulder. Find out the symptoms, treatment and exercises for it. Swimming is a demanding sport that relies heavily on the repetitive movement of the arms. The shoulders, being one of the most intricate joints in the human body, possess a wide range of motion to facilitate this activity. The vigorous nature of swimming, where the shoulders propel the entire body’s weight against the resistance of water, often leads to complaints of shoulder pain and related issues among swimmers.

One common problem experienced by many swimmers is known as ‘Swimmer’s Shoulder’ or ‘Shoulder Impingement’. This condition occurs when swimmers continuously rotate their joints, putting excessive strain on the shoulders. Here are the symptoms, treatment, and stretching exercises that you can perform if you have a Swimmer’s Shoulder.

Symptoms

Increased joint laxity in the affected shoulder. Reduced strength in the affected shoulder. Decreased range of motion in one shoulder compared to the other. Inflammation of the bicep and supraspinatus tendons, which leads to shoulder impingement syndrome. Training errors such as overloading, overtraining, and poor stroke technique contribute to the condition. Many swimmers with Swimmer’s Shoulder have ligamentous laxity and multidirectional shoulder instability, resulting in excessive joint movement.

Treatment

The treatment of Swimmer’s Shoulder depends on the severity of it. For instance, swimmers can do the following:

• Apply ice to the affected shoulder after 20 minutes of swimming training.
• Consider using anti-inflammatory medications as prescribed by a healthcare professional.
• Seek professional passive care, which may involve techniques such as interferential current, ultrasound, trigger point work, cross-friction tendon massage, adjustments to the neck or shoulder, and post-isometric relaxation of the involved muscles.
• Engage in rehabilitation exercises designed to strengthen the shoulder muscles, improve flexibility, and correct imbalances.
• Modify your swimming training regimen to reduce strain on the shoulder, including adjusting stroke technique, avoiding overloading and overtraining, and addressing any underlying issues related to posture or muscle control.

Easy exercises to combat it

• Standing Double Arm External Rotation
  Stand with arms bent at 90 degrees, elbows by sides. Rotate both arms outward, squeezing shoulder blades. Repeat for desired reps.
• Seated Rows
  Sit on the rowing machine/cable machine with the handle. Pull it towards your body, squeezing back muscles. Maintain good posture. Repeat for desired reps.
• Plank Hand Step-Ups
  Start in a high plank position. Lift one hand off the ground, then place it back down. Alternate hands while keeping the core stable. This improves core and shoulder stability.