Triathletes know how tiring swimming can be on the shoulders and as an orthopedic surgeon I've seen its effect on many a rotator cuff. Without any doubt, few kinds of exercise are better for you than swimming. The bonuses are conspicuous when it comes to reinforcing muscles and improving aerobic capacity while minimising impact on the joints. But that does not imply swimmers are injury-free.

Up to 70% of serious swimmers are affected by a standard condition called"swimmer's shoulder". This is an illness that will involve the rotator cuff and sometimes emerges from over-exertion. Agree with it or not, collegiate level swimmers can log north of five-hundred thousand strokes in a single year.

Swimmer's shoulder involves muscular fatigue, rotator cuff degradation, and uneasiness in raising the arm above the joint. Since the shoulder is by nature an unstable joint, even tiny adjustments to its mechanics can bring problems. Over-worked shoulders will recruit other muscles for compensation which often leads to a condition of unbalance.

There are many reasons for swimmer's shoulder:

Simply overdoing it in the pool, lake, and/or weight room.

Tendonosis in which any of the four rotator cuff tendons begin to degenerate.

Incorrect stroke form that will impinge the rotator cuff.

Exaggerated looseness in the shoulder that would cause instability resulting in injury.

Thankfully there are some steps you can take to avoid swimmer's shoulder:

If you feel sick or unusually tired, stay clear of the water.

Don't dive in till you have stretched out and warmed up.

Be cognizant of your stroke form.

Mix swimming with resistance training and other exercises to develop strength, endurance and flexibleness.

If you start feeling pain in your rotator cuff, stop swimming before you cause more damage.

Apply ice to the shoulder and take anti-inflammatory medicine as necessary.

Once the uneasiness has begun to diminish, take a gradual approach to getting into the water. If the pain from swimmer's shoulder does not relent inside 2 weeks of rest, call my office for a consultation. Swimmers need to know that rotator cuff surgery is not the only option!

Doctor"O" has been a Castro Valley orthopedic surgeon for over thirty years. He frequently shares his expertise on procedures like rotator cuff surgery online.

Orthopedic surgeon