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2008-11-26 9:22 PM

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Subject: Swimming shoulder pain
I am a right side breather and I am having left shoulder pain. The pain is on the inside of the shoulder. I think it is that I am "pushing" with my left arm on entry before the pull. Does this sound like it might be the cause and if so what kind of drills can I do to stop the pushing.


2008-11-26 9:30 PM
in reply to: #1828329

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Subject: RE: Swimming shoulder pain

Moab,  

Three stroke relaxed swimming is the best 'drill' that you can do for your shoulder, and your swimming.  

As for treatment of your current condition -- check out the article in the link below -- it has helped many people -- KEY swing recovery (straight arm) with pinky down at entry.  

 http://www.byrn.org/gtips/swimshould.htm

Cheers, g

2008-11-26 9:39 PM
in reply to: #1828338

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Subject: RE: Swimming shoulder pain
GordoByrn - 2008-11-26 9:30 PM

Moab,  

Three stroke relaxed swimming is the best 'drill' that you can do for your shoulder, and your swimming.  

As for treatment of your current condition -- check out the article in the link below -- it has helped many people -- KEY swing recovery (straight arm) with pinky down at entry.  

 http://www.byrn.org/gtips/swimshould.htm

Cheers, g



Is that drill practice on alternate breathing? And is that to relieve some of the pressure I am putting on my left shoulder?
2008-11-27 5:05 PM
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Subject: RE: Swimming shoulder pain
This sounds like my symptoms from two years ago, and by the time I got to my doctor, and then he got me to a physiotherapist, I had suffered a fairly decent impingement. I was a few months off from swimming, which was a bummer, so I suggest you get it checked.

In my case, I aggravated it initially by over-exaggerating my recovery by bringing my arm as close to my body as was possible -- and in effect, this was possible for literally just a handful of strokes before I felt serious soreness. I backed off that maneuver almost immediately, but the damage had been done, and was exacerbated in subsequent swims even though I returned to my usual recovery.

There's a lot that can be compromised in a shoulder, so just be careful with this, eh?
2008-11-27 8:50 PM
in reply to: #1828348

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Subject: RE: Swimming shoulder pain

Is that drill practice on alternate breathing? And is that to relieve some of the pressure I am putting on my left shoulder?

 Three-stroke is how a recommend you swim (as well as myself and all my athletes) for 95% of your swimming.  Less than 5% of my week is high intensity two stroke swimming.  Your shoulders will thank you for it.

 The benefits are more than just easing pressure on your left shoulder -- if you read through the link (part two flowing from the first one)... http://www.byrn.org/gtips/bl0202.htm

 The tips work well for all distances, not just IM.

g

2008-11-27 9:12 PM
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Subject: RE: Swimming shoulder pain

Wow that basically summarizes my shoulder issues. I switched from three stoke to two stroke when I discovered I was faster breathing on two. And then of course ultimately I was slower because my shoulder was killing me and I stayed out of the pool... After some time off and a return to training with three stroke swimming I'm good. I'll save the two for race day.

 



2008-11-27 9:52 PM
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Subject: RE: Swimming shoulder pain
GordoByrn - 2008-11-27 6:50 PM

Is that drill practice on alternate breathing? And is that to relieve some of the pressure I am putting on my left shoulder?

 Three-stroke is how a recommend you swim (as well as myself and all my athletes) for 95% of your swimming.  Less than 5% of my week is high intensity two stroke swimming.  Your shoulders will thank you for it.

 I have to agree with this one. When I used to race 500yds/400m and 1650yds/1500m speed was critical so I trained breathing every second stroke. To reduce shoulder stress I became very proficient breathing to both sides, but ultimately I still favored breathing to my right. To offset that I always took my first 2 breaths off the wall to my left.

However, in triathlons - even sprints - it serves little purpose (in my opinion) to train for speed. Yes sometimes it's nice to be able to accelerate, but don't overdo it.  Although swimming is my best stroke, I rarely go more than 80% in the swim, and generally finish in the top 10% or better. 

Even years ago when I swam Masters, while an average swimmer at a meet could keep up with me, put me at a mile and they were nowhere to be seen. They trained for sprints, I trained for distance. Two separate animals. Timing yourself against the clock for a 100 is a way to measure progress, but I prefer  to swim a 5K look at the clock , jump out of the pool and see how I feel. My goal is to go faster, but it is also to finish the distance feeling strong and ready to go.

 I doubt anyone else trains like that, but it is what works for me.

2008-11-28 1:46 PM
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Subject: RE: Swimming shoulder pain
I get shoulder pain on the shoulder opposite my breathing side, but it only starts during pull drills when I am pulling hard with paddles. My shoulder has been junk for a while now due to heavy weight lifting for a few years before I got into tri

Edited by staylor36 2008-11-28 1:47 PM
2008-11-28 5:11 PM
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Subject: RE: Swimming shoulder pain

E=H2O,  

Interesting point about pacing.  Reminds me that effort should be appropriate for entire race duration, not just swim leg duration.  In other words, even if swim leg is 1500m, I need to optimize for a 2-3 hour event.  

g

2008-11-28 5:45 PM
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Subject: RE: Swimming shoulder pain
There was an article in a recent Triathlete magazine that said that the most common reason for shoulder pain while swimming was crossing the center-line of the body during the entry.

When you say, "'pushing' with your left arm", do you mean you're extending your left arm after the entry? Maybe you're extending the arm so that it crosses over the center-line of your body?
2008-11-28 5:53 PM
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Subject: RE: Swimming shoulder pain

I'm a two stroke swimmer. 90% of my swim time is nice and easy, two stroke but I pause and glide for a second then continue.



2008-11-28 6:21 PM
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Subject: RE: Swimming shoulder pain

staylor36 - 2008-11-28 11:46 AM I get shoulder pain on the shoulder opposite my breathing side, but it only starts during pull drills when I am pulling hard with paddles. My shoulder has been junk for a while now due to heavy weight lifting for a few years before I got into tri

 Just a comment. I never use paddles, never have. They are just too much stress for my shoulders. Again this is personal and many people have found them helpful.

2008-11-28 7:29 PM
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Subject: RE: Swimming shoulder pain
jmk-brooklyn - 2008-11-28 5:45 PM

There was an article in a recent Triathlete magazine that said that the most common reason for shoulder pain while swimming was crossing the center-line of the body during the entry.

When you say, "'pushing' with your left arm", do you mean you're extending your left arm after the entry? Maybe you're extending the arm so that it crosses over the center-line of your body?



I am pushing down and then pulling toward my feet. It is almost like i need to do it to stay up. I believe my balance maybe off. I need to go right into the pull as I enter the water and not push down to the bottom and then pull.
2008-11-28 8:25 PM
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Subject: RE: Swimming shoulder pain

is this something that you have suffered before? have you increased your load (volume and/or intensity)? have you changed your stroke? how good is your balance?

I doubt swimming two or three strokes has anything to do with the pain, many athletes train succesfully like swimming with two strokes either easy or hard (intensity wise); injuries are usually more due to load and bad technique than how many strokes you do...

2008-11-29 3:44 AM
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Subject: RE: Swimming shoulder pain
If you are actually pushing "down" - meaning toward the bottom of the pool - this would create a lot of stress on the shoulder. Not to get too technical, but you need to initiate your pull with a high elbow "catch" before you continue with the rest of your stroke.
2008-11-29 8:04 AM
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Subject: RE: Swimming shoulder pain
E=H2O - 2008-11-29 3:44 AM

If you are actually pushing "down" - meaning toward the bottom of the pool - this would create a lot of stress on the shoulder. Not to get too technical, but you need to initiate your pull with a high elbow "catch" before you continue with the rest of your stroke.



I have heard that before I am going to try that today. Do a full technique day in the pool and focus on high elbows, my kick, and body position.


2008-11-29 11:33 AM
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Subject: RE: Swimming shoulder pain

I have found with my own swimming (as well as with clients) that it is easier to focus on: enter down, pull straight back.  Most triathletes don't have sufficient shoulder flexibility to initiate a "swimmer" catch on the front ends of their strokes.  

A good way to practice is swim cords -- make sure to keep your shoulders "down" to avoid impingement -- an earlier poster commented on impingement during paddle work -- this happens because the shoulder is overloaded and moves into a "shrug" position during the pull phase.  If you experiment on dry land then you will see that you lose considerable power when shrugging.  

Swim cord article... http://www.byrn.org/gtips/swimcords.htm  

Happy laps, g

2008-11-29 6:31 PM
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Subject: RE: Swimming shoulder pain
Had the same exact problem with my left shoulder (right side breather).  I am a pretty advanced swimmer, but never liked the idea of alternate breathing.  It just felt more comfortable breathing to one side.  Now that I am doing my training, I am up to almost 3K, most shoulder hurts.  I began working on alternating with 3 stroke - problem gone.  No more pain.  I suggest trying it out.  Being a right side breather, it is taking me some practice time, but actually think I kind of had a breakthrough tonight.  Alternate.  It should help.
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