Subject: RE: shoulder pain while swimming While I'm not sure about the "pop" concept, shoulder injuries are pretty common to swimmers, and yes, they are typically caused by poor technique. Generally, try to get your elbows up quickly in the catch, so that you're using a bent arm to push water, rather than using a straight arm at the top of the stroke.
As for exercises, the most common ones I've done have used surgical tubing. Standing upright, keep your elbows at your side and bend them 90 degrees, so that your hand is in front of you. Then, using the surgical tubing for resistance (you'll have to tie the other end to something ): If you start with your right arm, rotate your forearm to the left, across your body against the resistance, keeping your right elbow at your side. You can then turn around and do the opposite exercise, rotating your right arm out to the right.
If you don't have access to surgical tubing, I've found you can do half of the exercises lying on the floor with a weight. Lie on your left side. Keeping your right elbow bent 90 degrees and by your right side, pick a weight off the floor and rotate your arm upwards towards the ceiling. Obviously you can do that with both arms.
In addition, I think just doing windmills with your arms is positive for building flexibility and some strength, obviously start slow and stop if you feel pain.
-Matt |