Do you have shoulder pain when swimming?

A competitive swimmer’s most common injury is “swimmer’s shoulder.” By being proactive, you can prevent swimmer’s shoulder and keep doing what you love. To avoid the injury, there are specific steps that swimmers can take to work on posture, perfect stroke technique, strengthen the rotator cuff and increase the shoulders’ flexibility. 

But what happens if you are already experiencing swimmer’s shoulder pain? The shoulder is complex, full of tendons, ligaments and muscles that are required for everyday tasks. When the shoulder hurts, it affects the entire day. At the first sign of discomfort remember RICE — rest, ice, compression and elevation. The sooner you begin treatment the faster you’ll be back in the water.

In order to get back to your peak performance, you’ll want the help of a physical therapist. A physical therapist can help alleviate the pain of a sports injury while also setting you up to prevent future injuries.  

Why you should see a physical therapist for swimmer’s shoulder pain in Prairie Village, KS

Swimmer’s shoulder is a term for a range of injuries in swimmers that are caused by overuse. It can be the result of overtraining, hypermobility, imbalance of muscles, tightness or a previous injury. Because your shoulder is so complex, this simple term does not do justice in covering what is happening to your joint. If ignored, the problem can progress to a much more serious injury such as a rotator cuff tear or ligament damage.

While you might think this is a simple setback you can handle on your own, swimmer’s shoulder pain isn’t something you can push your way through. Handling a sports injury on your own is risky and can leave you on the sidelines for a longer period of time. 

The physical therapists at SSOR will walk you through recovery and regaining full range of motion, help improve your posture and technique and help restore rotator cuff strength. Physical therapy can help speed recovery and reduce pain. To set up an appointment or to learn more about our specialists and how they treat swimmer’s shoulder in Prairie Village, Kansas, contact us today.