The Most Common Swimming Injuries And How To Minimise Your Risk

Swimming is supposed to be very therapeutic. Of course, it can also be a lot of fun to splash around in the pool. In fact, swimming is often the recommended form of exercise for people recovering from injuries, because it minimizes the load on injured joints.

However, swimming is not without risk! Although generally very good for you, it is possible to injure yourself while swimming. Here are the most common injuries and what you should be doing about them.

Swimmers Shoulder

When you swim you move your arm and this means your shoulder joint is rotating. This is what it is designed for. However, when you are constantly rotating your joint it places strain on the muscles and rotator cuffs. Repeat the action too many times and you will damage the tissue, preventing you from swimming while it heals.

To avoid this, use the correct stroke and take regular breaks. You can also chat with a reputable physiotherapist Concord to find out the best exercises for strengthening your shoulders and reducing the risk.

Your Neck

When you are swimming you are either trying to keep your head above water while doing breaststroke, or you are thrashing your head from side to side while doing the crawl. Both things place a strain on your neck as it is being contorted into an unusual position.

The best way to avoid this is to twist your body when breathing, not your neck. It can also help to switch between different strokes. After all, variety is the spice of life!

Swimmer’s Knee

This is a common issue for people that always use breaststroke. It’s not generally an issue when you are relaxed swimming. But, if you’re in a competitive environment then you can injury your knee. This is done because your feet face outward when doing breaststroke. It’s not normal and the repetitive nature means you can accidentally damage the ligaments.

You’ll need to stop swimming and do specific exercises to allow your knee to heal and grow stronger before you swim again.

Of course, it will also help if you make sure you use the proper technique. You can also strengthen your knees by undertaking some strength training outside of the pool.

Swimmer’s ear

You’ve probably heard of this one and almost everyone that goes swimming gets it at some point.

It usually happens when you have been swimming in water with a high level of bacteria. The bacteria can get into your ears and will cause a variety of issues. This includes itchy ears, clogged ears, muffled hearing, and even sensitivity.

It’s important to wash your ears after swimming and use a cotton swab to gently make sure they are clean.

If this doesn’t work and it starts to get worse the doctor will clean your ears and, if necessary, give you medicated drops. You will have to avoid swimming until the infection has cleared up.

Swimming is still a great activity, just make sure you are aware of the above and take the appropriate action if necessary.