Did you know that between 50% and 60% of the most common injuries in swimmers affect the shoulders? Swimming is a complete and beneficial sport. However, it also carries the risk of injury to different parts of the body. After the shoulder, knee, ankle and lower back injuries are the most common among those who practice this sport.
Injuries can appear for different reasons. One of them is overuse syndrome, which occurs when repeating movements many times. Other factors include poor warm-up or cool-down, improper swimming technique , and poor rest. Also, swimmers are injured when they do not warm up well, do not stretch as they should, and swim too much.
Compared to other sports, the risks of injury in swimming are lower. But these injuries can greatly limit the sports activity of those who suffer them. Therefore, it is very important to know which are the most common injuries, what causes them and how to prevent them. This will help you enjoy swimming to the fullest and maintain good health.
Swimming injuries can arise for a number of reasons. One of the most common is overuse syndrome. This problem occurs when we repeat many gestures, such as strokes, over and over again.
This affects the joints, especially the shoulders. Between 50% and 60% of injuries in swimmers fall in this area.
Overuse syndrome is very common in swimmers. Imagine what it’s like to take 15 strokes with each arm just to cover 25 meters. This repetitive action can damage the shoulder, causing impingement, subluxation, and labral tear syndrome.
Acromioclavicular dislocation is due to several causes. Direct blows to the shoulder are quite frequent. Such damage occurs from falls, crashes, or injuries to the acromioclavicular joint area. Direct impacts are the main source of this injury. This includes falls on the shoulder or hard crashes, especially in competitive sports.
Poor heating or cooling down can be dangerous. It is essential to warm up and then cool down your muscles well before and after swimming. This prevents many injuries.
Using the wrong swimming technique can also be a problem. For example, if you raise your arm wrong while swimming, you can hurt yourself. The same can happen if you don’t turn well when you touch the pool wall.
Not getting enough rest between workouts is dangerous. To reach the Olympic level, you would need more than 10,000 hours in the water. Without rest, your body struggles to recover, which increases the risk of injury.
Overuse syndrome
Poor heating or cooling
Poor execution technique
Little rest
Excessive repetition of gestures such as strokes, causing overuse of joints such as the shoulder
Not performing a proper warm-up before training and a cool-down afterwards
Factors such as the height of the arm in the recovery phase, the position of entry of the hand into the water or poor technique in turns and turns
Lack of sufficient rest between periods of high demand in training, not allowing an adequate recovery of the body
Shoulder injuries are very common in swimmers, accounting for more than half of all their injuries. This occurs due to repetitive movements when swimming. A competitive swimmer can perform between 10,000 and 14,000 meters a day. This means that your shoulders make about 2,500 movements daily.
Shoulder impingement syndrome, also called “swimmer’s shoulder,” is the main injury in swimmers. It is related to freestyle or crawl in 80% of cases. It can cause acromioclavicular arthritis, instability, and compression in the shoulder. Tendonitis is the most common lesion of this syndrome.
Another common injury is shoulder subluxation , more commonly seen in backstroke swimmers. It occurs when the head of the humerus partially leaves its normal location. This makes the shoulder unstable. Many swimmers have increased translation and flexibility in their shoulders, which increases their risk of subluxations.
A labral tear is a serious shoulder injury. It affects a fibrocartilage that helps keep the joint stable. If not treated in time, you may need surgery. Factors such as rotator cuff fatigue, muscle imbalances and exercises with a lot of weight influence its appearance.
For swimmer’s shoulder, treatment usually does not require surgery. It focuses on lowering inflammation, improving flexibility, and exercising. After an injury, the return to exercise should be slow and guided by a sports expert. It is essential to correct any mistakes in swimming and stretching practice to prevent injuries.
In addition to shoulder problems, swimmers can suffer injuries to many parts of the body. This includes injuries that affect how the athlete swims and their performance.
It’s common for swimmers to have problems beyond their shoulders. Various parts of the body can be affected, limiting your routine and performance.
Epicondylitis, or “tennis elbow,” is common in those who swim butterfly. It is caused by overuse and causes pain and swelling in the elbow.
“Swimmer’s knee” is an injury to the MCL of the knee, common in breaststroke. This occurs due to the position of the legs and the pressure on the joint.
About 80% of swimmers will have knee problems at some point.
At first, it’s important to rest your shoulder and keep it protected. Avoiding activities that cause pain or stretch the joint a lot helps. Wearing a sling for a few weeks gives support and stability to the shoulder as it works.
Low back pain is pain in the lower back and affects swimmers. Many swimming athletes suffer from such pains more than the general population.
To prevent back injuries, it is key to do a good warm-up and strengthening exercises.
Neck injuries occur from poor techniques, especially in front crawl. Warming up and maintaining precise technique helps to avoid them.
Tenosynovitis in the feet comes from the front crawl and back styles. This swelling causes pain when moving the foot. It is possible to develop tendonitis from repetitive kicks.
Epicondylitis
Swimmer’s knee
Lumbago
Neck injuries
Tenosynovitis
Elbow
Knee
Lower back
Neck
Foot
Repetitive movements in the butterfly style
Medial collateral ligament strain in breaststroke style
Stress on the intervertebral discs
Poor technique and swimming with the head elevated in the crawl style
Demanding leg movement in the front crawl and backstroke styles
It is key to prevent injuries in swimming. Warming up before swimming helps the body activate and lowers the risk of injury. Swimming with the correct technique and keeping the body in a good position help not to hurt yourself.
It’s good to vary swimming styles so you don’t use the same body parts all the time. It is also important to increase the swimming effort little by little. This prevents tiring the body too quickly.
Warming up and stretching exercises before and after swimming is essential. They improve muscle flexibility and prepare joints for swimming.
It strengthens the rotator cuff muscles, around the scapula and core to prevent injuries such as tendonitis. This way, your joints will be stronger and more protected when swimming.
It is always good to have the advice of swimming experts, such as coaches or physiotherapists. They can help you with tailor-made advice and detect injury risks.
Proper Heating
Correct swimming technique
Alternate swimming styles
Progressive adaptation to training
Muscle strengthening
Prepares the body and reduces injuries
Avoid injuries and improve your performance
Stops gesture overloads when varying styles
Helps to get the body used to it and avoid sudden fatigue
Support joints with strong muscles
Treatment for swimming injuries begins with physical therapy. It includes strengthening and stretching exercises. This helps to overcome muscle weaknesses that affect the swimmer. The ultimate goal is to regain the strength and flexibility of the joint. This is how it is possible to return to the initial state and avoid new injuries.
Physiotherapists are key in treating common swimming injuries. They help with problems such as subacromial syndrome or tendonitis. They offer prevention, sports rehabilitation, and follow-up. This complete care speeds up the swimmer’s recovery.
Occasionally necessary, if the injury is very severe, surgery may be needed. But whatever the case, it is key that a specialist doctor assesses the injury. This ensures personalized treatment for each swimmer. Working with expert sports injury physiotherapists improves swimming technique and prevents injuries. Muscle strengthening and flexibility are essential for recovery.
The most common injuries in swimming affect the shoulders, with a 50-60% incidence. Then, knee, ankle and lower back injuries follow.
Swimming injuries can originate in a variety of ways. Repeating movements many times, improper warm-up or cooling down are causes. Poor technical execution or not getting enough rest also play a role.
"Swimmer's shoulder" or shoulder impingement syndrome is common in crawl and butterfly. It includes injuries such as arthritis, instability, or rotator cuff tendonitis, with the latter being the most common.
Swimmers can also suffer from epicondylitis, swimmer's knee, low back pain and neck injuries. In addition, they may have tenosynovitis in the extensors of the foot.
To avoid swimming injuries, it is key to warm up well. It is important to use correct technique, switch between styles and adapt little by little to the training. Also, stretching out of the water and strengthening your shoulder and core muscles helps.
Treatment of swimming injuries includes physical therapy with strengthening and stretching exercises. It must solve muscle weaknesses that influence the injury. The goal is to regain strength and flexibility in the damaged joint.
If you are injured, seek medical attention soon for proper diagnosis and treatment. Working with a physical therapist who specializes in sports injuries can improve recovery and prevent subsequent injuries.
