Swimming is often touted as the perfect form of exercise. For one thing, swimming is extremely low impact, as the swimmer is suspended in water throughout the duration of the exercise session. This helps to protect the joints of the body from injury. Furthermore, swimming emphasizes muscles throughout the entire body as well as the heart and lungs. This makes swimming a great exercise for those looking for a way to burn calories, increase their total body strength, and improve their overall health.
But swimming isn’t all rainbows and sunshine. Swimmers can suffer from a variety of different injuries, some of which can be very severe. In this article, we will review some of the most common swimming-related injuries and outline how chiropractic care can help to rehabilitate and prevent injuries in swimmers.
Top 3 Most Frequently Suffered Swimming Injuries
In reality, there are hundreds of different injuries that could affect a swimmer. In this section, we will review the 3 most common injuries for this population.
Injury #1: Swimmer’s Shoulder
Swimmer’s Shoulder (also known as subacromial impingement syndrome), is a condition that often affects swimmers and other athletes who perform overhead movements. For instance, many volleyball players and baseball pitchers also suffer from this issue.
Impingement syndrome is a painful condition that makes it very difficult for a swimmer to use their arm at all, let alone swim laps. Because this issue is due to an inflammatory process caused by overuse of the arm, it’s often advisable that patients rest for extended periods to allow the tissues time to heal. However, there are preventative steps that can be taken to avoid the issue in the first place, such as stretching, strengthening, and chiropractic care.
Injury #2: Neck Pain
With certain swimming strokes, the neck is required to move through extreme ranges of motion. As a result, many swimmers suffer from neck pain. This is especially true for novice swimmers who haven’t been coached on proper technique. Additionally, those who attempt to increase their swimming volume too quickly are more susceptible to overuse injuries to the neck.
Chiropractic care can help swimmers attain optimal alignment of the spine. By performing specific manipulations in the cervical region, chiropractors can help these patients reduce the risk of injury and recover more quickly after they have suffered from a neck ailment.
Injury #3: Knee Pain
Again, swimming is a total body exercise. Therefore, injuries can occur in any joint or muscle throughout the body. Some swimmers will develop knee pain as a result of kicking during certain strokes. Often, this type of injury can be avoided with good coaching and careful practice. Swimming kicks should be well controlled and should not put excess stress through the knee. That being said, injuries can develop no matter what, even when swimmers prepare to the highest possible degree.
For this reason, chiropractic care can help swimmers with knee pain by improving the connection between the central nervous system and the more peripheral tissues in the knee joints. This may lead to better coordination and form when swimming.
Chiropractic Care and Swimming Injuries
Swimmers who regularly visit their chiropractor may be better able to recover from injuries and avoid sustaining said issues in the first place. Chiropractic treatments can increase joint range of motion, decrease pain, and improve performance in these individuals.
If you’re preparing for the warmer weather and looking forward to moving your workouts into the local pool, make sure you’re ready for the demands of the activity! Come and see your local Plano, TX chiropractors at Keystone Chiropractic. We are ready to help with any aches, pains, or other health concerns you may have. Schedule your appointment now!
