Swimming

When swimming, an athlete generates thousands of strokes during any given race or training session. This repetitive motion places stress and strain on the muscles and joints of the neck and shoulder girdle, which over time can lead to injury and altered performance. Due to the asymmetry of the swimming stroke the muscles on the front of the shoulder become overdeveloped compared with the muscles on the back of the shoulder. Over time this leads to an imbalance in the neck and shoulder region which not only makes movement less efficient, but will place undue strain on the muscles and joints of the region and pre-dispose the swimmer to injuries such as tendonitis and rotator cuff strain.

Many athletes will have existing muscle imbalances that will actually prevent them from obtaining a proper swimming stroke.

In terms of performance, proper stroke mechanics and form is essential to the swimmer. As muscle imbalance develops and begins to alter shoulder movement the athlete will be forced to compensate by moving the shoulder and arm differently. This will compromise stroke mechanics and lead to greater drag within the water. A destructive cycle will be established where the swimmer will have to pull harder with the muscle to maintain speed, which will in turn accelerate fatigue and lead to further muscle strain and muscle imbalance. These types of muscle imbalances in the shoulder region are very common, especially for those with jobs requiring prolonged sitting. As a result of this many athletes will have existing muscle imbalances that will actually prevent them from obtaining a proper swimming stroke.

Chiropractic Care for the swimmer focuses on the identification of movement restrictions and soft tissue-adhesions in the shoulder region that are placing excessive strain on the body and impeding optimal performance. Several aspects of body function will be evaluated as they relate to swimming. Once identified treatment will work to remove any dysfunction that has been identified. Many athletes will use Chiropractic Care as part of their regular training program to stay injury free and help reach their performance goals.