Shoulder pain is one of the most common injuries we see in swimmers—especially in youth athletes ramping up for the season. And it’s no wonder: competitive swimmers can perform over 2,500 shoulder revolutions per day. That’s a ton of repetitive motion, which puts serious wear and tear on the shoulder joints.
So let’s break it down.
What Is “Swimmer’s Shoulder”?
Swimmer’s shoulder is an umbrella term that usually refers to overuse injuries of the rotator cuff, biceps tendon, and shoulder joint capsule. It often shows up as pain during freestyle strokes, limited mobility, or that dreaded “pinching” feeling with overhead movement.
It’s especially common in youth swimmers whose bodies are still developing but who are training hard and often skipping essential recovery or strength work.
Why Is Swimming So Tough on the Shoulders?
- High Volume: Swimmers may do thousands of strokes per practice, often 5–6 days a week.
- Overhead Motion: The repetitive overhead mechanics of strokes like freestyle and butterfly place consistent stress on the front of the shoulder.
- Muscle Imbalance: Many swimmers have strong internal rotators and lats but weak stabilizers like the rotator cuff and lower traps.
- Poor Mechanics: Even small breakdowns in stroke form can lead to long-term irritation and pain.
How to Keep Shoulders Healthy in the Water
Here are four essentials we recommend to our swimmers and their parents:
- Strengthen the Rotator Cuff
Exercises like sidelying external rotation, prone Y’s/T’s, and banded shoulder ERs can go a long way in building shoulder stability. - Improve Thoracic Mobility
If the upper back is stiff, the shoulder compensates—and that often means pain. Mobilize the spine to keep shoulders moving well. - Cross-Train Smart
Adding strength work outside the pool helps balance the muscles swimmers don’t use as much, protecting them from overuse injuries. - Get a Pre-Season Movement Screen
We can identify red flags early—like limited shoulder rotation, asymmetries, or muscle imbalances—so you don’t lose training time mid-season.
Let’s Keep Your Swimmer Strong and Injury-Free
At Progressive Mobility, we specialize in working with athletes of all ages—especially those who love to move. If your swimmer has nagging shoulder pain, or if you want to get ahead of it before the season kicks off, let’s talk.
We’re offering $67 pre-season shoulder assessments right now.
Let’s keep them in the pool, not on the sidelines.
Call (864)485-5910 today or book online at pmc.janeapp.com to reserve your spot!
