beware of swimmers shoulder when blacksmithing or everyday tasks will be difficult

“In triathlon, you can’t win in the swim by itself … but you can certainly lose in it.”In a triathlon race, you can't win the final championship just by swimming... but if you fall behind in swimming, you will lose the final race.

If you ask me whether swimming is important in a triathlon, I would say yes, it is important, at least more than you might think.

Because if you achieve a good result or performance in the swimming segment, it will not only significantly improve your overall score but also provide more energy reserves for the subsequent cycling and running segments.

Therefore, every triathlete will try to improve their swimming skills. Even if they can't be the best, at least they shouldn't lag behind. And the way to improve swimming skills is undoubtedly through more practice!

However, many swimming enthusiasts or triathletes need to be cautious of 'swimmer's shoulder.'

What is 'swimmer's shoulder'?

'Swimmer's shoulder' refers to shoulder injuries caused by excessive shoulder movement during swimming, scientifically known as 'shoulder impingement syndrome.'

According to surveys, 80% of adult swimmers experience varying degrees of shoulder pain during their swimming careers. Acute injuries manifest as severe pain in the rotator cuff area and loss of shoulder abduction ability; chronic injuries manifest as dull pain in the rotator cuff area, pain during shoulder abduction, but still able to abduct. The essence of 'swimmer's shoulder' is chronic inflammation of the shoulder's soft tissues (tendons, muscles, ligaments).

Some people easily confuse 'swimmer's shoulder' with frozen shoulder, but they are entirely different. Frozen shoulderalso known as adhesive capsulitis,is a common chronic disease. 'Swimmer's shoulder' generally refers to injuries caused by overexertion. Excessive shoulder movement, such as improper posture while lifting dumbbells or pulling a suitcase, can also be called 'swimmer's shoulder.' After developing 'swimmer's shoulder,' the shoulder will experience persistent soreness and pain, greatly affecting daily life, making even eating and dressing difficult.

The main causes of 'swimmer's shoulder' are as follows:

1. Inadequate warm-up before swimming, causing the shoulder muscles to not be fully activated, and then suddenly entering the water to swim, which can easily lead to shoulder muscle strains and other issues;

2. Long periods of swimming require the arms to repeatedly perform actions like stroking and rotating, which can easily cause shoulder strain;

3. Incorrect swimming posture and improper frequency control, mainly relying on shoulder strength, can also cause shoulder strain.

How to prevent 'swimmer's shoulder'

1. Master the correct swimming posture.

2. The intensity of each swimming training session should not be too high, and the duration of each swim should not be too long, depending on one's physical condition.

3. Be sure to do a thorough warm-up before entering the water, activating the shoulder joints, and wash the joints with warm water before and after entering the water.

Here are 7 recommended warm-up exercises:

a. Lunge forward with one leg, raise one arm, stretch the other hand down, swing the arms back as much as possible, and repeat alternately

b. Raise both hands to shoulder height, pull back from the chest

c. Keep both legs as straight as possible, hug your arms and bend down

d. Hold hands and lean back

e. Rotate both arms from back to front simultaneously

f. Lie on your side, move your eyes and head along with your hand, and repeat on the other side

g. Kneel, support yourself with both hands, and move back and forth

4. If you feel discomfort in the shoulder joint, reduce the amount of exercise, avoid movements that cause discomfort; if the discomfort worsens or pain occurs, stop exercising and seek medical attention promptly.

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