Shoulder impingement
Swimmer’s shoulder, also known as shoulder impingement, is an injury that occurs to the shoulder cuff. It causes the tendons and rotator cuff bursa to become irritated. Swimmer’s shoulder injury is common among our clients who do swimming or play tennis, because of the repetitive shoulder extension, flexion and rotation required. However, other overhead activities, like throwing or overhead lifting, can cause this injury as well.
There are muscles in your upper body responsible for stabilising the shoulder. These can become tightened or weakened from lack of use or poor technique. This moves the position of the humeral head (upper arm). There isn’t much room in the shoulder joint, so misalignment can lead to impingement (pinching), resulting in discomfort, pain and stiffness.
During the early stages of the injury, the area can become inflamed, and you might experience irritation and weakness. It’s important that you get physiotherapy treatment before the discomfort becomes restrictive or potentially leads to a complete rupture of the tendon.
Treatment for swimmers shoulder
If you notice any discomfort, pain or mobility issues, don’t let your symptoms go untreated. It’s possible that continuing your normal exercise routine or activity can worsen these symptoms. Our physiotherapists can assess your injury to determine swimmer’s shoulder. Early physiotherapy intervention can strength your rotator cuff muscles and prevent your injury from worsening. Make sure you ask the hard questions and fix the problems early on to avoid further injury later.
Sports Focus is here to help! If you’d like a consultation or more information, call us to book an appointment with our friendly staff today.
