Tips for Avoiding Swimming Injuries

Swimming is often regarded as one of the safest sports, thanks to the water it is being performed in. For many, the safety that swimming provides is the main reason why they got into it in the first place. However, injuries are a part of any sport, and swimming is no exception. Thanks to its repetitive nature, performing an incorrect stroke repeatedly can and most likely will lead to injury.

What are the most common swimming injuries?

Thebig majority of swimmers’ complaints are pertaining to shoulderpain, which makes complete sense. Swimming is a veryupper-body-centric sport, which makes that body part the mostoverused and the most susceptible to injury. However,swimming-related injuries can also affect the knees, the neckmuscles, the back, and the hips.

Someof the most common swimming injuries are:

• Swimmer’s shoulder
• Neck injuries and the tension in neck muscles
• Breaststroke swimmer’s knee
• Swimmer’s ear
• Rotator cuff tendonitis or tears
• Bicep tendonitis
• Neck and low back pain

How to avoid the most common swimming injuries?

Here are some tips and pieces of advice that will help any swimmer stay safe and avoid the most common swimming injuries.

Workout Outside of the Pool

In order to be a good, strong swimmer and avoid injury, your fitness must be top-notch. That is why it is important to attend different workouts outside of the pool, which are going to strengthen your muscles. The constant strengthening and stretching of the muscles are going to help build up flexibility and resistance, especially in the shoulder area.

If A Movement Feels Wrong, Stop Doing It

Very often, your body will tell you when something is not right. It will do so through pain, discomfort, or just that wrong feeling you have in the affected area. If you notice that the way you move your shoulders or knees feels wrong, stop doing it and ask for advice from more experienced swimmers or swimming instructors. It is much better to be wrong than injured.

Speak to a Trainer

If you can, get a swimming coach to observe your technique in the pool and provide the necessary feedback. While they are observing you swimming, they will be able to detect incorrect and harmful movement patterns you might not even be aware of. They will also be able to point you in the right direction and show you how to correct them.

Rest and Recover

Many beginners may not be aware of this, but you do not need to be swimming every day if you are not a competitive athlete. If you are an avid gym-goer, you are probably aware of the importance of rest days, and the importance is the same when it comes to swimming. Swimming every day will be counter-intuitive to your training since you increase your odds of an injury, and you are not allowing your muscles to rest and recover. Make sure to get sufficient sleep to ensure your muscles are recuperating.

Kamil Market Development Expert at Swimmo

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Instagram