my neck hurts!
brewthom
Posts: 1 Member
I'm returning from swimming after a LONG break (a decade). I quit a decade ago due to shoulder and neck issues and turned to running. As I'm in my 50s now, I feel the need to "rotate my injuries" . So I'm enjoying swimming, working with a coach and hoping to do a long (2k) swim this summer. I'm building up slowly (700 meters today with breaks) but my shoulders and neck are bothering me. What are your experiences? Is this something that I should work through? When I started running, my knees used to hurt, but this stopped once I built up those running muscles. I'm hoping this will be a similar scenario?
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I have no advice to offer as I'm a new swimmer, but I wanted to pop in and say "Welcome!!" We're a fine bunch here, and soonly I'll bet that some of the more veteran swimmers will stop by with their wisdom.0
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Do you stretch? I gotta say that I left off stretching as a thing for several years as I got older, but my body kindly explained to me that this was a Very Bad Idea and now I turn on some Prince and Marvin Gaye almost every night and do a pretty serious stretching routine before I go to bed. It has helped a LOT.0
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Welcome! I've been having some neck issues recently and I've been swimming at least 12 or so years. I'm 50. Mine may be more job related than swimming related but Noel is right. Daily stretching is what has been helping so far, either in the evening or in the morning depending on my schedule. Just about 20 minutes or so but sometimes longer.
You will build up those muscles eventually. I think the trick is not injuring them while you build them up. Having a coach is great, because you can avoid some of the problems caused by bad form. Good luck!0 -
Your head position can impact neck pain. Do you swim with your head up? Or lift your head out when you breathe?
I try to minimize the rotation for breathing and tick my chin slightly to keep my neck in line. This also keeps my butt and get from sinking.0 -
Like @fishgutzy says, head position is key. You may need to experiment to find what works for you, but some things to consider:
* How deep or shallow is your forehead--eyebrows in the water? frown lines in the water? Hairline in the water? Crown of the head in the water? Generally, I try to keep my hairline right at the water line, but when I feel tension in my shoulders and neck, I will deliberately tuck my chin and look down so that the crown of my head is at the water line.
* Are you raising your head as you turn to breathe? Lifting the head is a "no no"-- meaning that the chin just swivels side to side as if to gesture "NO" and NEVER up and down in a nodding or "yes yes" gesture. If you're "nodding" or raising your chin when you breathe, that will throw your shoulders and neck out of alignment. Breathe with as little motion as possible--and under the arm as it lifts to stroke.
* Do you breathe on one side or alternate? I alternate in a 3-pattern: (stroke left, stroke right, breathe and stroke left; stroke right, stroke left, breathe and stroke right; etc. ) I find this helps with symmetry and not getting too "right sided" or "left sided" because of a preferred side of breathing.0 -
I spent most of my adult life breathing only out the left. But when I started swimming over a mile I forced myself to alternate. 3 strokes breathe. This helped keep everything in balance. It took a couple months, about 40 miles, to feel normal. Now it is equally comfortable on both sides.rosebarnalice wrote: »* Do you breathe on one side or alternate? I alternate in a 3-pattern: (stroke left, stroke right, breathe and stroke left; stroke right, stroke left, breathe and stroke right; etc. ) I find this helps with symmetry and not getting too "right sided" or "left sided" because of a preferred side of breathing.
And I too keep the crown down. That also helps keep my butt and legs up.
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Bilateral breathing, neck position, stretching and shoulder dryland exercises, and be sure to ease into it.
Don't rush it even if you're feeling real string. Let the shoulders especially adapt to the new challenge that you are putting them through.
Rush it, and believe me you'll be out for months!!!0
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