Quote:
Dr. Tigerchik wrote:
This - I would skip the ortho, who will tell you it is tendonitis and send you to PT, and find a PT. PM me for the name of a swim specific PT online.
I had rotator cuff tendinitis develop three or four weeks ago and have eliminated it, or close to it, with PT and stroke technique changes
The key is you want a PT who is a swim specialist
Totally agree. First time I've ever seen anyone say this. I'm not sure how a sports doctor or physio is going to fix a swimming injury without understanding the fundamentals of the freestyle stroke. The issue would be an ineffective stroke, which is overloading the shoulder causing tendonitis. How is a PT who isn't a swim specialist going to diagnose this? As Dr T says, they'll just say it's tendonitis, give you a cortisone shot and a bunch of useless strengthening exercises with a band. There is nothing wrong with the shoulder joint or the rotator cuff, it doesn't need to be stronger, it needs to be not overloaded! And that's done with stroke correction, something a doctor or PT (with no swim knowledge) is not going to be able to fix.
General PTs are usually okay at what I'd call the basics of rotator cuff strengthening - which typically involves strengthening the serratus anterior and infraspinatus (the former helps with scapular control and the latter helps w external rotation). That can help. But form corrections are KEY.
The biggest contributor, IMO, to my resolving my tendonitis was videoing my stroke and making form corrections. The strength I am doing supports that, but the strength alone (which I did pre-video) wasn't enough to override the strain of less-than-perfect mechanics.
I don't think general PTs are useless, I just think it's better to work with a swim specialist one, and there are people who do that online now which is awesome
Cortisone may calm pain and get one over the hump such that one can DO some strength training. I don't think it's entirely useless. But expecting it to solve something on its own, without adding the strength and addressing the stroke, isn't a smart choice IMO
maybe she's born with it, maybe it's chlorine
If you're injured and need some sympathy, PM me and I'm very happy to write back.
disclaimer: PhD not MD
Last edited by:
Dr. Tigerchik: Mar 23, 24 5:58