One of the more popular sports due to Perth’s great climate, swimming appeals to weekend warriors and elite sports people alike – it’s especially good for recovery and rehabilitation. Famously gentle on the body because of the weight-supported environment, the risk of injury from swimming is generally associated with increased or large training loads. Common injuries include overuse, impingement, thoracic outlet syndrome and tendonitis, particularly in the shoulders.
Treatment to improve a swimmer’s flexibility and strength is a little different to land-based athletes. But swimmers do not tend to get as hard and dense through the tissue as their land-based counterparts because there is less gravity acting on their bodies during training.
A swimmer’s current training program, any other treatments that they receive, and their individual pain threshold will dictate the type of soft-tissue therapy deployed.
To varying degrees, swimmers tend to develop a kyphotic type posture (extreme curvature of the upper back). This occurs when the anterior chest and shoulder muscles become shortened and tight and the muscles across the top of the back become lengthened. The result is pain and discomfort in both these areas and a shortened reach – or range of movement – in the arms, shoulders and thoracic area. Sustained myofascial tension to these areas (opening up the restrictive sleeve around the muscle), trigger point therapy (to deactivate painful epicentres), and gentle stretching are great treatment tools for restoring functionality.
Incorporated into a regular health and fitness routine, massage is an effective way to pick up minor ailments before they become more serious and keep the individual supple, mobile and pain free.
Our specialist therapists include Bernd Adolph, Jaye Thomas and Natasha Brock.
