BY G. JOHN MULLEN//DPT, CSCS

Soreness is an essential consequence of elite training.

The body typically experiences soreness after a novel activity or an increase in training volume. In swimming, a novel activity can be as simple as a stroke correction and the training volume can differ from longer sets to faster speeds. Whichever the case, soreness occurs frequently in swimming.

Unfortunately, soreness results in altered biomechanics and impaired training. Everyone (including non-swimmers) understands this concept, as many even walk or move their arms differently during periods of soreness. These altered movement patterns will impair swimming skill and subsequent swimming velocity, as well as increase the risk of overuse injuries.

In swimming, the shoulders are the most commonly-used joint and rotate approximately 16,000 times per workout. This training volume, combined with improving biomechanics, will undoubtedly cause shoulder soreness.

Shoulder injuries are also a major concern in swimming, as shoulder injuries occur in approximately 50% of swimmers. Now, these numbers are not meant to scare one away from swimming, as every sport has its risk, and the shoulder is a mellow injury site compared to the head, but clearly this is an issue. read more....