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Swimming overuse injuries associated with triathlon training
1US Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, CO, USA.
Sports Medicine and Arthroscopy Review
|November 14, 2012
Summary
Triathlon swimming, particularly the freestyle stroke, commonly causes shoulder pain due to repetitive overhead motion. This can lead to microtrauma, inflammation, and pain, requiring appropriate rest and treatment.
Area of Science:
- Sports Medicine
- Orthopedics
- Physiology
Background:
- Triathlon injuries predominantly stem from running and cycling.
- Swimming is often used for rehabilitation due to its low impact and lower injury rates.
- The freestyle stroke is favored by triathletes for speed, ease of learning, and open-water sighting.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the common causes and nature of shoulder pain in triathletes.
- To understand the biomechanical factors contributing to shoulder injuries during swimming.
- To outline potential treatment pathways for swimming-induced shoulder pain.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on triathlon injuries and swimming biomechanics.
- Analysis of the repetitive overhead motions inherent in the freestyle stroke.
- Identification of pathological processes such as impingement and laxity.
Main Results:
- Shoulder pain is the most frequent musculoskeletal complaint among competitive swimmers and triathletes.
- Repetitive overhead arm movements in freestyle swimming lead to microtrauma.
- Pathology may arise from mechanical impingement, generalized laxity, or a combination thereof.
Conclusions:
- Repetitive stress from freestyle swimming is a primary cause of shoulder pain in triathletes.
- Insufficient rest and recovery exacerbate inflammation and pain.
- Treatment strategies vary from conservative (non-surgical) to interventional (surgical), depending on the individual and injury specifics.
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