Can I swim with a sore shoulder?
Sometimes, in a gentler way. Water takes weight off the shoulder, so walking and gentle arm movement in the pool can be easier than the same moves on land.
The risk is in the strokes that lift the arm high and far. Freestyle and butterfly ask a lot of the shoulder, so they come later, not first.
In what order should I bring the strokes back?
Go from the easiest on the shoulder to the hardest. Stay on a step until it is comfortable the next day.
- Walk and move your arms below shoulder height in chest-deep water.
- Kick with a board, keeping the arms light.
- Backstroke with a smaller arm swing.
- Breaststroke, where the arms stay in front.
- Freestyle, starting with short lengths and rests.
Butterfly is for last, and not every swimmer needs it. If you are a recreational swimmer at a condo pool, skipping it is fine.
What should I do about the Ipoh heat?
Ipoh afternoons are hot, so the pool is full at weekends and the sun at midday is strong. Choose the quieter weekday morning or evening, when you can swim without being bumped or rushed.
A quiet pool lets you stop when the shoulder asks you to. Keep a drink at the poolside, because you sweat in water too.
Which signs mean stop?
Stay in the shallow end for a dull ache that goes away within a day. Get out of the water if you feel sharp pain, a catching in the shoulder, or tingling down the arm.
Contact your doctor if pain wakes you at night or does not ease with rest. Our page on shoulder pain explains the common causes, and rotator cuff shoulder pain covers one of them.
What does the physiotherapist do before I get back in?
We check how far the shoulder lifts, how strong the shoulder blade and cuff muscles are, and how your neck and upper back help. Then we build a plan with land exercises first, so the water is not doing the rehabilitation alone.
For general gym-based strengthening, see return to gym. The idea of building up in stages is the same one explained in from rehab to exercise.
Can I start at home?
Yes. Most of the early shoulder work needs a towel, a light band and a chair. Home physiotherapy across Ipoh is available now, and our Canning Garden centre, near Fatimah Hospital, is opening soon.