Year Two Day One

Power of Familiarity

Why shoulder rehabilitation for injury?

This question has become humorous for me.

After my mandatory 8-month-rest after injury
Year 2 Day 1 - It's a new start back in the pool

I've enjoyed the best rehab
For a wounded shoulder..

It was for me
A full winter off
No strains - no pain
No aggravations and no setbacks

First off, a self-inflicted shoulder injury
Is a very real thing - the pain and cause
Are as real as any bruise, break or collision

I had the winter off from swimming completely
Because of that, I can now again
Enjoy this activity (swim)

Being back in the pool
Has me beyond ecstatic
It's like I want to share it with strangers

Hey! My shoulder doesn't hurt any more!
Do you know how long it's taken me to say that?
Would you like to know how it happened and what I learned??

This time will hopefully not leave me wounded for the better part of another year
Another great change for this year is the addition of short fins - what a game changer!
Everything that's used will increase the glide; your body will have to adapt to wearing them

Over the winter, I used 2 devices
Specifically designed to help
Repair a human shoulder
More on that in a bit

I just had to come back to town and unfreeze my gym membership
How I have longed for the faculty of my healthy shoulder to return..

Year 2 day 1+20 - A few weeks later
It was time to get down to business
Hurting the other side of my body
That's right - you read that right

After leaving and coming back from hurting the weak side of my upper body
It was then time to injure the strong side of my upper body - real smart, Tiny
Don't hurt the side I just worked on healing for a year of rest and non-activity
No - now let's hurt the other one! I still can't believe that happened

Real talk. After ending my season 1 with a left-side shoulder injury
I was eager to not make same mistake twice
In the long months of rebuilding my shoulder
I made a lot of commitments to myself
Regarding ensured safety
For my second year

My efforts didn't work
I injured myself again

Never once did it occur to me that I could hurt my right shoulder
How could I write a whole book about it then exactly do it again
In my defense, it's hard to comprehend the plastic paddle hands
They're so light and yet they increase the surface tension so much

Yes it is a virtual certainty that new swimmers will make this mistake
This is a mistake that these paddles uniquely make possible

They enable us to pull so hard that we will literally rip
And stretch and strain the muscles and ligaments
On our own swimming bodies
Even with a good warmup
Use them sparingly

Even with good warmups every time, this can and does happen
Even for a person who knows better, and just had the injury
Swim is slow build and must be conditioned as such
We live in a sped-up world - people think it's a race

Love me some paddle hands - when I used them for the entire first year
I used them for around 10-40% of the length of the overall workout itself
That's the key to using them safely - limiting their use to less than half-time

After leaving and coming back
On that day I was only making 20 laps
Which is considered a short workout day

Maybe only 2 of those laps might be done with the paddles
Or maybe more but not more than 8 of those 20 laps
Most laps happen without benefit of the paddles
That is how we guard from this injury

Later, it's a type of reward item
To be using fins, paddles, and buoy
It takes a while to work the distances forward
Perhaps if you're smart you'll heed what I'm saying

You can protect yourself right away
If you're thorough - you'll understand right away
It takes a while to swim without various types of fatigue
Whether it be superficial blisters or inner soreness
On your hips from the fins - something will hurt

The entire range of arm motion around both shoulders
Is the primary activity that has to be adapted to
Again you might not notice it on your first day
Or even in your first month - lucky you
Be careful of premature hubris

This challenge is to do the activity
For a period of more than 2-3+ months
This will help you experience the fatigue
Then continue forward with the endeavor
Without the destructive types of things
That can happen to your shoulders
Not to mentioned your back
Also your neck
Or other parts
Of your body

If you get hurt
You won't be able to continue
And that will blow everything

Before you show me your distance in your first week
Be sure to prepare for your first week in the fourth month

Lesson Summary

After experiencing a self-inflicted shoulder injury, the individual took a full winter off from swimming to allow for proper recovery. Upon returning to the pool, they are ecstatic and emphasize the importance of giving the body time to heal without any strains or setbacks. To aid in shoulder rehabilitation and prevent future injuries, the individual incorporated the use of short fins to improve body glide during swimming.

• During the winter break, the individual used specialized devices designed to assist with shoulder repair.
• They caution against overusing equipment like plastic paddle hands, which can lead to muscle strains and injuries, especially for new swimmers.
• The individual advocates for gradually introducing equipment and not exceeding 40% of the workout time for tools like paddles to prevent injuries.
• Adapting to swimming with various equipment helps build endurance and strength while avoiding potential shoulder, back, neck, or other bodily injuries.

It is essential to ease into swimming with equipment, be mindful of fatigue, and not rush progress to prevent premature injury and setbacks. The individual advises building up swimming distances gradually over a period of several months to gauge and reduce the risk of injuries. They stress the need for patience and preparation when starting a swimming regimen to promote long-term success and avoid potential harm to the body.