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Compared to higher-impact physical activities like running or biking, swimming is one of the best fitness routines to deliver a full body workout; it burns a decent amount of calories, it’s refreshing, and it’s generally low-impact. However, while swimming can be easy on the body, you can risk further injury if you swim while experiencing pain. 

If you are suffering from shoulder pain, or any pain for that matter, swimming can still exacerbate the problem area if not approached and performed correctly.  

Should You Swim With Shoulder Pain?

While it is possible to swim with shoulder pain, you should limit your level of activity for that joint to allow it to rest and heal. However, with some caution and attention, you should be okay for a light swim. 

When swimming with shoulder pain, try to keep these principles in mind: 

• Switch up your strokes

  Try lower impact strokes like breast and side stroke to keep shoulder strain to a minimum. 

• Kick back

  Try swim sessions focused on kicking to give your shoulders and upper body a break. 

• Stagger your sessions

  Try to swim every other day, or every two days. Give your joints ample rest in between swims to reduce your shoulder strain and the risk of prolonging your injury. 

If all else fails, physical therapy is highly recommended. A licensed physical therapist can help you strengthen your shoulder and rotator cuff, thereby improving your swimming ability. 

Advanced Shoulder Pain Treatments

If your shoulder pain gets more severe and you can no longer swim or have limited arm mobility, you should seek the help of a local orthopaedic expert. If you are in the St. Augustine, Florida area, you can rest assured knowing that the advanced sports injury treatment plans and surgical intervention options provided by the expert team of orthopaedic specialists and physicians at Orthopaedic Associates of St. Augustine are here for you.

Soothe Your Shoulder Pain at Orthopaedic Associates of St. Augustine

The team at Orthopaedic Associates of St. Augustine is proud to play a role in helping those in pain regain mobility and get back to their daily routines. If you’re experiencing shoulder pain or any type of orthopaedic injury, our team is here to help. Please request an appointment online or give us a call today at 904-825-0540.

Albert Volk, MD 
Board certifications in Orthopaedic Surgery and Sports Medicine. Dr. Volk specializes in an all-arthroscopic rotator cuff repair of the shoulder.