Prep Swimming: Breaststrokes, Butterflies, and Back Care

Reviewed by: Dr. Steven Knauf, D.C.

By Paul Rothbart

There are all kinds of athletes on a high school campus, and those who excel with a ball tend to get a lot of the glory. But some of the best athletes on campus aren’t on a field or a court, they’re in the pool. They’re swimmers. Or water polo players.

It’s an honor and a challenge to be a student-athlete, to wear the school colors, and represent your friends and family. A huge number of high school males and females compete in various sports and represent their schools. Swimming is among the most popular sports A survey conducted by the National Federation of State High School Associations shows that in the 2022-23 school year, more than 116,000 high school boys and more than 140,000 girls participated on their school’s swim and dive teams.

These young athletes compete and train hard. Although the activity is a great form of exercise, competitive swimmers are prone to several kinds of injuries.

What Injuries Are Common for Swimmers?

Swimming, especially in competition, works the entire body hard. This is why it’s good for exercise but it can cause injuries. There are four that are very common.

Swimmer’s Shoulder

Shoulder injuries are perhaps the most common because swimming uses the shoulders extensively. This can cause overuse injuries and swimmer’s shoulder. The strain placed on the arm and shoulder muscles may cause shoulder pain or bursitis, bicep tendonitis, and rotator cuff impingement and tears. Damage to the shoulder blade is also possible.

Swimmer’s Knee

Any swimming coach will tell you that in order to be competitive, you need a good kick. Not surprisingly, knee injuries are common for swimmers, and in fact, the most common is called swimmer’s knee. Breaststrokers tend to experience this more because of the kicking motion they use. Through overuse, pain in the knee and tears of tendons can occur.

Low Back Pain

Swimming is done horizontally with your back hyperextended. This can cause subluxations, compressed discs, or lumbar disc disease. All of these are painful even when you’re not in the water.

Neck Injuries

Although not known by many, neck injuries are common swimming injuries. Some swimming strokes can put stress on the neck in different ways. In the crawl, you rotate your neck to take breaths, and with the breaststroke, you use your neck to lift your head out of the water. This can strain neck muscles and cause disc issues.

Is the Physiology of Boy and Girl Swimmers Different?

Although the body parts used for swimming are essentially the same, boy and girl swimmers do have physiological differences that should be taken into account. Adolescence progresses differently, with girls generally hitting their main growth spurt earlier than boys.

When boys hit the growth spurt, their bodies produce higher levels of testosterone, and strength training can rapidly build muscle mass. Girls’ bodies produce more estrogen. They can gain muscle mass with training as well but tend to gain fat along with it. Girls sometimes struggle to manage their “new bodies.”

Training programs for athletes should be tailored to a certain extent to the individual and it is a good idea to keep gender differences in mind.

How Can Chiropractic Help Swimmers?

Sports medicine is important to all athletes of any age. Chiropractic care has proven itself as a form of treatment that may be beneficial to athletic performance and of value to swimmers. As NAME HERE of The Joint Chiropractic says, “Regular chiropractic treatments have helped many athletes of all types in their careers, from youth athletes to professionals to senior athletes.”

Chiropractors are trained to find subluxations and other issues in the back, neck, and joints and correct them with manual adjustments. This may help heal common injuries that prevent swimming excellence. Regular treatments may also help prevent swimmers from getting hurt because it allows them to extend their bodies and joints completely and fully.

Another benefit of chiropractic is that it may help improve swim performance. Treatments maximize range of motion in the back, neck, and joints, which should help athletes to better perform the motions of their sport. Chiropractic treatments take pressure off the spinal nerves. This may improve reflexes and reaction time.

There is no better endorsement for the practice of swimmers using chiropractors than the athlete with more medals than any Olympian in history. The great Michael Phelps credits regular treatments with helping him build his collection of 28 Olympic medals.

What Are Some Useful Tips to Aid the Health of High School Athletes?

High school athletes need to prepare just as their adult counterparts do. They have the added issues of adolescence, attending classes, doing homework, and being involved in other activities. There are some tips that can aid them in staying healthy.

Proper Nutrition

Growing bodies need proper nutrition and this is certainly true for athletes. A well-balanced diet composed of lean protein, vegetables, fruits, and whole grains is recommended by doctors. High fat and sugar content meals, such as fast foods, should be avoided.

Hydration

It is essential for all athletes to stay hydrated and that means drinking plenty of water. A good rule of thumb for high school athletes is to divide their weight by two and drink that many ounces of water each day. Be careful with sports drinks. They can be beneficial but many of them contain sugar and other unhealthy ingredients, so read labels carefully.

Proper Sleep

Many teenagers don’t get enough sleep. This can be harmful to them. Athletes in particular need a solid 8-9 hours each night so their bodies can refresh, repair, and build the muscle tissue so vital to their sport.

Strength Training

Strength training builds solid muscle tissue and that can be beneficial to performance and to preventing injuries. Young athletes should learn proper form and technique and carefully stretch and warm up before a training session.

Mental Preparedness

The mind is every bit as important as the body in sports. Developing and maintaining good training and living habits creates mental discipline and can help prevent injuries while allowing young athletes to perform at their best. A sharp mind and clear focus is often the difference between victory and defeat.

Competitive swimming is a challenging and fun sport that many high school students enjoy. The Joint Chiropractic is your partner in health. There are clinics all over the nation, and a member could easily drop in for an adjustment before a competition because no appointment is necessary. Stop by with your teen swimming hero and find out how chiropractic treatment can help keep them in the water and on the path to personal bests and personal success.

The information, including but not limited to text, graphics, images, and other material contained on this page, is for informational purposes only. The purpose of this post is to promote broad consumer understanding and knowledge of various health topics, including but not limited to the benefits of chiropractic care, exercise, and nutrition. It is not intended to provide or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your chiropractor, physician, or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment and before undertaking a new health care regimen, and never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this page.