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Why do my breaststroke hurt my knees?
Also known as “swimmer’s knee”, breaststroke knee is a common swimming injury that most frequently affects breaststroke swimmers. It is caused by the stress that is placed on the knee’s inner ligaments by the propulsive kicks of the legs that power breaststroke swimmers.
Can swimming damage your knees?
SWIMMING AND KNEE INJURIES The incidence rate of knee injuries in swimming appears to be between 12.9%2 and 27%3, though it’s difficult to be certain, as many of the reported studies are retrospective case series with small participant numbers. Medial knee pain does seem to be most common in breaststroke swimmers.
How do you prevent breaststroke knees?
The breaststroke training distance should be increased very gradually in the early season, and warm-up distance should be adequate to help prevent the symptoms of breaststroker’s knee.
What is Breastrokers knee?
Breaststoker’s Knee is caused again by the overuse of tendons and ligaments in the motion of a breaststroker. By using the motion involved in the breaststroke, or even treading water for that matter put great stress on your knees and hips due to the tension of kicking in the water.
How do you fix swimmer’s knee?
Ice packs should be used to reduce any swelling as soon as the swimmer complains of pain, and if necessary anti-inflammatory medication. Physiotherapy will help strengthen the muscles. Very occasionally, and in very severe cases, surgery may be necessary.
Should I swim if my knee hurts?
When you are suffering from knee arthritis exercising may be the last thing on your mind, but regular activity can actually lessen arthritis pain and other symptoms. Since swimming takes the pressure off the knees it is the ideal option for staying fit and improving mobility even when you are experiencing pain.
How long does swimmers knee take to heal?
The good news is this injury will heal, it just takes some manual therapy and specific exercises to correct any muscles imbalances and help you get back on track. Typically repetitive strain injuries such as these take 8-12 weeks to heal, although improvements will start to be felt within a couple of treatments.
How is swimmer’s knee treated?
How do you Treat Swimmer’s Knee? Minor discomfort is treated with increased warm up periods and a reduction in the intensity of training. Thigh training exercises may be useful, as well as getting an assessment of your technique.
What does swimmers knee feel like?
Causes of Swimmer’s Knee Symptoms present as pain on the inner knee associated with kicking in swimming, squatting, climbing stairs and even turning over in bed.
Is it common for breaststroke swimmers to have knee pain?
It is most common in specialist breaststroke swimmers, hence the name. It is estimated that approximately 86 % of specialist breaststroke swimmers have suffered from some form of injury to their knees. Unfortunately, it’s fairly common for specialist breaststroke swimmers to experience regular knee pain.
What happens to the knees during the breaststroke?
The unnatural rotation of the knees during the breaststroke kick can put pressure on the inside of the knees. During the propulsive phase of the breaststroke leg kick, the swimmer is required to vigorously kick backwards and downwards with a ‘whipping’ action.
What can I do to prevent breaststroker’s knee?
This can be an effective method of preventing breaststroker’s knee. These sessions should include exercises such as lunges, squats and leg raises. We have produced a related article on dryland training exercises for breaststroke.
What can I do to prevent knee pain in swimmers?
“Good preventative exercises start not with the knee but with the hips,” says Adam Carter, a physiotherapist with Star Physical Therapy who regularly works with swimmers at the Nashville Aquatic Club.