Why Your Back May Feel Sore After Swimming
Swimming provides an excellent low-impact workout that builds endurance while placing less stress on joints compared to high-impact activities like running. Yet after a long session in the pool, you may discover your back feels sore. Several factors can cause back soreness after swimming, but luckily some simple adjustments can help prevent and treat this common post-swim discomfort.
Common Causes of Back Pain After Swimming
Many swimmers report feeling some muscle tightness or pain after an intense or lengthy pool session. A number of different issues can trigger a sore back from swimming, including:
- Poor swimming posture and body mechanics
- Overuse injuries from repetitive strokes
- Muscle cramps from electrolyte imbalance
- Pre-existing back problems aggravated by swimming
Understanding the root cause behind your sore back allows you to take steps to both treat the pain and prevent it from happening again in the future.
How Poor Swimming Posture Causes Back Pain
Maintaining proper spine, shoulder, and hip alignment while swimming is crucial for good form and injury prevention. If your posture falters, you risk overworking certain muscle groups in the back and shoulders.
New swimmers often tense up or hunch their shoulders when first learning strokes. Gripping the water too forcefully or overreaching on each stroke also taxes the upper back muscles in the shoulders and neck area. These muscles tighten up in response to the added strain, which feels exceptionally sore later on.
Losing the natural arch in your lower back also heavily contributes to post-swim back soreness. Your core stabilizes the spine, taking pressure off your back while afloat. But failing to engage those midsection muscles allows your lower back to sag or flatten, placing more tension on the spine. This inevitably leads to painful tightness.
Overuse Injuries Leading to Soreness
The repetitive nature of swimming makes overuse injuries a prime suspect for back pain after swimming. Certain strokes emphasize movements that work one side of the body more than the other. Over time this overloads the dominant sides tendons, joints, and connective tissues.
For example, shoulders undergo significant strain on certain strokes. The powerful reach on every freestyle stroke can irritate the rotator cuffs tendons or inflame the shoulder joint if performed with poor technique. These small strains accumulate over distances, eventually hindering shoulder mobility and making the upper back tight.
The lopsided rotation involved with breathing also impacts spine alignment and back muscles. Constantly turning your head only in one direction causes you to over-rotate your upper spine towards that shoulder. This asymmetry ultimately results in uncomfortable tightness on one side after prolonged swimming.
Muscle Cramps and Spasms Related to Electrolytes
Muscle cramps frequently strike active swimmers, especially in the calves, hamstrings and feet. Besides feeling uncomfortable, full-fledged debilitating leg cramps also disrupt proper swimming mechanics.
Altering your stroke to compensate for a calf cramp mid-lap for example tweaks muscles elsewhere like the lower back. Intense random spasms also shock the surrounding muscles, making them tender once the cramping finally ceases post-workout.
Experts believe muscle cramping in swimmers frequently stems from an electrolyte imbalance. The longer you swim, the more you sweat, causing vital minerals like sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium to be lost. Low levels of these electrolytes then cause random uncontrollable muscle contractions.
Aggravating Existing Back Problems
People coping with spinal conditions like disc problems or scoliosis often take up swimming since it removes impact stress. But certain strokes or movements in the water still place strain on back muscles, joints and discs.
Those managing chronic back pain typically feel increased tightness or soreness in those problem areas after swimming laps. The upper body-dependent strokes of freestyle, backstroke and butterfly all incorporate extensive torso rotation and reaching.
These repetitive motions inflame irritated joints or press on damaged discs to heighten pain. Even smaller movements like looking up to breathe or pushing off the wall target tender back spots. So while swimming helps cardiovascular fitness, a pre-existing back problem hinders ideal stroke mechanics to exacerbate discomfort.
How To Prevent and Soothe Back Pain After Swimming
Learning proper swimming technique and form keeps the spine aligned and shoulders balanced to avoid overworking back muscles. Stretching before and after swimming also boosts mobility in tightened areas. Follow these handy self-care tips to sidestep post-swim back soreness or ease discomfort:
Improve Your Body Positioning and Stroke Mechanics
Having a skilled coach observe your current swimming style allows them to pinpoint flaws in posture or stroke motions that could be causing discomfort. Focus on rotating your torso as one cohesive unit to avoid over-twisting the lower back.
Concentrate on symmetrical shoulder rolls and reach evenly with both arms to prevent muscle imbalances. Keep elbows higher to engage latissimus dorsi muscles rather than straining smaller upper back groups. Refine these mechanics during shorter training intervals then maintain that posture for distance swims.
Stretch Between Laps
Counteract tightening back muscles by incorporating flexibility training into your routine. Gentle stretches for the upper back, chest and shoulders between laps boosts circulation to ease swelling while keeping connective tissues nimble.
The bridge yoga pose provides an excellent way to stabilize the spines curves. Hug your knees in towards your chest while floating to gently decompress the lower vertebrae for relief.
Strengthen Your Core
Cultivating a strong midsection stabilizes the low back while swimming by improving balance and body position. Planks, leg lifts, and other pillar exercises develop these core muscles. Integrate core training into your dry land workouts twice a week for better spinal support in water.
Monitor Your Electrolyte Levels
Stay well hydrated before, during and after swimming to restore fluids and electrolytes lost through sweat. Sip sports drinks or coconut water between long circuits to replenish sodium and potassium stores. Supplementing with a magnesium tablet daily also prevents painful leg and foot cramps.
Use Hand Paddles
Building upper back and shoulder endurance prevents strain in those areas most utilized for common strokes. Hand paddles provide added resistance during training to bolster muscles so they stay fresh even after high yardage.
Start with small paddles for short distances then gradually progress size and length as muscle adaptations occur. This protects joints through balanced strength development across all swim stroke muscle groups.
Schedule Rest Days
Muscles overworked from consecutive high mileage days never fully bounce back before the next workout, eventually causing chronic tightness. Counteract this overtraining by alternating swim sessions with lighter recovery activities or rest.
Low impact options like walking, yoga or stretching help flush out soreness while still keeping active. Periodizing training with adequate rest phases gives tissues time to completely heal.
Conclusion
While swimming offers numerous physical and mental benefits, strain placed on the back, shoulders and neck during strokes often causes discomfort and tightness afterward. By being mindful of body positioning, stroke efficiency, hydration needs and training load, swimmers can take proactive steps to sidestep back pain after swimming.
Implementing targeted flexibility protocols, core exercises and cross training diversifies musculoskeletal development so no single area bears too much repeated strain. Periodizing training cycles factors in sufficient rest for complete recovery. With some adjustments and awareness, swimmers can continue reaping all the rewards swimming offers without tossing and turning from an achy sore back after their time in the pool.
FAQs
Is it normal for my back to hurt after swimming?
It's common to feel some muscle tightness or discomfort after swimming, especially if you're new to the sport. But intense or lingering back pain indicates problems with form, overuse, or technique that should be addressed.
How can I prevent my back from getting sore when swimming?
Improving posture, stroke mechanics, core strength and bilateral symmetry while swimming helps reduce strain on the back. Stretching the back, chest and shoulders regularly also keeps muscles flexible for comfort.
Should I swim if my back already hurts?
Those with chronic back injuries can still swim gently for low impact cardio but avoid butterfly or breaststroke. Use caution when learning any new strokes that exacerbate pain. Rest is advisable during back pain flare-ups.
Will swimming help or hurt back pain?
Swimming helps alleviate lower back pain from arthritis, stenosis, or sciatica thanks to its low impact nature. But overdoing distance with poor form can strain muscles and joints. Work with a coach to perfect technique so swimming benefits not hurts your back.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new treatment regimen.
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