Shoulder pain is a major cause of pain and disability in adults, with the equivalent of 40,000 Irish adults attending their general practitioner with shoulder pain each year. Injury to the rotator cuff is the most common cause of shoulder pain. People who regularly take part in work or leisure activities where the shoulder is loaded e.g. farmers, industrial workers, swimmers, those playing racket sports, are more likely to experience shoulder pain.
Swimmers are at high risk for experiencing shoulder pain due to the nature of the load on the shoulder joint. Throughout the season, swimmers change their training load in a planned manner, with periods of high training volumes followed by periods of lower training volumes often leading up to competitions. The structured nature of this change in shoulder loading makes swimmers an ideal population in which to investigate the effect training load has on shoulder pain, as changes in shoulder load are difficult to monitor in working populations and recreational swimmers.
Working with Swim Ireland in the University of Limerick, we will assess the effect changing training load has on shoulder pain, disability, grip strength and shoulder strength in young swimmers. Ultrasound scans carried out by Dr Karen McCreesh will be used to detect changes in the rotator cuff tendons.
The results of this study can be used to develop a greater understanding of shoulder pain in people who swim for health benefits and enjoyment, aiming to reduce the incidence of shoulder pain in this population.
