Back pain

Tim said:

Hi all

Wonder if you can help me with this

Have been taking lessons recently to try and improve my pathetic front
crawl - really struggle with breathing :-(

Have also changed my breast stroke to a more "professional"

I've noticed over the last few weeks that I'm getting muscle pains across
the top/back of my pelvis

Really showed up when I tried to play singles badminton for two hours -
after 1:30 I was struggling just to bend down and pick the shuttle up :-(

Any ideas on what's causing it?

crawl is sometimes not the best stroke for those prone to such pains.
This may be simply because many people tend to allow themselves to
'dip' a bit in the middle, both in the side and prone position.

Quoted message said:

I can only assume it's either -

Stretching out longer/further in breast stroke

Or not being used to doing front/back stroke flutter kicks

TIA for any help

Tim

PS any good exercise/stretching tips to help this would be much appreciated

Quoted message said:

Tim said:

Hi all

Wonder if you can help me with this

Have been taking lessons recently to try and improve my pathetic
front crawl - really struggle with breathing :-(

Have also changed my breast stroke to a more "professional"

I've noticed over the last few weeks that I'm getting muscle pains
across the top/back of my pelvis

Really showed up when I tried to play singles badminton for two
hours - after 1:30 I was struggling just to bend down and pick the
shuttle up :-(

Any ideas on what's causing it?

crawl is sometimes not the best stroke for those prone to such pains.
This may be simply because many people tend to allow themselves to
'dip' a bit in the middle, both in the side and prone position.

Thanks a.c.

Trouble is at the moment I'm not sure if I'm prone to this type of strain or
whether it's just "growing pains" of muscles which aren't used to being
pulled around yet

Cheers

Tim

Tim said:

Quoted message said:

Tim said:

Hi all

Wonder if you can help me with this

Have been taking lessons recently to try and improve my pathetic
front crawl - really struggle with breathing :-(

Have also changed my breast stroke to a more "professional"

I've noticed over the last few weeks that I'm getting muscle pains
across the top/back of my pelvis

Really showed up when I tried to play singles badminton for two
hours - after 1:30 I was struggling just to bend down and pick the
shuttle up :-(

Any ideas on what's causing it?

crawl is sometimes not the best stroke for those prone to such pains.
This may be simply because many people tend to allow themselves to
'dip' a bit in the middle, both in the side and prone position.

Thanks a.c.

Trouble is at the moment I'm not sure if I'm prone to this type of strain or
whether it's just "growing pains" of muscles which aren't used to being
pulled around yet

I've encountered it before. Those that had it were not experiencing
such growing pains.
I suggest you speak to your swim teacher about it.

Quoted message said:

Cheers

Tim

Tim said:

Quoted message said:

Tim said:

Hi all

Wonder if you can help me with this

Have been taking lessons recently to try and improve my pathetic
front crawl - really struggle with breathing :-(

Have also changed my breast stroke to a more "professional"

I've noticed over the last few weeks that I'm getting muscle pains
across the top/back of my pelvis

Really showed up when I tried to play singles badminton for two
hours - after 1:30 I was struggling just to bend down and pick the
shuttle up :-(

Any ideas on what's causing it?

crawl is sometimes not the best stroke for those prone to such pains.
This may be simply because many people tend to allow themselves to
'dip' a bit in the middle, both in the side and prone position.

Thanks a.c.

Trouble is at the moment I'm not sure if I'm prone to this type of strain or
whether it's just "growing pains" of muscles which aren't used to being
pulled around yet

I've encountered it before. Those that had it were not experiencing
such growing pains.
I suggest you speak to your swim teacher about it.

Quoted message said:

Cheers

Tim

It may be due to the natural arch in your back you have during front crawl.
I have back problems at times, but have kept clear of them since I started
finishing each long swim with backstroke using short fins. All it takes is
about 300 yards of this and my back has been fine for the last 2+ years
which is a record since I got hit by a car several years ago.

"Tim" <no [email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Hi all

Wonder if you can help me with this

Have been taking lessons recently to try and improve my pathetic front
crawl - really struggle with breathing :-(

Have also changed my breast stroke to a more "professional"

I've noticed over the last few weeks that I'm getting muscle pains across
the top/back of my pelvis

Really showed up when I tried to play singles badminton for two hours -
after 1:30 I was struggling just to bend down and pick the shuttle up :-(

Any ideas on what's causing it?

I can only assume it's either -

Stretching out longer/further in breast stroke

Or not being used to doing front/back stroke flutter kicks

TIA for any help

Tim

PS any good exercise/stretching tips to help this would be much
appreciated

Do you know the "elementary backstroke"? This is a stroke I used when I have
back pain. I call it "the eraser" because it tilts the pelvis backward and
seems to eliminate the pain caused by doing the breast stroke too much. When
doing this stroke, I concentrate on tilting my belly button downward, thus
tilting the pelvis to flatten the lower back.

Pat

a.c. said:

Tim said:

Hi all

Wonder if you can help me with this

Have been taking lessons recently to try and improve my pathetic front
crawl - really struggle with breathing :-(

Have also changed my breast stroke to a more "professional"

I've noticed over the last few weeks that I'm getting muscle pains across
the top/back of my pelvis

Really showed up when I tried to play singles badminton for two hours -
after 1:30 I was struggling just to bend down and pick the shuttle up :-(

Any ideas on what's causing it?

crawl is sometimes not the best stroke for those prone to such pains.
This may be simply because many people tend to allow themselves to
'dip' a bit in the middle, both in the side and prone position.

Quoted message said:

I can only assume it's either -

Stretching out longer/further in breast stroke

Or not being used to doing front/back stroke flutter kicks

TIA for any help

Tim

PS any good exercise/stretching tips to help this would be much appreciated

I have two thoughts.
One is that it may actually be the breaststroke, not the crawl, causing
your back pain. I was amazed when I went back to bs after a layoff how
much tone I suddenly acquired in my hip zone. I had similar soreness
which went away with conditioning. Which kick are you using, an old
school frog or a whip kick? I'm a frogger due to sensitive knees.
The other thought is just what others have said--make sure you work the
opposing muscle groups by also swimming backstroke.
Madelaine

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I can only assume it's either -

Stretching out longer/further in breast stroke

Or not being used to doing front/back stroke flutter kicks

TIA for any help

Tim

PS any good exercise/stretching tips to help this would be much
appreciated

I have two thoughts.
One is that it may actually be the breaststroke, not the crawl,
causing your back pain. I was amazed when I went back to bs after a
layoff how much tone I suddenly acquired in my hip zone. I had
similar soreness which went away with conditioning. Which kick are
you using, an old school frog or a whip kick? I'm a frogger due to
sensitive knees. The other thought is just what others have said--make
sure you work
the opposing muscle groups by also swimming backstroke.
Madelaine

Thanks to all who've replied

Madelaine - Can you explain the whip kick to me?

I used to bs by pretty much squeezing my legs together as they extended but
have had this changed through swimming lessons to a straightforward kick
backwards - I assume that's the frog kick?

Will try and do some back stroke - trouble is bs is the only one I'm any
good at - hence the lessons recently :-(

Have been swimming for about 2.5 years without getting this sort of pain
before

I guess one of the problems is that trying to modify one stroke and learn
two others leaves too many options open as to the cause

Thanks again

Tim

Tim said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

>I can only assume it's either -
>
>Stretching out longer/further in breast stroke
>
>Or not being used to doing front/back stroke flutter kicks
>
>TIA for any help
>
>Tim
>
>PS any good exercise/stretching tips to help this would be much
>appreciated

I have two thoughts.
One is that it may actually be the breaststroke, not the crawl,
causing your back pain. I was amazed when I went back to bs after a
layoff how much tone I suddenly acquired in my hip zone. I had
similar soreness which went away with conditioning. Which kick are
you using, an old school frog or a whip kick? I'm a frogger due to
sensitive knees. The other thought is just what others have said--make
sure you work
the opposing muscle groups by also swimming backstroke.
Madelaine

Thanks to all who've replied

Madelaine - Can you explain the whip kick to me?

I used to bs by pretty much squeezing my legs together as they extended but
have had this changed through swimming lessons to a straightforward kick
backwards - I assume that's the frog kick?

Will try and do some back stroke - trouble is bs is the only one I'm any
good at - hence the lessons recently :-(

Have been swimming for about 2.5 years without getting this sort of pain
before

I guess one of the problems is that trying to modify one stroke and learn
two others leaves too many options open as to the cause

Thanks again

Tim

In the whip kick, you keep the legs closer together and whip the lower
leg out in an arc, rapidly returning it to center. This is supposedly a
more powerful kick, and I would agree based on limited experience.
However, I find it murder on the knees.

Part of the key to backstroke is having a good lumbar arch so you can
lie comfortably on the water and scoot across the surfase. It also
helps to be built like an orangutan, with long arms and short legs. I
have carried this to the extreme by also having red hair, so backstroke
is my best stroke, hands down.
Madelaine

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Thanks to all who've replied

Madelaine - Can you explain the whip kick to me?

I used to bs by pretty much squeezing my legs together as they
extended but have had this changed through swimming lessons to a
straightforward kick backwards - I assume that's the frog kick?

Will try and do some back stroke - trouble is bs is the only one I'm
any good at - hence the lessons recently :-(

Have been swimming for about 2.5 years without getting this sort of
pain before

I guess one of the problems is that trying to modify one stroke and
learn two others leaves too many options open as to the cause

Thanks again

Tim

In the whip kick, you keep the legs closer together and whip the lower
leg out in an arc, rapidly returning it to center. This is
supposedly a more powerful kick, and I would agree based on limited
experience. However, I find it murder on the knees.

Part of the key to backstroke is having a good lumbar arch so you can
lie comfortably on the water and scoot across the surfase. It also
helps to be built like an orangutan, with long arms and short legs. I
have carried this to the extreme by also having red hair, so
backstroke is my best stroke, hands down.
Madelaine

That's quite a picture you're painting

So what are you saying - I need surgery.........or hair dye?? :-)

I have a slightly hollow back or lordosis - nothing major but trousers don't
fit quite right around the back - might have some bearing on it

Did half a mile of bs last night (I was late in the pool and lame OK!)
without any real problems - will try and remember some back stroke to even
things up in future though

Thanks

Tim

Tim said:

I have a slightly hollow back or lordosis - nothing
major but trousers don't > fit quite right around the
back - might have some bearing on it

Uh-oh, you said the L-word! Google "lordosis" on this
group to see what I mean.

Quoted message said:

Tim said:

I have a slightly hollow back or lordosis - nothing
major but trousers don't > fit quite right around the
back - might have some bearing on it

Uh-oh, you said the L-word! Google "lordosis" on this
group to see what I mean.

Oh.......whoops :-)