Breaststroker's knee

One of the more common swimming injuries in the lower body has been termed breaststroker's knee. It is actually a strain of the medial collateral ligament on the inside of the knee and seems to result from a combination of overuse, muscular weakness, and poor flexibility. In the breaststroke, the legs are extended rapidly and rotated outward during the kick. While this position puts the knee into the best position to generate propulsion, it also places a great deal of stress of on the inside of the knee as the legs are brought together forcefully during the kick. Not surprisingly, knee pain increases with use; as training age and volume increase, so does the risk of developing knee pain. A kick that is directed straight back will place less stress on the inner side of the knee.

Injury prevention exercises for the knee

Developing leg strength, muscular endurance, and flexibility, particularly in the muscles around the hip and knee, can prevent lower-body injuries such as breaststroker's knee. By using the exercises and stretches mentioned later you should decrease your risk of injury. However you should avoid any of these exercises if they aggrevate a preexisting injury or cause pain.

Single leg squat

Stand on the left leg and bent the right knee slightly. Maintaining a good posture, drop into a squat with your left leg, bending the right knee approximately 45 degrees. Drop deeper into the squat as the legs get stronger. Perform 2-3 x 15 reps on each leg.

Star drill  

Star the exercise by balancing on the left leg. Imagine you are standing in the middle of a compass facing north . Slowly drop into a single leg squat while lightly tracing a line on the floor with you right heel in the direction of the north. Extend the right foot as far forward as you can, keeping good posture and control of your body. Return to starting position and repeat the motion, except this time trace a line to the northeast. Do the same to the east, southeast, and south of the imaginary compass. Do the entire exercise 3-5 times and repeat while standing on your right leg and moving in a north, northwest, west, southwest, and south pattern.

Elastic band drill

Stand with your feet about shoulder single apart and loop an elastic band around the left ankle and the other end around a pole or table leg. Your right shoulder should be closer to the pole. Lift your left leg, all your weight should be now on your right leg. There should be a light tension on the band. Quickly move the left leg out  to the side 15 to 30 cm and back while maintaining a good posture and a slight bend in the stance leg. Continue this pattern for 15 sec gradually increasing up to 30 sec. Rest and repeat the exercise, this time kicking forward and again kicking backward, keeping the kicking leg straight in both instances. You will have to turn the body each time so kick away from the tubing attachment point. Repeat with the other leg.

Try also doing squats, hip flexor stretch, hamstring stretch, standing quadriceps stretch, and hip twist.