Neck pain in swimming

One of the most common injuries in swimming is neck injury. Although swimming is a low impact exercise, it depends heavily on technique. That means that swimming badly will affect not only your speed and efficiency but will also lead to pain and stiffness. Neck pain and headache can be the result of several factors associated to your technique. Swimmers who suffer from neck injuries feel a constant, dull ache that may be present in the back of the head, top of forehead, behind the eye, in the temple region or less commonly, around the jaw or ear. Usually associated with neck pain, stiffness and difficulty turning the neck. Other symptoms may be present such as numbness, dizziness, nausea or light headedness.

Two causes can lead to neck pain, two swimming technique faults:

• Body/head alignment. Freestyle can lead to neck pain if swimmers don’t keep their heads aligned with their body. Ideally, they will keep their head and body in a straight line throughout the entire stroke. Swimmers should be looking at the bottom of the pool when swimming freestyle. Looking slightly forward toward the end of the pool puts stress on their spinal column and neck muscles.
• Breathing position/timing. Beginners sometimes lift their heads far out of the water when they breathe. Raising their head too high, tucking it tightly against their shoulder or rotating their head too much not only causes stiffness and pain but also numbness. Rotating their bodies during freestyle minimizes the need to lift or twist their necks, and bilateral breathing helps avoid strained neck muscles. For the butterfly stroke, the focus should be on early breathing, before the arms recover above the water.

If your neck aches after swimming, take time out from your usual swimming routine. You can work out on a different stroke or do aqua running until you recover. You should ask a swim coach to correct your technique, and you will see that better technique will reduce or even eliminate any future neck pain or stiffness. If your neck pain gets worse consult your physician for advice

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