As the winter days begin to fade away into the sun of summer, we can’t help but become excited and ready for activity. One special place for summer time is the coolness and openness of the swimming pool.
Swimming is an exercise, which offers a vast number of benefits for individuals of any fitness level. Each of the swimming strokes, from the basic breaststroke to the long distance free-style, offers a variety of advantages to weight bearing exercise.
Swimming is a valuable exercise to develop the core muscles that stabilize and protect the joints. However, one must be careful not to swim past the point where these muscles are no longer contracting to protect. Swimming without proper core muscle contraction often leads to repetitive strain on the joints and soft tissue of the body, one of the major areas being the joints and soft tissues of the shoulders
water with each stroke, the joint is forced to move through its full available range of motion. If motion is lacking within the joint, strain is placed along the muscles to perform the task. If the joint is not aligned properly, a pinching force can occur along one of the major stabilizing muscles of the shoulder complex. If this is kept unchecked and untreated, further repetitive stress can occur, leading to a major shoulder injury.
It is important to know what to do if an injury has occurred. One should stop swimming if there is pain with each stroke. If that pain persists for a day or two it is important to have it examined by a trained professional. With Functional Manual Therapy (FMT) we assess the region of the body as well as surrounding regions to identify the source of the injury as well as the cause. Through this assessment, we are able to trace and isolate the source of the symptom and identify restrictions and weak muscles. Each person is provided with an individualized exercise program to meet his or her distinctive needs to help maintain stability of the injured area and prevent the injury from re-occurring.
As the summer sun beckons you to a more active lifestyle, it is important to be mindful of your body and its response to the new activity. If pain arises, remember, FMT provides the expert analysis and treatment to help ensure you are at your most efficient state of movement for maximizing your health!
Dr Kaysi Gray
(PT, DPT, CFMT)
is a Certified Functional Manual Therapist at VARDAN, a wellness initiative by The Times Group in association with the Institute of Physical Art, USA
Functional Manual Therapy™ (FMT) is a comprehensive approach to physiotherapy, which identifies and facilitates your existing potential through an in-depth examination and treatment of your mechanical capacity, neuromuscular function and motor control. Discover your potential to have less pain and function better with FMT!
To schedule your appointment at the VARDAN Centre (New Delhi):
SMS VFMT to 58888
Call 9971862525 & 9810306730
(9am to 6pm, Monday to Saturday)
email vardan@timesgroup.com
For more information, log on to www.vardan.in