By Courtney Hilmanowski, DPT, OCS, Cert. DN, SFMA, CFMA
If the breaststroke is your speciality, you have likely suffered some knee pain at some point in your swimming career. Even swimmers who are newer to the breaststroke may suffer knee pain as a result of the stress of the unique “whip kick”. The great news is that breaststroker’s knee pain is often a preventable issue, corrected by swim-specific training of gluteal recruitment and by correcting your stroke mechanics.
THE KICK
The whip kick is unique to the breaststroke, and thus, produces unique forces on the knee. During the top part of the kick, considerable torque occurs at the knee joint, often resulting in knee pain. If you are new to the stroke, beginning to specialize, or in peak season, this issue may sound familiar.
Knee pain can plague male or female swimmers. Unfortunately, young female swimmers are especially susceptible to knee pain during their growth years. As their height increases, the hips widen, resulting in a larger angle between the hip, knee and foot (the Q-angle). Muscular coordination also suffers as a result of these rapid changes. Discoordination of the hip, or gluteal muscles, results in poor form at the top portion of the whip kick and can lead to knee pain.
The key to preventing breaststroker’s knee pain is proper form and muscle coordination. Preventative programs for training should focus on swimming-specific recruitment and timing of the hip muscles. Correction of stroke biomechanics are equally as important to prevent or resolve knee pain. Check out this video for the key tips for swimmers:
WHEN TO SEEK HELP
If pain is causing you to modify your stroke, reduce or even stop practice, it’s time to see an expert. Be wary of seeing just any physical therapist. Stroke biomechanics and form corrections are best coming from an expert in the field. Even better, recommendations from a competitive swimmer who understand your passion for the sport will get you back in the water as fast as possible.
When knee pain warrants the help of a swimmer’s physical therapy program, treatment typically will include a combination of hands on pain relief options (like soft tissue mobilization, cupping or dry needling), taping, strengthening, stroke mechanics correction, and muscle coordination exercises to improve your form.
At ActivePT, we offer special programs for swimmers. Our free screening appointments are great for quick help with injuries to get you in front of our expert, Courtney, for fast answers to your concerns. Our Swimming Performance Packages are designed to cater to your specific needs and include options like swimming stroke analysis and comprehensive performance packages to maximize your performance this season and beyond.
Courtney is a physical therapist who specializes in the rehabilitation of swimmers and those passionate about functional fitness. She has 20 years of experience in competitive swimming and was the team captain of the University of Minnesota’s women’s swim team. She is a certified in the Selective Functional Movement Assessment (SFMA) and Clinical Management of the Fitness Athlete (CMFA)
