Summer in Connecticut means long days at the pool. But for many swimmers, those laps come with a familiar ache at the front of the shoulder. If that sounds like you, there is a good chance you are dealing with swimmer’s shoulder.
It is the most common orthopedic injury in aquatic sports, and it does not only happen to competitive athletes. Recreational lap swimmers, adults who swim for cardio, and kids on summer teams can all develop it. If you have also been experiencing pain between the shoulder blades, those issues are often connected.
What Is Swimmer’s Shoulder?
Swimmer’s shoulder is a general term for pain caused by repetitive overhead motion in the water. The rotator cuff, a group of four muscles that stabilize the shoulder joint, absorbs significant force every time you reach, pull, and recover through a stroke.
Do that motion thousands of times per week and the tendons start to break down. A 2024 study in the International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy surveyed 671 youth competitive swimmers across six U.S. states and found that 49% had shoulder symptoms. Swimmers with a prior history of shoulder injury had the highest rates of ongoing pain and disability.
What Causes Swimmer’s Shoulder?
The most common root cause is muscle imbalance. The muscles used to pull your arm through the water become dominant, while the smaller stabilizing muscles stay underdeveloped. This puts more stress on the rotator cuff tendons with each stroke.
A 2023 study in The Physician and Sportsmedicine used ultrasound imaging to examine the shoulders of 102 elite swimmers. It found that 91% had tendinosis of the supraspinatus tendon, consistent with chronic overload. Forty-two percent reported active shoulder pain at the time of the study.
Poor shoulder mobility makes things worse. When the joint cannot fully rotate, it compensates in ways that increase tissue strain. This issue often overlaps with shoulder impingement, particularly in swimmers who train heavily in freestyle and butterfly.
What Does Swimmer’s Shoulder Feel Like?
The pain usually sits at the front or top of the shoulder. It tends to hurt most during the catch phase, when your arm is reaching forward and entering the water. Many swimmers also notice it when reaching overhead, sleeping on the affected side, or lifting objects above shoulder height.
Sharp pain, weakness, or symptoms that worsen despite rest are all reasons to get a proper evaluation. Rotator cuff injuries can progress from mild tendinosis to partial or full tears when left unaddressed.
What Exercises Help Swimmer’s Shoulder?
Two targeted stretches have solid research backing. A 2026 randomized controlled trial in the Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery tested the sleeper stretch and the crossbody stretch in overhead athletes with shoulder pain. Both produced meaningful reductions in pain and improved shoulder rotation after just four weeks.
Crossbody stretch: Bring one arm across your chest and hold it just above the elbow. Hold 30 seconds, three times per side.
Sleeper stretch: Lie on your affected side with your elbow bent at 90 degrees. Use your other hand to press your wrist gently toward the floor. Hold 30 seconds, three times per side.
A 2025 study in the Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery also found that adding eccentric shoulder exercises improved endurance and range of motion in athletes with subacromial pain. Slow, controlled strengthening movements appear to be especially effective for overuse injuries of this type.
How to Prevent Swimmer’s Shoulder Going Forward
Keep training increases gradual, no more than 10% more yardage per week. Add targeted dry-land work for the rotator cuff and scapular stabilizers. And consider having your stroke reviewed. Small technique issues, like a dropped elbow during the catch or crossing the centerline on entry, can dramatically increase shoulder stress over thousands of yards.
The Bottom Line
Swimmer’s shoulder is a signal that the shoulder is absorbing more stress than it can handle. The pain usually starts gradually, but ignoring it tends to make things worse.
A 2026 systematic review in Musculoskeletal Science and Practice analyzed 19 randomized controlled trials involving 1,349 patients with rotator cuff-related shoulder pain. It found that both active and passive conservative treatments produced real improvements. If pain persists beyond a few weeks, a hands-on evaluation can identify your specific pattern. Posture frequently plays a role, which is why providers often assess upper crossed syndrome alongside shoulder mechanics.
Sources & Further Reading
- Stirling BD, Sum JC, Baek L, et al. Shoulder Pain in Competitive Swimmers: A Multi-Site Survey Study. Int J Sports Phys Ther. 2024;19(8):965-975. https://doi.org/10.26603/001c.121114
- Moeda F, Melo X, Hatia M, et al. Clinical and ultrasound findings of swimmer’s shoulder and its association with training history in elite Portuguese swimmers. Phys Sportsmed. 2023;52(2):187-199. https://doi.org/10.1080/00913847.2023.2211994
- de Araujo JN, Oliveira ABA, Kamonseki DH, et al. The effects of sleeper stretch vs. crossbody stretch in overhead athletes with shoulder pain: a randomized controlled trial. J Shoulder Elbow Surg. 2026;35(7):1832-1840. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jse.2025.12.017
- Huang SY, Lin YL, Tsai YS, Huang TS. The effects of eccentric-focused exercises on posterior shoulder tightness in amateur baseball players with subacromial pain syndrome. J Shoulder Elbow Surg. 2025;35(4):1042-1051. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jse.2025.08.004
- Liu J, Tang D, Hu R, et al. Effectiveness of exercise therapy versus passive conservative treatments for rotator cuff-related shoulder pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Musculoskelet Sci Pract. 2026;83:103556. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.msksp.2026.103556
