Swimming

Musculoskeletal

Physical Therapy

Which exercises would you recommend for stretching and creating ankle flexibility within swimmers?

Unlocking Ankle Flexibility: Exercises for Swimmers

Dude, this is a great question. First of all, I want to thank Paul for referring this question to me. Let me step back a little bit and kind of explain how I would probably assess ankle. So you want to think about first of all, passive range of motion. Those The Joint passively go by itself. So what I mean by that is if you pull your ankle down, do you have this range of motion? Can you? Passively get there. So that could, if you can, it could be from a number of reasons because of a joint restriction or a soft tissue restriction. So then you could assess, if they have that motion, can they actively pointer foot down? And is there is restriction with that? If there's a restriction with that it can tell you possibly that there's something to do with strength. And then you want to look at a resistance. Can they actually get Through that and I'm thinking of obviously a swimmer. So, you were thinking, what we call open chain, which means your foot is not on the ground, but then you also want to think about closed chain where your foot is on the ground. So if I stand up a lot of people, you can look at strength where you're up on your tiptoes, so I am probably not great with this camera position. So up on your toes, can they be in that position and That's two legs. So maybe they want to go onto one leg and see if they can raise up after he'll. Okay, so that would be a quick kind of assessment but also way that you could actually treat. And so you also want to think about the foot the foot and the ankle is unique in the sense that we are weight-bearing, humans are athletes, right. We're on our ankles the whole time. So we're tend to be What I call it Dorsey Flex position. So that's this 9090 position for the walls. And since women, we want to be in this opposite position, which you want to think about the whole kinetic chain and how the position of your body above the ankle, can affect what's going on in front and in the back of the ankle. Okay, but also, you want to think about if you see those swimmers that are really flexible or hypermobile, they'll tend to just kind of flop. Up into this position. Okay. And so, that's a little bit of plantar, flexion, and inversion. And so you want to look at the tissue along the front and on the side and on the back. Okay, then also look at the planner for exposition of your feet. Can that tissue move? So some of the things that you can do is just lightly kind of massage and find out where to restrictions are and so that would be in a resting position and then you could also do it. You're actually trying to point your foot down and actually use your hands to mobilize the tissue to soft tissue in the direction that you want to go. Hopefully that will help, but sometimes you have to move it in different directions in order to help. So, in this case, I find a restriction more in the back that's preventing me from point to my toe down. So I'm actually pulling my hand up this way and pushing my hand down, probably a little bit more complicated. Than what you want to know. And other way that I find a lot of swimmers tend to do, they tend to go back onto their onto their heels or onto their toes and they sit down like this and then come up into this position. Okay, which puts a lot of strain and I've had actually had some athletes get injured by that so I don't recommend that straight off. What you want to do is to identify. If I the type of athlete that you're working with and so this is hard to give a generalization because a lot of swimmers tend to be hyper mobile.

To assess ankle, you want to look at passive range of motion first and then assess their ability to actively point foot down. Additionally, you should assess the tissue along the front, side, and back of the ankle and also look at their ability to do dorsiflexion and inversion. Treating these restrictions can involve lightly massaging the tissue as well as mobilizing it in different directions depending on the type of athlete you are working with.

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When it comes to stretching and creating ankle flexibility for swimmers, there are a few key considerations. First, you want to assess the passive range of motion in the ankle joint. Can the ankle be passively moved into a full range of motion? If there are restrictions, it could be due to joint or soft tissue limitations.

Next, evaluate the active range of motion. Can the swimmer actively point their foot down without any restrictions? If there are limitations, it may indicate a strength issue.

To address ankle flexibility, you can focus on both open chain exercises (where the foot is not on the ground) and closed chain exercises (where the foot is on the ground). For open chain exercises, you can have the swimmer perform calf raises on both legs and progress to single-leg calf raises. This helps strengthen the ankle muscles.

For closed chain exercises, you can have the swimmer stand on their tiptoes and then slowly lower down. This helps improve ankle strength and stability.

Additionally, consider the position of the body above the ankle. The alignment of the kinetic chain can impact ankle flexibility. Pay attention to the front, side, and back of the ankle, as well as the tissue along the foot.

Massage and mobilization techniques can be used to address any restrictions or tightness in the ankle and surrounding tissues. This can involve applying gentle pressure and mobilizing the tissue in the desired direction.

It's important to note that each swimmer may have unique needs and considerations based on their individual flexibility and mobility. Tailor the exercises and techniques to the specific athlete to ensure effective ankle flexibility training.

What is your favorite core exercise for swimmers? 

Swiss Ball Stability: A Must-Try Core Exercise for Swimmers

Brett. So one of my favorite core exercises is working over the Swiss ball to work on stability, which is a fundamental activity that most swimmers need. And you can do it in many different positions. So first one would be here. And I like this because you can really teach them-- especially younger athletes, teach them the connectivity between their neck and in different parts of the body. You can advance obviously, the further out you go, the more pressure you have on your lower back. You can add in one arm, two arms, one leg. Also like to do it on your back, into position here. Getting them into this position, eventually you can progress to backstroke. So these simple exercises I like to work on at the start. And then also doing stuff on their side, trying to and then you can teach them where their lying position is, and up in here, and in this position. And eventually going into more dynamic movements. That's what I would start off with. Hopefully that helps.

One of my favorite core exercises is working over the Swiss ball to improve stability, which is an important skill for swimmers. This can be done in different positions such as on your stomach or back, and can be progressed to more dynamic movements.

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One of my favorite core exercises for swimmers is working with a Swiss ball to improve stability, which is crucial for most swimmers. This exercise can be done in various positions. 

One position involves working on the ball while lying on your stomach. This allows you to teach younger athletes the connection between their neck and different parts of their body. You can progress the exercise by extending your arms and legs, increasing the pressure on your lower back. 

Another position involves lying on your back and performing exercises, eventually progressing to simulate backstroke movements. 

Working on the side is also beneficial. You can teach swimmers proper alignment and engage their core muscles in this position. 

As swimmers progress, more dynamic movements can be incorporated into their core exercises. 

These simple exercises are a great starting point for improving core strength and stability in swimmers.

How exactly do you engage the core in freestyle?

How to engage your core in freestyle swimming!

Thanks so much for asking this question. How do you exactly do you engage the core in freestyle? As the physical therapists that specialize in swimmers, this is one of the toughest things to do and especially to be able to teach athletes how to do it on land and more especially in the water. So a couple of tricks that I have found going along with what coach Bracken said, and Joshua said is sometimes, I get athletes to put a kickboard out in front. And and when you're in the water, gently trying to press down and just try to match the resistance of the water and then just like what coach or Joshua said is trying to making sure that your rims are in line with your pelvis. And by pressing down, you can try brace or tighten your core like as if you're going to touch yourself or punch yourself in the stomach, that would be one way. There's many other ways or Is you could pull in your core or tuck under and all you want to try to do at this stage is learn where your core is in. How that affects you when you're floating. And when you're doing the kickboard just barely kick and see what happens to your body position. Do you feel like you move easier and then disengage it, let everything go and then see what happens. So, I find by turning things on or tight. Being the muscle and then letting it go. You'll see how that feels the other option just like, what coach brackets. It is put the buoy not necessarily between your legs between your pelvis or here but more at your ankles and that will be definitely harder and you may want to try to just pull gently and try to keep a steady as you can. That would be one way. But ultimately you need to be able to engage your core just like what I'm doing right now and on Talking at the same time, you'll initially start off and you'll join your core and you won't be holding you be holding your breath. So you want to be able to put an awareness or just some gentle tightness with it and then be able to breathe but it takes a long time for you to be able to do that. So ultimately you want to try it in the water and then out of the water sometimes it's easier as other experts have said to do it on land and then transferred into water any

The best way to engage the core in freestyle is to try and match the resistance of the water, making sure your rims are in line with your pelvis. You can also use a kickboard or buoy for extra resistance. Finally, practice engaging your core while still being able to breathe normally.

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Engaging the core in freestyle swimming can be challenging, both on land and in the water. As a physical therapist specializing in swimmers, I've discovered a few tricks to help athletes with this.

One approach is to use a kickboard placed in front of you in the water. Gently press down on it, matching the resistance of the water. Align your ribs with your pelvis and tighten your core as if preparing to touch or punch yourself in the stomach. This helps create stability and engagement.

Another method is to focus on pulling in your core or tucking it under. The goal is to learn where your core is and how it affects your body position in the water. Try kicking lightly with the kickboard and observe how your body feels. Then release the engagement and see the difference.

Using a buoy between your pelvis or ankles can also be helpful. Pull gently against the buoy while maintaining stability. This variation adds more challenge.

Ultimately, the goal is to engage the core while maintaining breath control. It may take time to develop this skill, starting with gentle tightness and gradually incorporating breathing. Practicing on land and transferring the technique to the water can be beneficial.

Remember, engaging the core is essential for stability and efficient freestyle swimming. Experiment with these techniques and find what works best for you.

If you only had time for one stretch, what should it be?

Unlock Your Full Potential: The Ultimate Stretch for Maximum Extension!

Dina, thanks for asking the question. If you only had time for one stretch, what would it be? Hopefully you can see me. I'm going to work on triple extension. So you want to try to get your knee above your hip. And I'm going to try to open up my front hip. My calf is on the ground. And for the purposes of the video, I'm going to rotate towards you. And I'm going to squeeze my glutes here to open up this area, lean backwards and open up, and making sure that I'm able to breathe. So I'm opening up this whole area. In my practice generally that's an area that I feel people are lacking in proper hip extension, calf dorsiflexion, chest opening up, and rotating. So hopefully that helps. I would love more than one stretch. But let's start with one, and then we'll go from there.

Triple extension stretch is great for opening up the front hip, calf, chest, and rotating.

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If you only have time for one stretch, I recommend focusing on triple extension. This stretch targets the hip, calf, and chest. Start by getting your knee above your hip and opening up your front hip. Place your calf on the ground and rotate towards the side. Squeeze your glutes to open up the area, lean backward, and ensure you can breathe comfortably. This stretch helps improve hip extension, calf dorsiflexion, and chest opening. While I would love to suggest more than one stretch, let's start with this one and build from there.

Can you demonstrate the best type of plank for overall core strength?

Master the Plank: Key Tips for Strengthening Your Core

A draining asked, Can you demonstrate the best type of plank exercise for overall strength, I'm going to talk to you about planks. Are obviously a static or stable type of position and I'll go over what I teach some of my age group athletes, particularly swimmers things that they need to kind of pay attention to the first thing that you need to pay attention to our their elbows. A lot of people get under in a plank position and a hand Plank and They lock out their elbows like this hyperextend and that takes the shoulder blades off. They're off their back and creates an inefficient position. So, what I like to do is, tell people to go down onto your forearms, spread their fingers, push themselves away, which will get their serratus, anterior and hump, particularly for swimmers. And the main thing that you want to think about or planks, are people holding their breath and have them. Act like this. You want a long neck and you want to be able to talk through the exercise. This is me holding my breath and tightening my core and I can do this. You should be able to transfer it to have a normal conversation and not feel like you're doing too much. Next stage would be what I call hip drivers and I'm going to tell you more for swimming and related to swimming. So you could do a hip forward and back so like for breaststroke and butterfly. Bye. And then a Twist and again, you're still trying to push away and still have a conversation. So instead of holding it for time. You could count out 30 seconds out loud. And the more relaxed your breath is, the more efficient you're going to be. So that's two types of static planks. Holding the position. Everybody's going to show you that, but I think a movement will help to engage your shoulders and And your hips and your core? Hopefully that helps let me know if I can hop on any other way.

Planks are a great way to build overall strength. To do them correctly, it is important to start by keeping your elbows soft and spreading your fingers to push away from the ground. You should also focus on talking through the exercise to keep your breath relaxed and your form efficient. Additionally, you can add in hip movements such as a forward and back motion for breaststroke and butterfly or a twist for extra engagement.

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Someone asked about the best type of plank exercise for overall core strength. Let's talk about planks. Planks are a static position, and I'll share what I teach my athletes, particularly swimmers.

First, pay attention to your elbows. Many people lock out their elbows in a hand plank, which takes the shoulder blades off their back and creates an inefficient position. Instead, go down onto your forearms, spread your fingers, and push yourself away. This engages the serratus anterior and helps swimmers.

The main thing to remember during planks is to avoid holding your breath. Maintain a long neck and be able to talk through the exercise. You should be able to have a normal conversation without feeling strained.

For swimmers, a variation called hip drivers can be beneficial. You can do a hip forward and back movement, simulating breaststroke or butterfly strokes. You can also incorporate a twist while still pushing away and maintaining conversation.

Instead of focusing on holding the position for a specific time, try counting out loud for 30 seconds. The more relaxed your breath is, the more efficient you'll be.

These are two types of static planks. While holding the position is important, incorporating movement can engage your shoulders, hips, and core. I hope this helps, and let me know if you have any other questions.

I’ve seen a lot of programs introduce aerobic training outside of the pool. Is running a suitable option for swimmers or is it too taxing on the body?

Swimmers and Running: Assessing Movement Patterns and Flexibility for Success

Hey, Henry. As a physical therapist, I treat a lot of swimmers. I saw a lot of programs and athletes pick up running during the pandemic. I don't think running is a bad thing. I think it can be actually good, as long as the athlete and the coaches understand how the athlete is set up. And are they successful with their movement patterns to be able to do the running? What I mean by that, are they able to single-leg balance? Can they move in a rotational direction? Can they perform front lunges or anterior lunges and hold the position? Can they hop from leg to leg? And just basic screening like that. Can they move on uneven surfaces? So can you stand on the ground and then hop and jump off one leg, onto another, and land on a pillow and have good control? Looking at the mechanics before you start to go off and run 5 miles. Just because you're a swimmer doesn't mean that you're really good, necessarily, at land-based sports. Generally, swimmers are very hyper mobile. They're really flexible. And there's a test. It's called a Beighton score, that some swim specialists know about. They should know about it. And also, doctors. And it basically looks at if you're double jointed. And what that means is that your knees may lock out. And so what I have found with a lot of athletes that come in that are injured, is they do too much too soon. And they don't have the control. Because they are so flexible. They have extra, extra motion that requires more stability and control. So if you want to do some conditioning, I actually get people not to run. Sometimes climbing stairs is pretty good. But I actually get people to crawl. Doing forward and backward crawling, it requires a tremendous amount of stability. And if you do it for 1 minute or 2 minutes, get down and crawl.

As a physical therapist, I often see swimmers pick up running during the pandemic. However, it is important for athletes and coaches to understand how the athlete is set up with regards to movement patterns, single-leg balance, rotational direction, front lunges, etc. Furthermore, swimmers are often hyper mobile and thus require more stability and control when doing activities such as running. To help build stability and control, I recommend activities such as crawling and climbing stairs instead of running.

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As a physical therapist who works with many swimmers, I've noticed a trend of introducing aerobic training outside of the pool, such as running. In my opinion, running can be a suitable option for swimmers, but it's important for athletes and coaches to understand the individual's movement patterns and ensure they are successful with those patterns before incorporating running into their training.

Before starting a running program, it's crucial to assess the athlete's ability to perform movements like single-leg balance, rotational movements, front or anterior lunges, and hopping from leg to leg. Basic screening should also include evaluating their ability to move on uneven surfaces. These assessments help determine if the athlete has the necessary mechanics and control to handle running.

It's important to note that being a swimmer doesn't automatically make someone proficient in land-based sports. Swimmers tend to be hypermobile and flexible, which can lead to challenges in stability and control. Many injured athletes I've treated have done too much too soon without having the necessary control due to their flexibility.

If you're looking for conditioning exercises, I often recommend alternatives to running. Climbing stairs can be a good option, but I also suggest crawling exercises. Forward and backward crawling requires a significant amount of stability and can be done for 1-2 minutes to improve conditioning.

In summary, running can be suitable for swimmers as long as their movement patterns and control are assessed beforehand. It's important to consider individual factors and explore alternative exercises like crawling to improve stability and conditioning.

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Dr. Cunningham’s helps swimmers of all ages, strengths and abilities achieve their potential. He understands and maximizes the mind-body connection. As an experienced physical therapist and swimmer, Dr. Brian quickly identifies the specific muscles a swimmer needs to engage; he then teaches swimmers the habits and strategies of elite athletes, those he has worked with at Olympic Trials, Pan Pacs, and World University Games.

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