Shoulder Pain from Swim Loading – How to Fix the Triathlete’s Most Common Injury

Whether you’re preparing for your first triathlon or grinding out kilometres in Newcastle’s ocean baths, the shoulder is the workhorse of your swim. It’s also the joint most likely to complain when volume or technique slip. Repetitive overhead motion creates enormous stress on the rotator cuff and surrounding stabilisers — leading to tightness, impingement, or even tendon overload.

At Up N Adam Performance Training & Physiotherapy in Newcastle, we help swimmers and triathletes manage shoulder pain from swim loading by addressing the real cause: poor load balance, weak stabilisers, and fatigue in the shoulder complex.

Why the Shoulder Takes the Hit

Swimming demands thousands of overhead repetitions per session. Combine that with bike and run fatigue, and you have a recipe for tissue overload.

The main reasons shoulders break down:

• Excessive weekly swim load without adequate rest or strength work.

• Tight chest and lats pulling the shoulder forward, limiting mobility.

• Weak rotator cuff or scapular stabilisers (especially lower trapezius and serratus anterior).

• Breathing side dominance leading to uneven loading.

• Fatigue from poor posture on the bike carrying into the pool.

Common Shoulder Issues in Swimmers and Triathletes

• Subacromial impingement: pain in the front or side of the shoulder during overhead motion.

• Rotator cuff tendinopathy: dull ache after sessions, especially with recovery stroke.

• Biceps tendinopathy: pain deep in the front of the shoulder.

• Scapular dyskinesis: poor control of shoulder blade movement, causing clicking or weakness.

If your pain appears mid-set and eases with rest but returns next session, you’re likely in an early overload phase — the perfect time to intervene.

What We See in Newcastle Triathletes

Many of our triathlete clients notice shoulder pain during pre-race build phases when swim volume spikes, often alongside new strength or bike workloads. The combination of poor recovery and limited mobility causes cumulative micro-trauma that the rotator cuff can’t adapt to fast enough.

That’s why we focus on load balance across swim, bike, and run rather than treating the shoulder in isolation.

Our Step-by-Step Physio Approach

Step 1: Detailed Assessment

• Swim history, volume, and technique review.

• VALD Dyno testing for rotator cuff and scapular strength.

• Postural assessment (thoracic extension, scapular control, neck position).

Step 2: Restore Mobility & Control

• Soft-tissue release through pecs, lats, and posterior cuff.

• Thoracic mobility drills (foam rolling, open-books, swimmer rotations).

• Scapular control drills (Y-T-W, wall slides, serratus punches).

Step 3: Strength & Endurance Loading

• External rotation with bands, DBs or cables for cuff resilience.

• Closed-chain stability (plank shoulder taps, bear crawls).

• Progression to overhead and swim-specific strength (lat pulls, medicine-ball throws).

Step 4: Technique & Load Management

• Video analysis or coach collaboration to address hand entry, cross-over, and breathing asymmetry.

• Weekly swim volume planning to avoid >10 % increases.

• Integration with your Triathlon Strength Program so shoulder endurance keeps pace with run and bike training.

Home & Gym Exercises for Shoulder Health

• Scapular push-ups – strengthen serratus anterior for better blade control.

• Banded external rotations – build cuff endurance.

• Wall angels – improve mobility and posture.

• Reverse flys and prone Ys – activate mid-back stabilisers.

• Foam-roller chest stretch – open up tight pecs after swimming.

2 sessions per week of structured strength training is enough to dramatically reduce swim-related shoulder pain.

Preventing Shoulder Overload

• Warm up shoulders with banded activation before every swim.

• Add dry-land strength work (rotator cuff, scapula, core).

• Increase weekly swim load gradually (max 10–15 % per week).

• Prioritise sleep and recovery days between hard sessions.

• Use VALD re-testing to track rotator-cuff and scapular strength over the season.

When to See a Physio

If shoulder pain lasts longer than 7 days, worsens during push-off, or limits your training, it’s time for a full assessment. Early intervention prevents long layoffs and keeps your race prep on track.

Final Word

The shoulder is the powerhouse of your swim — but also its weakest link when training loads rise. Don’t wait until pain limits your stroke. A data-driven assessment, targeted strength plan, and proper load management can keep you swimming smoothly and racing pain-free.

Book your Shoulder Physio Newcastle session today

You can book an appointment with Darren or Newcastle Knights Physiotherapists Katie or Hayd'n at www.upnadamptphysio.com .

Bookings also available on our website for the following services at Up N Adam Performance Training & Physiotherapy:

• Dietitian - Sweat testing, weight-loss or to optimise your training nutrition / fuelling www.nutrientnation.com.au

• VO2 Max testing with Lucas McBeath - to discover more effective ways to train efficiently www.flowitri.com.au

• Strength & Conditioning Programs with Adam Clarke - contact us or book via the website or email us at upnadamptphysio@gmail.com

• Remedial Massage with Katheryn Rodgers - to relieve accumulative muscle tension & keep you training well.

• CycleFit by Physiotherapist Dean Waterman - At Up N Adam, for all your bike fitting solutions www.cyclefitphysio.com