Written by the Phoenix Rehab physiotherapy team. Clinically reviewed by Louise Yow, Principal Physiotherapist & Director, AHPC A1300363H. Last reviewed 6 October 2026.

Most swimming injuries are shoulder injuries, and most of them are load problems rather than a single bad stroke. A swimmer can take tens of thousands of arm strokes in a week, so a small weakness in the rotator cuff or the shoulder blade muscles adds up quickly. The knee, the lower back and the neck make up most of the rest. Rest settles the pain. It does not change the load, which is why it comes back when the distance does.

Every swimming injury, by body part

Start from where it hurts. Each linked row goes to the page that covers that injury in full. Rows marked “see a doctor first” are not ours to treat first.

Where	Injury	How swimming usually causes it
Hand and finger	Finger fracture	Hitting the wall or the lane rope
Shoulder	Rotator cuff tendon pain	High-volume freestyle and butterfly (swimmer’s shoulder)
Shoulder	Shoulder impingement	Hand entry and the catch
Shoulder	Shoulder dislocation or instability	Loose shoulders plus high training volume
Shoulder	Shoulder blade control (scapular dyskinesis)	Fatigue late in a set
Shoulder	Biceps tendon pain, front of the shoulder	Catch and pull
Neck	Neck strain	Rotating to breathe
Lower back	Low back strain	Arching in butterfly and breaststroke
Lower back	Spondylolysis (low back stress fracture)	Junior butterfly swimmers
Hip and groin	Groin strain	Breaststroke kick
Knee	MCL sprain	Breaststroke whip kick (breaststroker’s knee)
Knee	Kneecap pain	Wall push-offs
Foot	Top-of-foot tendon pain	Toes pointed through hours of flutter kick

The injuries we see most from swimming

Swimmer’s shoulder

Pain at the front or top of the shoulder that builds through a set, worst on the catch and the pull. Usually the rotator cuff tendons are irritated by more load than they are currently strong enough for. The work is cuff and shoulder blade strength, then stroke volume built back in stages. More on the rotator cuff. Dragon boat and kayak paddlers load the same cuff on every stroke, covered in the dragon boat and paddling injuries guide.

A shoulder that feels loose

Many swimmers have naturally mobile shoulders, which is part of what makes them good at the stroke. Some feel the shoulder slip or catch at the end of the reach. That is a control problem first, and it is trained. If it has come fully out of the joint, see the Shoulder Dislocation and Labral Repair Recovery Program.

Breaststroker’s knee

Pain on the inside of the knee from the whip kick, which puts the ligament on that side under repeated strain. Hip control, kick technique and graded volume are the work, rather than rest alone.

Lower back and neck

Butterfly and breaststroke ask the lower back to extend hard and often. Freestyle asks the neck to rotate to the same breathing side for kilometers. Both respond to strength and to changing what the joint is asked to do. More on lower back and neck physiotherapy.

Swimming: what we focus on

Fine in the first 500 meters. Not by the last.

The shoulder that is fine in warm-up and aching by the main set. The extra rest at the wall that has become a habit. The stroke you have quietly shortened on one side so it hurts less. You took two weeks off, it settled, and the first proper set brought it straight back.

Shoulder. Rotator cuff and shoulder blade strength measured against the other side, in the overhead position the stroke uses.
Control. For loose shoulders, control at the end of the reach, trained before volume goes back up.
Volume. Distance built back in stages, with the measures deciding the next step rather than how it feels on the day.
After surgery. Stabilization and cuff repairs: the Shoulder Dislocation and Labral Repair Recovery Program and the Rotator Cuff Repair Recovery Program.

Tested, not dated. You go back when the measures say so: shoulder rotation strength against your other side, and a graded return to distance. Pain is the first thing to leave. Strength is the last to train and recover.

WhatsApp us · Get Assessed & Treated · One 45-minute appointment, $230, nett, no GST.

When to see a doctor first

Go to the emergency department now if your shoulder has come out of the joint and has not gone back, or your arm turns pale, cold or numb. See a doctor soon if neck pain comes with pins and needles, numbness or weakness down the arm, or if shoulder pain wakes you every night and does not change with position.

Swimmers also get pain at the back of the armpit from teres major on the catch, and a shoulder blade that lifts when tired, covered in winged scapula.

Where are you with this right now?

1. It is settling on its own

If the shoulder is easing week by week as you cut back the distance, and the first lengths of a set no longer hurt, you are on the right road. Build the distance back in steps of a few hundred meters a week. You do not need us for this, and we would rather say so.

2. It has stopped improving

It settles every time you rest and comes back every time you train. You have shortened the stroke, changed the breathing side or dropped butterfly altogether. That is a strength and load problem that rest will not fix, and it is worth measuring. Every first visit is one 45-minute Assessment & Treatment, $230, nett, no GST. If it has been months, the Stalled Recovery Review is three appointments over three weeks with the same therapist, $690.

3. You have had surgery, or you have a date

Shoulder stabilization and rotator cuff repair have a shape, with protected weeks before the stroke comes back. See the Shoulder Dislocation and Labral Repair Recovery Program or physiotherapy after surgery. All of it runs on the four stages of the Phoenix Recovery Protocol.

Clinics across Singapore

ORCHARD

400 Orchard Road #12-12

Orchard Towers, S238875

What our patients say

Google reviews from our clinics in Singapore.

       
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   Micah 
 54 days ago
 
 
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Amazing experience with Phoenix Rehab, was assisted by Mavis. She’s very kind and professional and did thorough check on my wrist. I feel very comfortable during the process.

I went in for thermoplastic splint, and everything went smoothly. She was able to address my needs on my left wrist sprain.

They were prompt with appointment process and inquiry. Also the clinic is very close to Tanjong Pagar MRT. I highly recommend!
  
 
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   Chiky Phan 
 58 days ago
 
 
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Fist time doing ultrasound for my tennis elbow!! Let’s hope it gets better the next few weeks!! Thank Mavis Tham!!
  
 
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   XIN WANG 
 75 days ago
 
 
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Great treatment from my therapist. My painful wrist felt a lot of relief after the session. I’m glad I can slowly get back to doing my usual activities without constant pain.
  
 
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   Abby Lee 
 91 days ago
 
 
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Very helpful and friendly !
  
 
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   雪梅Cui 
 129 days ago
 
 
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The masseur is very professional and provides excellent service ，yati is very good!
  
 
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   Tra Nguyen 
 220 days ago
 
 
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I wasn’t able to close my fingers due to an injury. Nurul at Phoenix Rehab has helped me tremendously with my recovery process. I have been able to resume my daily activities and exercises after only a few sessions. Nurul has been very professional and positive throughout the entire process. Thank you so much for your help!
  
 
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   Juzer K 
 258 days ago
 
 
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Huge shoutout to Yuna Zhang from Phoenix Rehab for helping in my recovery from golfer’s elbow 🙌

I walked in with persistent elbow pain that was affecting workouts and everyday tasks, and Yuna immediately made me feel confident I was in the right hands. She took the time to properly assess my condition, explain the root cause, and tailor a treatment plan to my specific needs instead of using a one-size-fits-all approach.

What I really appreciated was how personalised every session felt. The exercises she gave me were practical, easy to follow, and actually worked. Within a short time, the pain reduced significantly and my strength and mobility improved much faster than I expected.

On top of that, the pricing is very reasonable and affordable, which made committing to recovery much easier.

Professional, knowledgeable, and genuinely caring — highly recommend Yuna at Phoenix Rehab if you’re dealing with hand-related sports injuries 💪
  
 
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   Fazal Hanafi Chaudhry 
 342 days ago
 
 
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I enjoy coming to Phoenix rehab as they offer a wide variety of services. I had a finger accident and was working with a very experienced hand therapist. Place is clean and comfortable.  Staff were friendly and appointment was on time
  
 
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   Stella Yam 
 483 days ago
 
 
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Very good
  
 
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   Juliana 
 485 days ago
 
 
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Have both physio n Tcm visits here, highly recommend!
  
 
 
  
 
 
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