Swimming hurting my back, neck and jaw?

[noidea098]

So I’ve been swimming twice this week. Am enjoying it as it’s low impact exercise on my joints. However because I am very prone to getting blocked ears and my hat is useless, I’ve been doing breaststroke with my head out of the water.

I think this is causing me back, neck and jaw pain. Is this common??

Have you tried ear drops and ear plugs?

Breaststroke with your head out the water isn't breaststroke. You'll be putting extra pressure on those areas and if doing it for along swim the misalignment of your spine is going to cause those issues.

I'd be looking for a different method of sorting the ear issue so you can breaststroke properly

Maybe try something like This spray to protect your ears and then you won’t need to swim in a slightly awkward style? Also if you haven’t swum for a while and then have gone for it twice in a week, I’d say some aching isn’t uncommon.

I think it's quite common to get that sort of pain if your head is out of the water, I know I certainly do because of the strength needed to keep your head up.

@Singleandproud ahh I thought that might be the case. Even when I was swimming I noticed how arched my back was becoming. There were other people doing it without their head in the water who were going much faster me and I wondered how they were doing it!

@bruffin yes I am planning on buying some ear swimming plugs. Or can I just use normal ones? I didn’t even know ear drops were a thing until earlier this week so defo going to invest in those!

@mynameiscalypso do you think the jaw pain is normal too?

It will be the way you are supporting yourself, you still need to be fluid in motion when keeping head out of water still. Sounds like you may be to stiff.
Buy a good hat and ear plugs, you may need to try a few before you get the right fit - I try them out in shower then the pool.

@noidea098 I get jaw pain too because I'm clenching it without realising

as a counter measure to the movement you do when holding a book/mobile to read 'swan neck' breaststroke fir a length is good.
but really, get ear plugs and possibly a couple of swimming lessons.

It's definitely your position in the water - head up breastroke is hard on the back & neck.

Are you new to exercise in general? It wouldn't hurt to do some neck stretches and upper back work to loosen you up a bit either.

This is totally swimming snobbery! Breast stroke with your head out of the water is a perfectly valid stroke. It is survival breast stroke rather than competition breast stroke. It won't win you any races, but is far more likely to save your life in rough seas if you can do this.

Don't let anyone tell you one stroke is more "proper" than the other. That attitude is what turns so many people off swimming. It was such a light bulb moment for me when I realised that there are more strokes than the main 4 competition strokes, and more ways of doing it than people who are good at the competition strokes try and insist.

Look at survival strokes as well as competition strokes. They are fun, and all keep your face out of water (the main definition of a survival stroke)

I’ve been swimming head up for years. I put my face down so my nose is out of the water but my chin is in, and always stretch as I’m getting out. It does take a while to get used to it, take it slowly.

Yes, I’ve had swimming lessons and tried other ways, but this is me. Not having “tech neck” is a bonus.

I love swimming, it's the only exercise I am good at and actually enjoy. I also have stupid ears that are prone to infection. I've tried every ear plug and spray available and nothing has worked (though I've found the silicon ones that you warm up in your hands a bit then mould into your ear to be the best of a bad bunch) so I often do the breast stroke you describe and yes it does make my back and shoulders hurt a bit.

I'm on the verge of getting some properly moulded ear plugs made. Saving up as they are £200!!

@twopercent I'm not being snobby, I'm not even particularly a swimmer although DD was. As you say the two strokes are different and having your head out of the water puts different pressures on the spine and neck muscles which is OPs issue, having her face in the water would likely relieve these.

OP it wouldn't hurt to have a 1:1 adult swimming lesson to work on technique too to help minimise muscle ache etc.

Agree, it's not anything to do with competition strokes and snobbyness. It's about what is most efficient for excercise and bad for your body.
Swimming head up is bad for your neck and back, my dc were lifeguards and had to practice heads up but it wasnt breaststroke.

also - how much did you swim?

starting any exercise needs a gradual increase, like c25k for running.