Chest pain - swimming

[Infracat]

Im really upset. Ive been trying to get active. I have back problems so the onky thing I can do is swim. Ive been going twice a week doing about 54 lengths mainly breastroke. Following Mondays swim I have had the worst chest pain. It hurts when I twist my upper body or cough and is especially bad when I try and sleep on my side.
Has anyone ever had this? Now Im worried I'll have to stop swimming and its the only exercise I can do. Feeling so fed up.

Have you taken painkillers? The best thing you can do is continue to swim, it’s just because you’re using different muscles, you’ll soon get used to it.

You might have pulled a muscle. You may want to check your swimming technique. Once you feel in less pain just go back and do a slower swim and build back up. If you are worried about the chest pain see your Gp.

Thank you both for the advice. I've been using the ibuprofen gel and paracetamols. Today it is still there but it has eased a bit. I will do as suggested and try a more gentle swim on Monday.

DOMS

delayed onset muscle soreness

When we start exercising that we haven’t done before, we need to learn to distinguish between discomfort or soreness and pain. It sounds as though you have discomfort /soreness caused by doing unaccustomed exercise.

Make sure you warm up before going in the pool - arm swings, torso twists, roll down through your back to touch your toes or somewhere near them and swing your legs. Get all the big muscle groups moving and mobile before you get into the water.

Fo t stop swimming but maybe do a day of active recovery where you don’t swim but go for an hours brisk walk?