Signs of Imbalanced Muscles Swimmers Need to Watch For

Swimming features repetitive movements that flex the same muscles in the same way over and over again. While this is great for building strength and endurance in those muscles, it can have the unfortunate downside of leading to muscle imbalances if swimming is all you’re doing.

That’s because although swimming is considered a full-body workout and nearly all your muscles are engaged in some way, the key muscles that allow you to swim fast get worked way more than some of the less-used muscles, and that disparity in use can make you a little muscularly lopsided, so to speak.

What are Muscle Imbalances?

Muscle imbalances are exactly what they sound like—one or more muscles in a group become stronger, more flexible, or have more endurance than another muscle or muscles in the opposing muscle group.

It might not sound like a big deal, but these imbalances can lead to discomfort, pain, and even career-ending injuries.

“Symptoms of muscle imbalances can include pain in the affected areas, poor technique in the pool, and decreased power and performance in the pool,” says John Hinson, orthopedic surgeon and shoulder and elbow specialist with the Palm Beach Orthopaedic Institute in Florida.

How Do Muscle Imbalances Impact Swimmers?

Because swimming features mostly highly repetitive movements, it’s fairly easy for swimmers to develop muscle imbalances and these tend to follow common patterns, says Bart Tulick, PT, DPT, clinic director and partner at therapy and balance center FYZICAL Garfield Ridge in Chicago.

One common imbalance tends to develop around the shoulders due to overdevelopment of adductors and internal rotators, the pectoralis and latissimus in conjunction with underdevelopment of the scapular stabilizers and external rotators, he explains.

This imbalance can impact posture “leading to rounded shoulders and a head-forward position,” Hinson says.

Addressing this imbalance means “strengthening of the posterior shoulder girdle muscles including the rotator cuff and muscles around the shoulder blade,” Hinson adds.

In the lower extremities, the hip flexors and quadriceps can become too strong in comparison to the hamstrings and the glutes. “Focused strength training on the posterior muscle groups is important to address this issue,” Hinson says.

Specific Muscle Imbalances Swimmers Should Watch For

Swimmers should keep an eye out for the following common signs of muscle imbalances:

Shoulder pain or instability

• Discomfort, aching, or pinching in the shoulder, especially during overhead movements
• One shoulder sitting higher than the other or rolling forward
• Reduced range of motion in one arm compared to the other

Postural issues

• Rounded shoulders and forward head posture from overdeveloped chest and front shoulder muscles
• Excessive lower back arching due to weak core and tight hip flexors

Uneven stroke efficiency

• One arm pulling stronger or faster than the other, leading to an asymmetrical stroke
• Difficulty maintaining balance in the water, especially during freestyle or backstroke

Hip or lower back pain

• Tight hip flexors from excessive kicking and weak glutes or core causing discomfort in the lower back
• Difficulty maintaining a streamlined position due to muscle tightness or weakness

Fatigue or weakness in certain muscle groups

• Quicker fatigue in one arm or leg
• Struggling to maintain proper body position throughout a race or workout

Knee pain (especially for breaststrokers)

• Inner knee pain from imbalanced quadriceps and weak hip stabilizers
• Clicking or popping sensations during the kick phase

Reduced flexibility and mobility

• Limited shoulder rotation due to tight chest muscles
• Tight hamstrings and calves affecting kicking power

Correcting and Preventing Muscle Imbalances

Muscle imbalances can become problematic in any activity that involves repetitive movements; even sitting too long can lead to imbalances.

“Being aware of these patterns and taking steps to prevent them is an important part of training,” Hinson says.

You can also address imbalances that develop from swimming through dryland training.

“While many believe swimming can only be trained in water, land-based training plays a crucial role,” in building strength, endurance and in reducing the risk of developing imbalances, Tulick explains. “Although pool training is essential, land exercises help strengthen key muscle groups.”

Here are some key ways you can help prevent muscle imbalances:

• Work with a coach or physical therapist to identify and correct imbalances early.
• Focus on the posterior chain muscles during strength training. This includes the back, glutes, hamstrings, which can balance out overdevelopment of the muscles on the front of the body.
• Improve core stability through rotational exercises, and anti-rotational movements that build core strength and stamina.
• Don’t forget to stretch. Stretch tight areas, such as the chest, hip flexors, and shoulders.

If you're a swimmer dealing with muscle imbalances, incorporating specific exercises into your dryland training can help strengthen weaker muscles, improve mobility, and prevent injuries. Some exercises that may help include:

• Scapular retractions to help offset rounded shoulders
• External rotations with bands or dumbbells to help improve rotator cuff weakness
• Single-arm dumbbell rows to help balance back muscle development
• Push-ups with scapular control to improve the balance between the chest and upper back muscles
• Dead bugs to help build core balance and control
• Side planks with arm reach to strengthen obliques and shoulder stabilizers
• Glute bridges to improve hip extension and glute activation
• Single-leg Romanian deadlifts to help balance hamstring and hip development
• Clamshells to improve hip stabilization and alleviate knee issues
• Lunges with rotations to build leg strength equally on both sides

Thoracic spine rotations, lat and pec stretches, and hip flexor and hamstring stretches can also loosen key muscle groups and reduce tightness in muscles and joints throughout the body.

In training to eliminate muscle imbalances, always focus on controlled, slow movements and be sure to warm up thoroughly before engaging in deep stretches or high-intensity exercise.

Lastly, good swimming technique is also critical for injury prevention. Be sure to check your tech in each stroke in our detailed swimming guides.