The effect of preventive exercises designed to reduce shoulder ligament injuries in freestyle swimmers

Abstract

Swimming is a sport characterized by many diverse movements and technical skills, and success in its implementation depends on the physical effort exerted by the swimmer inside the pool. Swimming is a recreational sport practiced by swimmers as well as the general public for recreation. Freestyle swimmers are exposed to great pressure during performance due to the nature of life and the nature of the work they do, in addition to their distance from healthy physical activity, such as movements and speed of transition. The freestyle swimmer relies on his arms and pulling them to move forward while swimming and moving from one point to another inside the pool, which causes great physical pressure and effort on the muscles and joints of the body and often leads to injury. The shoulder joint is one of the joints most exposed to stress, fatigue and injury. The reason for this is that the shoulder joint is by nature one of the most used joints, because most of the individual’s movements are with the arms, so the pressure is on the shoulders. After performing the movement of moving from one point to another with the arms, fear, anxiety and lack of physical fitness often make it more susceptible to many injuries. Among the injuries that have been observed by The research focuses on shoulder ligament injuries.

Keywords: preventive exercises, shoulder joint, ligament injuries, swimming.

The problem of the research stems from the researcher's observation of poor performance among freestyle swimmers and their exposure to injuries, especially to the shoulder joint. The researcher believes that this weakness is the result of a lack of interest in physical fitness, due to people's preoccupation with work and routine life, without resorting to physical activities that, in turn, help improve the efficiency of functional systems and strengthen bones, muscles, joints, and ligaments, particularly shoulder ligament injuries. The researcher decided to develop preventive exercises that contribute to reducing injury.

The research sample consisted of a number of individuals practicing freestyle swimming at the Wasam Al-Majd Club pool in Baghdad. The aim of the research was to develop preventive exercises designed to reduce shoulder ligament injuries and to determine their impact. The researcher concluded that the designed exercises have a positive effect when used, as well as improving the physical activity of practitioners in general. The researcher recommends that freestyle swimmers use these exercises in pools to reduce injury. Designed exercises play an important role in maintaining the shoulder joint and reducing shoulder ligament injuries. They also play a significant role in reducing the risk of shoulder joint injuries, in addition to improving the joint's efficiency in particular and improving overall fitness.

Keywords : Preventive exercises , Shoulder joint ,  Ligament injuries  Swimming