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Hi John, Randolph here: recently diagnosed, exact ditto for me your first two posts of 2018 (second in reply to lisagillier). Set numerous (Canadian) Masters Swimming records twenty years ago in my 40s, and swam hard “recreationally” until two years ago. Thought my times were just slipping with age and swam distance-per-stroke hypoxic drills for a year, until an April 2019 ambulance respiratory emergency and follow up brought on by flu. Now faced with “plication” surgical procedure if I still exhibit “dyspnea” in July. The surgery is NOT offered, if physicians‘ opinion is that I do NOT still exhibit symptoms, and their definition of “exhibit” is geared towards couch potatoes not athletes. So that’s a catch 22, because as you probably know by now, plication sutures the diaphragm down flat, disabling it.
Notwithstanding, I’m working out to fix that muscle, but can’t even finish a fifty without standing up. We both used to “swim into” the pain. But we only have one diaphragm left. I share the panic you feel when immersed, and want to know if it’s safe to “swim into it” in the hope of stimulating some latent elasticity in the atrophied diaphragm.
Replies to "Hi John, Randolph here: recently diagnosed, exact ditto for me your first two posts of 2018..."
Hello Randolph, this is John. I to am a Masters swimmer along with the senior games. When I first found out about my diaphragm problem I also had to stop after a 50. That was two years ago. I kept on swimming though and I'm up to doing 100's without stopping. Doing 200 kicks and pulls. Started doing IM''s about a month ago. On average I'm doing about 2000 yards in a workout. Have you checked into phrenic nerve damage? I had open heart surgery about a year before this diaphragm problem started and I thought maybe during the surgery that nerve got nicked. Doctors are saying no, because the diaphragm would have stopped working sooner. There is a test called EMG, electromyology that can check the phrenic nerve. If it is the phrenic nerve I haven't heard of any procedure to fix it. Keep swimming it does get better, take care
Hey Randolph, it's John. How we doing these days? Haven't seen much chatter with this group. I'm still swimming 3 days a week. Trying to do at least an 1800 more if I can. Don't think much about this diaphragm problem when I'm out of the pool. Don't know if you ever swam at the Huntsman Games in St George Utah in October but got an email from them last week and the games have been cancelled because of covid. First time since they began in the 80's. Let me know how you are doing, take care
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@randolph I wanted to share our discussion about Myofascial Release in case that is something you think could help you. I struggle with physical issues in my breathing from fascial tightness where one side of my chest restricts proper rib movement, and I don't move my lungs enough. I work with my physical therapist on this, and when we get things loosened up, I breathe a lot better. I also have asthma and allergies. My chest tightness extends from my neck to my pelvis, and that tightness between the rib cage and hip does affect my diaphragm movement a bit. I have thoracic outlet syndrome which is a nerve entrapment of the bundle that passes through the chest between the collar bone and rib cage, and it can frequently cause my first rib to be elevated which makes it difficult for me to breathe. I know that MFR has helped patients avoid surgery by getting things moving again and back in better alignment. Here is the link to our discussion which has lots of information. There is a provider finder on the MFR website. https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/myofascial-release-therapy-mfr-for-treating-compression-and-pain/