What did the study look at?
The authors note that intensive training can overload swimmers' shoulders and lower back, and that 40%-60% of swimmers are reported to have shoulder pain at some point. Core exercises, which train the central trunk muscles, and shoulder stabilisation exercises have mostly been studied separately in swimmers, and very few studies have looked at both together in adult recreational-competitive (master) swimmers.
This study aimed to examine the effect of a six-week core and shoulder stabilisation programme on athletic and swimming performance in master swimmers, and to assess changes related to injury risk using the Functional Movement Screen (FMS).
How was it done?
This was a prospective randomised controlled trial. Licensed, healthy master swimmers aged 25 to 50 who trained at least three days a week were included.
- Forty swimmers were allocated to two groups by computer-based simple randomisation; after five withdrew for health reasons, 35 completed the study: 18 in the exercise group and 17 in the control group.
- Both groups continued one-hour swimming sessions three days a week for 12 weeks.
- In addition, the exercise group did dead bug, bird dog, superman, push-up plus, plank and side plank exercises twice a week for six weeks under a physiotherapist's supervision, with repetitions and sets increased every two weeks.
- Measurements were taken at baseline, at week 6 and at week 12: an isometric plank test (trunk endurance), a medicine ball throw (upper-body explosive power), a 50 m freestyle swim and the FMS. An FMS score of 14 or below was taken to indicate high injury risk.
What did it find?
- The groups were largely similar at baseline, although the control group was older on average (42.82 vs 37.39 years).
- 50 m freestyle: in the exercise group, time fell from 48.46 seconds at baseline to 43.57 seconds at week 6, and at week 6 this group was significantly faster than the control group. The control group showed no significant change.
- Medicine ball throw: the exercise group improved significantly and threw further than the control group at weeks 6 and 12.
- Plank: plank time rose significantly in the exercise group at week 6, but there was no significant difference between the groups at any time point.
- FMS: the exercise group's total score rose from 12.44 to 16.17 at week 6 and 14.56 at week 12, significantly higher than the control group at both points. The control group's total score did not change significantly.
The authors' conclusion
The authors conclude that the findings suggest the core and shoulder stabilisation programme contributed positively to short-distance swimming performance and athletic performance measures in master swimmers, and improved injury-risk indicators as assessed by the FMS. They recommend including such exercises in dry-land training for master swimmers and highlight the value of individualised programmes, given individual differences.
Limitations
- The sample was small, and withdrawals during follow-up may have partly reduced statistical power.
- Only master-age swimmers took part, so the results may not apply to other ages or performance levels.
- The six-week programme is too short to assess long-term effects.
- Individual activities in the control group, such as walking or stretching, could not be fully controlled.
- Injury risk was assessed through FMS scores, not by counting actual injuries.
Reference
Çetin M, Gürsoy S, Aydoğdu O. (2026). Master Yüzücülerde Core ve Omuz Stabilizasyon Egzersizlerinin Atletik Performans ve Yaralanma Riski Üzerine Etkileri [The Effects of Core and Shoulder Stabilization Exercises on Athletic Performance and Injury Risk in Master Swimmers]. Başkent Üniversitesi Sağlık Bilimleri Fakültesi Dergisi, 11(1): 113-136. Article in Turkish with an English abstract. No DOI is given in the article; copyright is held by the journal.
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