Recently, my wife and I went on a family vacation with the whole crew—my parents, brother, sister-in-law, niece, and nephew. While watching the Olympics, we found ourselves captivated by the swimming events, which brought back memories for my mom of my old swim team days.
I swam competitively until I was about 12, and I decided to retire while I was still on top (in hindsight that may have been a bad choice considering how much time I spent in physical therapy as a result of football injuries!).
Back then, I dominated the competition, but swimming didn’t ignite the same passion in me as other sports did.
My mom always believed I could have excelled in high school swimming and maybe even competed at an elite college level.
I love that she thinks so highly of me, but realistically, that wasn’t in the cards.
As a kid, I hit my growth spurts early, which gave me a physical edge over my peers during my swimming years. However, had I continued, they would have eventually caught up to me.
I’m of average height and don’t have particularly large hands or feet—traits that are significant advantages for elite swimmers.
If you’ve watched the Olympics, you might have noticed how different body types excel in different sports.
Swimmers tend to be tall, with long torsos relative to their legs, and they often have large hands and feet. They also have greater shoulder mobility, which helps them achieve the positions necessary for elite performance.
On the other hand, elite sprinters are usually stiff and springy, with a noticeable amount of muscle mass to generate bursts of power. Distance runners are typically taller, leaner, and have longer legs relative to their torsos—almost the opposite of swimmers.
At the highest levels of competition, natural selection tends to favor those with the ideal physical attributes for the sport. For a stark contrast, just look at the difference between USA Gymnast Suni Lee and USA Basketball Player Kevin Durant (there is a great photo of them together that you can find online).
Of course, physical attributes are just one piece of the puzzle. Becoming an Olympian requires immense talent, hard work, and unwavering commitment.
So, what should an athlete do if they love their sport but don’t have the ideal body type for it?
This is where sports physical therapy comes into play.
At the high school and collegiate levels, many athletes aren’t maximizing their potential. Generic, one-size-fits-all training programs often hold them back from fully utilizing their talents.
Moreover, even the most gifted athletes are liabilities to their teams if they aren’t consistently available to compete. Those who may not have the same physical gifts as their peers can gain an advantage by staying reliably injury-free and always being ready to compete. Sports physical therapy can play a crucial role in this by providing personalized treatment and injury prevention strategies.
A customized, scientifically designed training program, combined with sports physical therapy and injury prevention, can give any athlete the upper hand.
If you or your athlete are looking for that competitive edge, contact us—we can help you get there with a specialized sports physical therapy approach!
