Open Water National Team swimmer Ashley Twichell is undergoing surgery on her ailing shoulder, after a less-invasive approach seems to have run its course without success.
We were unable to contact Twichell directly on the day of her surgery, but several people close to the situation, including her former coach Bill Rose via a Tweet, have confirmed that it was the same shoulder that has become a chronic problem for her.
In an episode of 20 Questions Tuesday done in February of this year, Twichell told Bob Schaller that she was trying to hold off on surgery and let the shoulder “heal on its own.” She says that she’s always had shoulder issues since high school, and that her dad had the same problems and chose to have the surgery.
Twichell said that at the 2013 National Championships, Twichell says that she woke up on the morning of the 10km swim and “couldn’t move” and described it as a partial tear of her rotator cuff. At the time, she said that there were only “one or two flare-ups” since September thanks to physical therapy, but after finishing 6th in the 10k at Nationals a few weeks ago and failing to make the World Championship team, Twichell has opted to undergo the procedure.
She did not start the 5k the day after the 10k, though she was originally entered in both.
Twichell, a Duke alum, will be having the surgery done at her alma mater in North Carolina.
Maybe she’s having the surgery done in nc because she trains with seal innovation there