As we grow further in life, our priorities start to become keeping our bodies fit and healthy. We tend to consider watching health videos, eating appropriate food, and even engaging in physical activities to maintain our wellness. Physical therapy is here to help keep you participating.
There are many ways to keep our bodies fit, and one of them is swimming. As the weather is getting warmer, you might be looking to do more outdoor activities. Swimming is a sport that people of all ages and abilities can do.
Swimming alone also has a lot of therapeutic benefits. That is why some people refer to swimming as a method for treating some conditions or a fun physical activity to exercise their whole body.
Some of the health benefits swimming has are:
It serves as a whole body workout
Swimming serves as a great body workout since it works out every muscle in your body from head to toe. In swimming, you use your arms, legs, torso, back, and core to move through the water. Since water is 800 times denser than air, you can do a full-body workout without putting too much stress on your body.
Improves Cardiovascular Fitness
Swimming is also a great way to improve cardiovascular fitness with low impact. A cardiovascular exercise works out the heart, lungs, and circulatory system. Activities such as swimming can help you maintain and improve your cardiovascular fitness without exerting too much effort.
Can help in managing stress
Are you stressed out with work or with parental responsibilities? Swimming is also for you. Swimming is proven to help reduce stress, decrease the risk of anxiety and depression, and improve sleep patterns. In a study of 1.4 million adults in Britain, half a million have claimed that their visits to a clinic for their mental health have decreased because of swimming.
Good for people with asthma
In addition to building your cardiovascular strength, it is also claimed that swimming can improve breath control and strengthen the lungs, which is something we focus on a lot in our programs. The humid environment around indoor pools makes swimming a great physical activity for people dealing with asthma and other chronic conditions.
Helps people with injuries
Are you dealing with an injury lately? Due to the low-impact nature of swimming, you can still exercise and keep your body fit. The buoyancy of the water can gently support muscles, with its resistance contributing to improving fitness. Swimming regularly can help with building muscle strength and improving endurance, which can help you prevent the occurrence of injuries in the future.
Contributes to general wellbeing
If you think you are too old to engage in swimming, think again. As we’ve mentioned, swimming suits people of all ages and levels of ability. Swimming lets you go at your own pace at any age. According to studies, swimming for half an hour three times a week can help contribute to a healthy and balanced lifestyle.
How Can Physical Therapy Help With Swimming?
Indeed, swimming has great benefits. Yet, it can also be a cause of chronic pain if muscle imbalances are present.
However, this shouldn’t discourage you from starting swimming. Physical therapy is here to help you do more of what you love, including swimming.
Physical therapy can:
Reduce pain
Are you feeling a little worn out or a slight pinch around your muscles? Soft tissue mobilization can help soothe the stiffened muscles to manage pain from swimming.
Improve strength
Swimming is a low-impact sport, yet it also requires significant strength. Physical therapy is not only beneficial in reducing pain but can also aid in improving and maintaining strength within your joints and muscles. Specific stretches and exercises can help develop good body coordination, which is needed for swimming.
Fix and prevent sports injuries
Physical therapy is also a great way to prevent injuries from sports like swimming. We focus on strengthening the body’s muscles and improving joint mobility needed to swim without getting injuries. Your range of motion and stability would also be improved to help with avoiding injuries that may keep you out of the pool.
Help you stay fit
Swimming can help us stay fit! With physical therapy, problems like osteoporosis, arthritis, neck pain, etc., can be managed. A customized program will be designed for you based on your needs, including soft tissue therapies, stretches, and exercises to improve physical health.
Start Your Healthy Lifestyle Now
With the health benefits brought by swimming and physical therapy, we can consider at least one—or better— both ways to help us start our journey to a healthy lifestyle!
It doesn’t matter if you’re working, a full-time parent, or health-conscious; swimming can be for you! If you don’t have previous experience, swimming lessons are there to help you take your first steps into swimming; no age limit.
Physical therapy is here to help you be more and do more of what you want in life—and that includes swimming.
Are you someone trying to achieve a healthy lifestyle? Or someone wanting treatment for chronic pain? At Intuitive Choice Physical Therapy and Wellness, we are here to help you with what you need.
We take time to understand our patients’ needs, customize a program just for them, and educate them about their concerns. If you are too busy to set up a physical appointment, we offer telehealth services, a convenient and flexible way to consult and get immediate care for your pain.
We believe that you can still do more no matter your age. We are here to help you be free from chronic pain and enjoy life without worries.
(c) [2022] [ Intuitive Choice Physical Therapy and Wellness]
