What Makes Swimming a Therapeutic Form of Exercise?

There’s no question swimming is a fun activity, but it’s also therapeutic in many ways that can be good for your health and wellbeing. This can be even more appreciated if you have arthritis or general aches and pains from other sources that present some challenges when out of the water. Keep reading to learn more about the many ways swimming is therapeutic.

The Natural Buoyancy of the Water Is Therapeutic

Water’s natural buoyancy eases stress on joints, bones, and muscles, which is therapeutic because it allows you to go through the motions of swimming with less stress and strain. You may benefit even more from this reduced strain if you have lingering aches and pains, chronic pain, or inflammatory conditions such as arthritis.

It’s a Form of Physical Therapy

Swimming is a form of aerobic exercise that has therapeutic benefits similar to what’s typically associated with physical therapy routines. The act of swimming involves coordinated movements that are still gentle in nature due to the buoyancy of the water. Physical therapy–related benefits you may experience to some extent with swimming include:

• Increased flexibility
• Increased or restored range of motion
• Better mobility, a benefit that can extend to your daily life when not in the water

Swimming Enhances Your Out-of-the-Water Efforts

If you’re doing other things to maintain or improve your health when not in the water, swimming can be a fun way to enhance your results. For instance, if one of your goals is to stay within a healthy weight range, swimming burns calories that can help you achieve it. Whether you swim at the gym or at home in your own underground pool, if you’re looking to benefit more from adjustments in your exercise and diet habits, swimming can fit in well with these goals.

It’s a Way to Manage Back Pain

According to Spine Universe, swimming can have therapeutic benefits if you have lower back pain. It also builds muscle, which strengthens the soft tissues that support your spine. The freestyle and backstroke are the best strokes for back pain, since stress is minimized on the spine.

Swimming Has Mentally Therapeutic Perks, Too

The therapeutic benefits of swimming go beyond just your physical wellbeing. There are equally appealing mentally therapeutic perks associated with regular swimming. It’s an activity that gets the blood flowing in a way that promotes the release of “feel-good” hormones called endorphins that naturally promote relaxation. Swimming offers additional therapeutic mental health perks that include:

• Reduced mental fatigue
• Less stress and anxiety
• Enhanced mood

It Can Supplement Rehab for Certain Injuries

While every situation is different, rehabilitation from injuries affecting joints or certain muscle groups usually includes therapeutic exercises. Since swimming is a form of exercise, it’s often possible to include it as part of your overall exercise routine as you heal and recover. This can be especially beneficial if you’re an athlete at any level looking to safely get back to your preferred level of performance and activity.

If you’re looking for the perfect way to boost your mental and physical health with swimming, a pool of your own can be exactly what you need. As an award-winning swimming pool builders San Diego families and businesses have trusted for more than four decades, San Diego Pools can create a custom pool for you that offers a great way to exercise as well as a place to relax and get away from it all. Give us a call today at 888-707-7786.