How Swimming helps with Chronic Pain

Earlier this week, we overviewed the benefits of meditative activities like Yoga to help reduce chronic pain. Similarly, swimming is a low-impact sport that can improve mobility and help you to manage pain, especially as we move into the warmer months.

The Science

Swimming has been shown to ease chronic pain symptoms, especially for those suffering from pain in the back and joints, or any musculoskeletal pain. Due to the bodily support of floating in water, swimming is a low impact choice for those whose pain deters them from getting active.

According to a study in the Spine medical journal, swimming is an effective tool for easing back pain, arthritis, and even fibromyalgia -- more so than other commonly recommended low-impact exercises.

Swimming naturally supports the body and allows you to carry out aerobic and strengthening exercises that might not otherwise be accessible. Swimming is evidenced to improve cardiovascular health, stamina, muscle strength, balance, coordination, and posture, all of which may serve to prevent and reduce many triggers of chronic pain.

Paul Kirby, an English man struggling with severe chronic back pain, found that swimming helped him to manage pain without the need for medication or steroid injections.

“Since I’ve been swimming, I’ve felt that I don’t need to go back to the doctor, to the physio, to the osteopath. I don’t need to take drugs to manage my condition. I’m confident enough after several years that swimming is usually the answer for me.” Kirby said.

Recommended Approach

In order to ease into swimming, there are a few variations of common exercises that might be beneficial to people experiencing chronic pain. While swimming is widely regarded as a safe exercise for healthy people, as with any new physical activity injuries may still occur. It is advised that you speak with your doctor before beginning any new exercise, and that swimming should only be attempted (especially at first) under the guidance of a qualified instructor.

1. In the beginning, it may be helpful to simply walk around in the water. The water resistance can help to build up muscles particularly after a period of disuse.

2. Water aerobics are a great low-impact option for maintaining strength, flexibility, and cardiovascular health.

3. Swimming laps, if begun slowly, can become an excellent tool for working muscles in the hips, chest and back. A swim coach can instruct you on proper form and technique to ensure your safety and the effectiveness of your exercise.

4. For those who aren’t comfortable in the water, flotation devices such as kick boards and pool noodles can be an excellent way to achieve some of the benefits of swimming in an even lower-impact way. One option is to sit upright on the pool noodle (letting it curve into a U-shaped seat) and using your arms and legs to “swim” around the pool. This can also be used as an introductory option for those looking to get into some of the other exercises, like swimming laps.

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