Cuando nadas todos los músculos del cuerpo trabajan, se favorece la circulación sanguínea a los órganos y músculos, se entrena el corazón, se aumenta la capacidad pulmonar y se quema grasa, todo a la vez.
Anyone of any age and in any condition can start training—children, pregnant women, people with obesity, older adults… It does not matter whether you have previously done any sport or not.
Immersion in water can be used in different ways when we think about recovering from a back injury:
- Buoyancy reduces the feeling of carrying the body’s weight; perceived body weight can be up to 90% lower.
- In the water, we can perform movements more easily than out of the water and with minimal impact on the joints, which is an advantage for people with hip or knee problems.
- Water can also be used as resistance to movement to build muscle mass.
- Skin contact with water produces a relaxing effect on the body that prevents and relieves the muscle tension generated in day-to-day life.
- Submerging in water and isolating ourselves from ambient noise creates a temporary disconnection and is an excellent anti-stress therapy.
For all these reasons, swimming IS THE IDEAL SPORT FOR THE SPINE, as low back pain requires muscle strengthening, but also relaxation and reduced stress—and all of this without any overload on the intervertebral discs.
Did you know…?
- In people over 70, swimming improves agility and develops cognitive capacity, which helps patients with cognitive impairment.
- In a study comparing spine MRIs in elite swimmers with patients who did not do any sport, disc wear images by age were found to be similar in both groups, but the swimmers’ group suffered less from low back pain.
The most commonly practiced swimming strokes, and those taught initially, are:
- FREESTYLE: it is the easiest to learn. It keeps the back in a neutral position, so the risk of injury is nil. It mainly works the upper body, but also the rectus abdominis, glutes, quadriceps, psoas, hamstrings, and calves. Interestingly, it also strengthens the muscles of the palm of the hand and the fingers. It is highly recommended in cases of disc degeneration or facet syndrome.
- BACKSTROKE: it strengthens the spine muscles in general more than freestyle, as it places the back in extension and works the entire spinal support system. If you have cervical problems, it is recommended to slightly hyperextend the neck or not raise the head too much above the water. It is an excellent exercise if you have suffered a vertebral fracture or have hyperkyphosis (an increased curve in the thoracic region).
- BREASTSTROKE: it places the spine in an arched-back position and is less recommended in cases of cervical or lumbar facet pain.
Have I convinced you yet?
If you have a diagnosed spinal problem, I recommend starting with a THERAPEUTIC SWIMMING course.
These are activities or exercises in the water intended to rehabilitate all kinds of musculoskeletal conditions, not only spinal conditions. It uses water buoyancy to minimize impact on the joints, and is especially indicated for generalized osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, arthritis, and spinal problems in general.
The most important thing to keep in mind is that technique must be as correct as possible to avoid overload. In my case, I started in October with a short course for 6 months and now I continue on my own; my day-to-day stress has decreased dramatically and my neck only bothers me at very specific moments in my usual work, in addition to noticing increased lung capacity and now being able to run 5 km with little effort.
Do you already have your bag packed?
