In the United States, more than 80 percent of adults have had lower back pain at some point in their life. That’s a staggering number of people who have had to struggle with this condition. Many are turning to activities like swimming to relieve back pain. But does it work?
Studies show that aquatic exercises, including swimming, are some of the most useful activities to relieve lower back pain.
When a patient struggles with lower back pain, the temptation may be to rest and avoid exercise altogether. However, that’s one of the worst things you can do. Too much rest can cause the muscles that support the lower back to atrophy. When these muscles weaken, they cannot stabilize the spine properly, which causes the patient’s condition to worsen. For that reason, experts agree that performing strengthening exercises for these muscles is essential for spinal health.
Activities in the water, like swimming, however, allow patients with lower back pain to strengthen the muscles that support the spine without the stress. The buoyancy of the water takes the pressure off the spine and joints.
From early childhood, most people love the idea of spending time in the pool. As it turns out, swimming is an incredibly beneficial form of exercise, especially if you struggle with lower back pain. Some of the benefits you’ll experience from swimming include:
- Relaxes Your Nervous System: Tense muscles sometimes cause back pain to develop, or they can aggravate spinal conditions, which can cause increased pain. Swimming releases endorphins, the feel-good hormones, which relax your nervous system as well as tense muscles.
- Relieves Pressure on Joints: When you swim, much of your body is buoyant, so the water supports it. This puts much less pressure on your joints than other forms of exercise.
- Builds Muscle to Support Spine: Exercising in water supports your joints and spine and increases resistance. Swimming engages muscles that you don’t always use, particularly those needed to improve your spine’s stability.