Swimming: The Pros and Cons

PROS

Asthma

“Swimming is sometimes described as the perfect exercise for people with asthma,” says Greg Smith, CEO of the Asthma Foundation of NSW. A foundation study of 73 kids who joined a swimming programme found that half reported a change in the amount or type of asthma medication they needed. Two-thirds of these children reported they needed less medication to stay healthy. The air just above the surface of the water is moister and less likely to cause the airway muscles to constrict and bring on an attack, Smith says.

Cushions joints

“Swimming is a good whole-body exercise that has low impact for people with arthritis, musculoskeletal or weight limitations,” says Robert Robergs, director of the exercise physiology labs at the University of New Mexico. Water’s buoyancy helps cushion joints and bones. Immersed to the waist, your body bears 50% of its weight; to the chest, 25%; to the neck, 10%.

Anti-ageing

A study at Indiana University found long-term swimmers aged over 40 who swam more than four times a week showed fewer signs of ageing than the general population. Study leader Dr Joel Stager says that the subjects displayed lower blood pressure, blood triglycerides and cholesterol; better pulmonary function; and better muscle mass.

Builds muscles

Swimming uses all the major muscle groups and water provides 12 times the resistance of air, which boosts muscle strength. It’s not so wonderful for building bone density, however; for that you need weight-bearing exercise.

CONS

Chlorine affects lungs

A study by the Sports Science Institute of South Africa found a big increase in exercise-induced breathing problems in swimmers who used chlorinated pools.

Earlier this year, researchers in Brussels found that infants taking indoor swimming lessons were more likely to develop asthma and recurrent bronchitis. It’s believed that chlorine-related gas is particularly damaging to the lungs of very young children.