Ten thousand steps and more. Léon Marchand’s performances, the enthusiasm during the Paralympic Games events, which take place until September 8, the fervor that accompanies them are enough to make you want to start or get back into swimming. So much the better because this sport also has many health benefits, whether for prevention or for people with chronic diseases, as indicated by the Vidal du sport, or Médicosport-Santé, a medical dictionary of sports disciplines, validated by the medical commission of the French National Olympic and Sports Committee and the French Society of Exercise and Sports Medicine.
Swimming is often highlighted as “the” health sport. “The positive impact of swimming on the health of those who practice it is enormous”assures Latif Diouane, head of the health service within the French Swimming Federation (FFN), which has 400,000 members, of whom 77,000 compete, and 252,510 are under 18. A special feature is that it is a supported activity, which is practiced in a state of quasi-weightlessness in the aquatic environment, therefore without impact on the skeleton and joints. An advantage in particular for people who are overweight or obese.
The effects of swimming on blood circulation and cardiovascular health are clear. It reduces cardiovascular risk factors, improving lipid profile and glycemic control, and reducing high blood pressure. And in coronary patients, it promotes cardiac recovery during exercise, reduces resting heart rate, resting blood pressure, reduces fatigue during exercise, etc., specifies the Vidal of sport.
No contraindications
A large study, published in 2017 in the British Journal of Sports Medicineshowed that swimmers had a 28% lower risk of premature death and a 41% lower risk of death from heart disease or stroke. The study compared the effects of six sports in a cohort of 80,000 British 50-year-olds.
Swimming also helps improve respiratory capacity, particularly in asthmatic children, provided that the pools are not overly chlorinated or loaded with disinfectants which can irritate the respiratory tracts of young patients.
Water exercises can reduce pain and muscle stiffness in people with joint disorders, disabilities such as cerebral palsy or multiple sclerosis. Swimming also affects quality of life, cognitive abilities, prevents anxiety and cognitive disorders, making it an ally for mental health.
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