Ten thousand steps and more. The performances of Léon Marchand, the enthusiasm during the trials of the Paralympic Games, which will run until 8 September, and the fervour that accompanies them are enough to make you want to take up swimming or return to it. All the better because this sport also has many health benefits, whether for prevention or for people with chronic diseases, as indicated by 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 touted as “the” health sport. “The positive impact of swimming on the health of participants is enormous”“This is a very demanding activity, which is practised in a state of near-weightlessness in the water, and therefore has no impact on the skeleton and joints. This is particularly advantageous for overweight or obese people,” says Latif Diouane, head of the health department of the French Swimming Federation (FFN), which has 400,000 members, of whom 77,000 compete and 252,510 are under 18. One of its particular characteristics is that it is a strenuous activity, practised in a state of near-weightlessness in the water, and therefore has no impact on the skeleton and joints. This is particularly beneficial for overweight or obese people.
The effects of swimming on blood circulation and cardiovascular health are evident. It reduces cardiovascular risk factors, improving the lipid profile and glycemic control, and reducing high blood pressure. And among the coronary patients, it promotes cardiac recovery during exercise, reduces resting heart rate, resting blood pressure, reduces fatigue during exercise, etc., specifies Vidal du 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 on a cohort of 80,000 British people in their fifties.
Swimming also helps improve respiratory capacity, especially in asthmatic children, as long as the pools are not overly chlorinated or loaded with disinfectants that can irritate the respiratory tract of young patients.
Aquatic exercises can reduce pain and muscle stiffness in people with joint disorders and 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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