Swimming is an excellent choice for people who frequently suffer from back pain and need a low-impact aerobic exercise. The water serves to support your body, taking almost all of the impact off of your spine. Meanwhile, you’re working out your important muscle groups to help prevent new back injuries in the future.
Unfortunately, swimming is not without its hazards. These are largely related to front strokes, like the crawl, breaststroke, or the butterfly. First of all, during front strokes, your lower back can remain hyper-extended for long periods of time. Secondly, such strokes encourage you to repeatedly jerk your neck backward, which can bring about neck pain.
If you insist on using front strokes, make sure you are practicing proper form; maintain a level body in the water, with your lower abdominal muscles held up and in, with your head held straight. You might also consider wearing goggles so that you don’t need to move your head as much to clear water from your eyes. For further help avoiding back problems, talk to our Edmonds chiropractic clinic.