Swimming for Spinal Health

From a chiropractor’s perspective, when it comes time to get more activity into your life, swimming should be a top contender. The reason? Swimming is a healthy aerobic exercise that helps you shed weight and feel great without the joint damage inherent in more jarring activities such as running. You can start at your own pace and build a routine that works for you, and here are some reasons why now is the time:

Whole body workout: you are going to work out some muscles you didn’t know you had without even trying to! Water provides a natural resistance that builds muscle and tones the whole body. 1 hour of (vigorous) swimming can burn up to 500 calories.

Respiratory function: every cell in your body needs a constantly refreshing source of oxygen to provide you with the energy to perform well and feel great. Water is denser than air so your body must work harder to capture oxygen while swimming, which means you are toning the breathing muscles too!

Good for the mind: The feeling of being buoyant, when you are all but weightless, is great. Tension melts away and muscles relax; studies show that swimming is linked to improvements in mood for both men and women. 

Light on the repetitive trauma: running is great too, but the repetitive trauma to the joints can take a toll. You can get the same level of workout without the damage in the water. 

At Haynes Chiropractic, we are in the business of helping you feel better. To this end, we would love to see you take the initiative of getting wet, but if there are physical limitations holding you back, we need to resolve them first. Our treatment helps correct spinal imbalance and relieve muscle tension, back pain and improve a host of other conditions that could be keeping you out of the pool. Give our office in Bakersfield a call to schedule an appointment today. 

Dr. Jeff Haynes, D.C.