Health benefits of swimming? Yes, there is a swimming study for that. Tons, in fact.
Benefits of swimming for children with autism? Yes, there is a swimming study for that.
Increased mental health from consistent swimming workouts? Yes, a study for that too.
Longer life-span for swimmers? There is even a swimming study for that.
The positive effects of swimming specifically on an aging population. Well, how about this study, published in 2016? Most of the commonsense benefits of swimming and exercise can be broadly applied to the elderly but there was a dearth of research measuring specific outcomes for the aging populations.
Arthritis and Swimming
One determined doctor set out to change that. Dr. Hirofumi Tanaka is the director of the College of Education’s Cardiovascular Aging Research Laboratory at The University of Texas at Austin. He has studied swimming and its benefits for going on 15 years, but his goal in this study was to provide evidence based research highlighting the positive effects of swimming on patients with osteoarthritis.
And he did.
“We’re finally getting data showing that swimming exercise reduces pain as well as improves functions in arthritis patients.”
The study, covering 45 patients over three months, was conclusive in determining that swimming accomplished significant reductions in joint pain, stiffness, and physical limitations accompanied by increases in quality of life.
Additionally, according to Dr. Tanaka in this interview for the University of Texas, beyond easing the pain of arthritis, the swimming is as effective as both cycling and moderate walking in lowering blood pressure and decreasing lower joint pain in obese or sedentary patients.
Bottom line – now we have a study for this too. Swimming can help save lives at all stages of life.
Swim at any age!
Like Mr. Frost, who got back into the water for the first time in 60 years at the age of 91.
Help us help people take back their lives. From 2 to 20, 8 to 80, veterans, adaptive athletes, new swimmers, infants, toddlers and more. When you donate, your money goes toward teaching the lifesaving skill of swimming to ANYONE who needs it.
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Molly is a member of our creative team, mom of four water-loving babies, and a fierce advocate for CPR training and really early swim instruction.