Swimming is the one sport that works every muscle in the body.
Swimming has many health benefits, and it helps with arthritis pain for the
elderly. Along with excellent effects, swimming also has bad effects to our
health. Swimming competitively can worsen our lungs as well as strengthen our
heart. The positive effects of elite swimming outweigh the negative effects.
Here is a chart that shows the pros and cons of swimming in chlorinated pools:
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Healthy heart | Can cause asthma |
| Helps arthritis pain | Respiratory problems |
| Improves cardiovascular conditioning | bloodshot eyes |
| Improves muscle strength | Itchy skin |
| Improves endurance | Dried-out hair |
| Improves posture | Bleach-y smell |
| Improves flexibility | |
| Helps with relaxation |
Swimming is great for the heart, and according to Lifescript Magazine, the health benefits of swimming are almost unmatched by any other sport. Swimming improves cardiovascular conditioning, muscle strength, endurance, posture, and flexibility all at the same time. The cardiovascular system in particular benefits because swimming improves the body’s use of oxygen without overworking the heart. It improves the muscle strength by exercising every major muscle. The best strokes for over-all boy toning are freestyle, breaststroke, and backstroke. Swimming increases endurance by simply following the phrase, “just keep swimming.” That phrase got me through many tough workouts. These workouts were not pleasant and at times I felt like I was going to pass out and drown, but by telling myself to keep going I put mind over matter and I improved my times much faster. The swimmers posture and flexibility is improved by the continuous swimming in a balanced form. Swimming is known to decrease blood pressure and cause most swimmers to relax while they are swimming. Because swimmers are constantly regulating their breathing, swimming causes more blood to flow to their muscles which in turn causes them to relax. Of all the benefits to swimming, improvement to the cardiovascular system is the most valuable.
Although swimming has many health benefits, swimming in an indoor pool also has negative effects. Someone who practices everyday and is continuously in the pool can gain lung problems. The chemicals in the pool, such as chlorine, can cause someone to develop asthma and respiratory problems. According to a study of young athletes in Quebec City, asthma is epidemic among competitive swimmers. Most swimmers develop the problems after they take up swimming. Almost all the competitive swimmers suffer from inflamed lung tissue, those who spend the most time at the pool show the most damaged lung tissue. In a study published in the European Respiratory Journal, 70 percent of 32 elite swimmers suffered from airway hyper-responsiveness. With this disease, the bronchial tubes twitch or spasm excessively to cold air and other stimuli. Swimming has proven to be extremely beneficial to our body’s look and feel, but our lungs pay the price. I have not personally been affected nor do I know someone who has, but studies show that a swimmer could have respiratory problems and not ever realize it.
Although lung problems are caused by the chemicals in the pool, such as chlorine, they are not necessarily the main source. Instead, according to an article in the European Respiratory Journal, problems begin when the chlorine mixes with proteins in the water, such as shredded skin or hair, creating chloramines. Chloramines settle at the top of the water where swimmers tend to breathe while swimming. They are sucked deep into the lungs without the swimmer ever noticing. These chloramines cause swimmers to have lung problems over the course of a few months of continuous elite swimming. Chloramines not only cause respiratory problems, but chlorine itself also causes bloodshot zombie eyes, itchy skin, dried-out hair and a pungent bleach-y smell that is a side effect of swimming constantly in a chlorinated pool. Some respiratory problems in elite swimmers are caused by swimming constantly in chlorinated pools filled with invisible chloramines. Some places such as the YMCA ask swimmers to shower before they jump into the pool to decrease the number of chloramines, but as I have noticed not many people follow that rule. Respiratory problems in swimmers are not caused by the chlorine directly, but by the chloramines that are made by the chlorine in the pool.
Salt water pools have reduced the amount of lung problems in elite swimmers showing that the chemicals in the pool are what are causing these swimmers to develop these terrible problems. Salt water pools are becoming more popular to hotels and public places because of the health benefits to their guests. Although saline pool systems are costly, their operating costs are generally lower according to the Mother Nature Network. Saline is much better for the environment, but a side effect of having a saline pool is the corrosion damage that is usually not associated with pools that are sanitized by the frequent dumping of ozone-depleting chemicals. This corrosion happens relatively slowly when the salt levels are low. The generator cells require cleaning every 90 days before the calcium build up within the cell housing becomes one big block. The exchange of chlorinated pools for saline pools has proven to be extremely beneficial to swimmers health.
Swimming has proven to be the sport for me by giving me the stress relief I need, but I no longer swim competitively mostly because since I have graduated I haven’t been able to find an adult swim team. Swimming gives us the push we need to get that great look and feel to our body, but at a price. It shows that dedicated swimmers may have lung problems but they will be stress free and fit. I love breathing, but I love swimming more, and both can be done as long as a swimmer can keep up with their health along the way.
Works Cited
Hickman, Matt. "MNN - Mother Nature Network." MNN - Mother Nature Network. N.p., 27 June 2011.Web. 25 Feb. 2013.
Konkel, Lindsey. "MNN - Mother Nature Network." MNN - Mother Nature Network. N.p., 11 Jan. 2012. Web. 25 Feb. 2013.
Lifescript Editorial Staff, ed. "The Health Benefits of Swimming." Women's Health Issues. Lifescript Magazine, 02 Aug. 2006. Web. 25 Feb. 2013.
Reynolds, Gretchen. "Are Indoor Pools Bad for Your Lungs?" Are Indoor Pools Bad for Your Lungs Comments. New York Times, 22 July 2009. Web. 25 Feb. 2013.
