Swimming is often recommended as a safe and effective exercise for people with back pain. Water helps support your body, reducing the stress on your spine and your joints while still providing enough resistance to offer an excellent workout. However, as with any exercise, you should swim properly to avoid causing further injury to your back. 

How to Protect Your Back While Swimming

1. Start Slow

Resist the temptation to dive in and start doing laps your first time in the pool. If you haven’t been in the water for a while, you aren’t a strong swimmer to start with, or you’ve had a back injury or surgery, your core and hips may not be strong enough to support you while you swim laps yet, exacerbating the pain. Instead, start slow; for example, try water therapy first to give your muscles the chance to adapt to exercise and get stronger. Water aerobics or water walking are also good places to start.

2. Choose Back-Friendly Strokes

The swimming strokes that are easiest on your back vary depending on the location and cause of your pain. However, one stroke that tends to comfortable and safe for most people is backstroke.

Backstroke aligns your shoulders and strengthens your core, and it provides enough support for your back to prevent pain. Freestyle strokes are also back-friendly but can cause discomfort in the lower back due to repetitive motion. For most people with back pain, the butterfly and the breaststroke are the least comfortable and safe, as they cause the lower back to arch, stressing the spinal joints and causing irritation. 

3. Maintain Proper Form

When you’re swimming, making short, choppy strokes and extending your head and neck to keep them out of the water can cause your back to arch, stressing your spine. To avoid worsening your pain, focus on your form while swimming. Keep your neck relaxed and your head pointed forward (not up); contract your abdominal muscles to support your back, and fully extend your arms from your shoulders with each stroke. If you are struggling, work with a coach or trainer to improve your form and strokes. 

If your back pain persists while swimming, Stroud Chiropractic Clinic can provide relief. They’ve been helping people of all ages for more than years, offering compassionate and effective treatments for joint, neck, and back pain. Serving Randolph County, NC, they offer spinal adjustments, cold laser therapy, and Pro-Adjuster® services. Call (336) 434-2107 or visit them online to speak to a team member.