Why swimming is great for recovery

For most people, swimming is a recreational activity for having a good time. Not without a reason. The feeling you get when entering the water is amazing. What's even best is that swimming is also an ideal activity for recovery. 

  How swimming helps muscle recovery

 Muscle recovery is a field of expertise that attracts the interest of the scientific community. Especially for professional athletes' body management is extremely significant for their overall performance. Researchers at the University of Western Australia published an article on the effects of a recovery swim on the subsequent running performance of triathletes. The researchers found out that recovery swim helped them considerably to record better running times. In addition, swimming for recovery prevented muscle inflammation.  Another study published by the International Journal of Sports Medicine had similar findings, as it concluded that athletes who swam for recovery improved their stamina and were able to work out longer. However, you don't need to be a professional athlete to discover the healing qualities of water on your body. A dive in the pool after a hard day's work is a great relief, especially if you sit on a chair for the whole working day. It is highly refreshing and provides you with the energy to keep your activities during the rest of the day. 

Why swimming is good for injury and psychological recovery

 Another aspect of the healing qualities of water is connected to injury recovery. Again there is a consensus among the scientific community on the subject. Swimming or walking in the water is what the American College of Sports Medicine recommends for recovering from injuries to muscles tendons or ligaments. Such recommendations are based on strong ground for several reasons. Firstly, swimming is the most tolerable activity when someone is injured and applies recovery methods. Water makes the body feel weightless, thus allowing freedom of movement that would not be possible outside water. Then, swimming provides great health benefits to people suffering from PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder). It's not only helpful for the easy and free-flowing body movement that helps towards muscle building but it’s also beneficial for several other issues that people suffering from PTSD may face: 

• Speech issues
• Self-regulation issues
• Oral motor control issues
• Strength and coordination issues

Other advantages of swimming

Disabled Sports USA adds numerous other advantages of swimming:

• Strengthening of the cardiovascular system
• Decreased swelling
• Reduced blood pressure
• Improved joint position
• Increased cognitive function

Swimming is the best recovery method for all athletes

 It is not accidental that the majority of athletes of all sports use swimming as a usual recovery method. Among the variety of recovery activities (sleeping, eating properly, light stretching) swimming may be the most effective of all. The combination of moving all body parts within a free-flowing aquatic environment and the relaxed feeling that spreads internally is exhilarating. Furthermore, what is very significant is that our bodies always “speak” to us. This means that the body signals changes that occur all the time. Very often, the signals are transmitted well ahead of the time they peak. For example, before a fever, there's always a headache and a feeling of exhaustion that precedes the actual emergence of a fever. Taking that under consideration, the signals of the body multiply when we swim. An ankle or neck pain would feel more intense when we are in the water while at the same time we would feel a simultaneous feeling of relief. Professional athletes tend to listen to their bodies not only for recovering from injuries but also for preventing new ones. That's why swimming is for all of them a regular recovery process. 

How much should you swim for recovery?

 It is now evident that swimming helps greatly in recovery from both physical and psychological issues. But how much should someone swim for gaining satisfactory levels of recovery? Again it all depends on the lifestyle and needs of each individual. There are different needs that a professional athlete has compared to a clerk who works in an office for eight or more hours every day. Considering that professional athletes, under the guidance of their coaches, follow a specific recovery process we shall refer to the vast majority of the population. 

Although there is not a general rule that applies to all, it's safe to argue that swimming between 200m and 800m for 15 to 20 minutes every day is a satisfactory swimming course for recovery. These numbers can vary accordingly to the physical condition and swimming level but they represent a typical and quite reliable range. Following this daily routine ensures the removal of lactic acid from the muscles and enhances stamina, endurance and strength. After a couple of weeks, you can gradually increase the volume of recovery swimming by increasing the length of distance and the time you spend in the pool. In the end, swimming to boost your energy and recover from fatigue and stress will become a sweet addiction. An addiction that-contrary to the usual- will make you good!