Myths and legends: relationship between swimming and back pain

In a society like today’s, with a fast pace and little time for oneself, back pain is one of the most frequent symptoms.

The first step to prevent and combat back pain is to have correct information on what the most effective remedies are to prevent and treat it. Unfortunately, myths and legends are widespread on the subject, based on false beliefs, which have now been overcome by modern discoveries in the scientific field.

With this article we will try to shed some light, analyzing the veracity of the most widespread beliefs about back pain.

Can physical activity be dangerous?

Real.

If performed poorly, certain exercises can further worsen an already compromised situation. This is why, at least during the first training period, it is best to rely on an expert ( such as a qualified personal trainer who has attended a recognized personal trainer course ) who can correct any errors and recommend the path most suited to your conditions.

It is also good to keep in mind that in the first period of exercise, even if you carry out technically and physiologically correct programs , it will be completely normal to still feel slight discomfort in your back. These discomforts, if the exercises are carried out correctly, will disappear quickly, soon leaving room for all the benefits that derive from carrying out regular and constant physical activity.

Is swimming the best sport for back health?

Speaking of spinal ailments, in common thought the swimming pool is the most suitable place to take care of the health of your back. In fact, it is thought that swimming, of all sports, is absolutely the most suitable for improving and alleviating these symptoms.

In fact, movement in water is certainly advisable as it allows you to reduce the overload of the spine and any suffering discs thanks to the reduction of body weight.

Be careful though! Because, in some ways, swimming can even prove counterproductive for your back health. In fact, the muscles used to establish the spinal column, called ” antigravitational “, which have the function of keeping our body upright by counteracting the compressive action of the force of gravity, need to receive continuous stimuli in order to improve their tone and efficiency .

However, it happens that in water, due to the absence of gravity, the continuous and inexhaustible activity of these muscles, equipped with a great capacity to resist tiredness, is reduced to a minimum. Precisely for this reason, physical exercise in water alone can even be counterproductive: this activity is in fact not suitable for significantly improving the tone of these muscles.

So which sporting activity should I practice to improve the well-being of my spine?

Rather than asking what the best and most suitable sport might be, it is good to ask ourselves which rules must be respected in order to ensure the health and well-being of your back .

The first rule to follow is to be absolutely realistic and aware of your physical condition: you must always choose the level suited to your motor skills, so as not to subject your back to excessive strain. As mentioned above, always rely on the hands of a professional at least for the initial phase. Precisely for this reason it is extremely important to identify the symptom that affects our back, taking care to carefully distinguish back pain from lumbago .

While back pain is a pathology that can affect the different sections of the spinal column ( cervical, dorsal and lumbo-sacral ), low back pain cannot be considered a pathology but more simply a painful symptom that can arise due to different factors, manifesting itself specifically as a pain spread exclusively along the lumbar area.

Read more: Overtraining: 5 Rules to Prevent It and Keep Yourself Safe