Swimming and hydrotherapy have been used for a number of different types of disorders and diseases. It’s been used more and more as a regular part of therapy for pain related diseases, and fibromyalgia is one of the diseases that have been using it a lot more lately.
But why does swimming help with pain in the first place? And, on top of that, how can and how should it be used in fibromyalgia patients as part of their overall treatment? Let’s see how you can swim away fibromyalgia pain.
How Does Swimming Help With Pain Based Disorders and Diseases?
Swimming is quite an interesting thing to check out, especially when you take a look at all of the different types of therapy that are out there for people to try using. That being said, it can help in a lot of ways. The main reason is because of the way that water pressure works.
You are “lighter” in water than you are in any other context, and the water that you’re in applies only a bit of pressure on your body. When you swim, it makes you exert energy, but you’re putting a lot less stress and strain on your muscles than you would if you were running, jogging, lifting weights, or doing any other sort of high impact activity.
So, of course, this has a lot of different implications for those who have pain related disorders. First, it allows them to be able to get exercise at all. Think about it – if you’re dealing with pain all of the time, then you’re going to have a difficult time moving around.
Exercise is, in many cases, out of the question for people who are struggling with chronic pain. So, with the way that water works, it makes it so people can get around and exercise. That, in turn, gives another benefit – they are able to stay at a healthy weight more easily, because they can actually be more active. Staying at a healthy weight can actually play a significant role in helping a person to be able to deal with chronic pain in an effective manner.
Another reason that swimming can help those with chronic pain is because it helps people to have more confidence. As mentioned above, the pain that you feel on a regular basis can make it really hard for you to exercise. In some cases, you may be afraid or nervous to do so, because you’re worried that you are going to injure yourself or that you aren’t going to be able to finish a workout.
Since there’s less pressure and there is less going on, you’re going to find that you will actually want to go and work out, because it’s not as embarrassing and you have the confidence that you can do it in a healthy manner without a lot of risks involved. If you do it in a controlled environment, it can be that much better.
Swimming as a Part of Fibromyalgia Treatment
So, now that we’ve looked at how it can help people who have all sorts of chronic pain disorders, how can it specifically help people who are dealing with fibromyalgia? As you may expect, the reasons above are huge for those suffering from the pain related to fibromyalgia.
You now have a way that you can get out and about and so that you can keep your weight off. As mentioned in other articles (and as you likely know), weight gain can make the pain that much worse for fibro sufferers, so having a way to keep it off can be a big deal.
There are other ways that it can help as well. Swimming, even though it has less impact on your body than other types of exercise, is great for your heart and your blood circulation. Fibro sufferers often have a difficult time when it comes to blood flowing throughout the body (due to inflammation and other issues), so anything that allows your body to do that more easily is always a good idea.
Flexibility is also a huge concern for fibromyalgia sufferers, mainly because of all of the issues that happen in a person’s joints. Arthritis and other related disorders are quite common, and because of that, it can be hard to move around. Morning stiffness is also a huge issue for fibro sufferers, so doing things that can make it so you move more easily is really helpful. Swimming can especially help the neck and spine to be more flexible, because of the motions that are involved in swimming and because of how easily you can move around in the water.
There are lots of ways that you can end up adding swimming as part of your fibro treatment plan. You can talk to your physical therapist and see if they can add hydrotherapy as part of what is going on with your treatment plan – many times, they will oblige and give you some of that as well.
In some cases, you can get hooked up with classes that allow you to get the help that you need and can also give you social interaction and get you out of the house. Talk to your doctor about what they suggest and if they have connections that you can use in order to get more swimming in throughout the week.
Fibromyalgia treatment is always changing, and if you’re looking for more natural ways to deal with the pain, swimming on a regular basis can definitely help you in a huge way. Your physical therapist is the one who will help you determine whether or not it’s the right decision for you, and they can get you connected with a program that can give you the exercises and such that will benefit you the most. Or, they can help you develop a plan so you can swim on your own. Either way, swimming can be a huge benefit for fibromyalgia patients.
Further reading:
Water Exercise for Fibromyalgia: Easing Deep Muscle Pain
http://www.webmd.com/fibromyalgia/features/water-exercise-for-fibromyalgia-easing-deep-muscle-pain
Swimming And Fibromyalgia Pain:
http://www.fibromyalgia-symptoms.org/swimming-fibromyalgia.html
Fibromyalgia sufferer takes on her chronic pain, training to swim the English Channel:
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