In beautiful Scottsdale, located in Maricopa County of Arizona, we are very fortunate to be able to enjoy even outdoor swimming pools for most of the year, and finding an indoor pool is also relatively simple and affordable. For those in our area who are suffering from spine pain, getting in the water for regular exercise and relaxation can make a whole lot of sense!
While some chronic pain sufferers will shy away from daily exercise, regular physical activity can actually boost chronic pain relief due to the natural endorphins that are produced by the brain while exercising. Endorphins are brain chemicals that block out pain signals and improve your mood. Since exercise also strengthens your muscles, this creates yet another pain-reducing effect of being active!
The downside of many endorphin-boosting exercises is that they put excessive strain on the body, which in turn causes an inflammatory response that can result in even more discomfort. Fortunately for neck and back pain sufferers, being active in the water can provide the health and mood benefits of strenuous cardiovascular exercise while offering very low impact and virtually no stress on the skeletal system.
While the options of being active in the water are numerous, lap swimming, walking in the shallow water, and water aerobics will be the best choices for a cardiovascular workout and strengthening the body’s core to support the spine. Strengthening your core muscles will help take pressure off painful spinal disks. If you’re interested in doing water aerobics, keep in mind that there are specially made foam water dumbbells. They are not heavy to lift, but will provide some resistance training when being pushed down into the water.
Before beginning any new activity or exercise program, always speak with your physician or physical therapist. Stridewell Tips
When you commit to regular active swimming, water aerobics, or even “power walking” through shallow water, both heart function and blood flow are improved. Even though the water will generally help to slow your heart rate, being active in the water is still great cardiovascular exercise!
When you regularly engage in these types of physical activities that get your blood pumping, you will improve your circulation and enable the nutrients you eat to better move through the bloodstream. When this happens, your body is better nourished and becomes stronger and more effective at the healing process.
If you’re feeling stressed and anxious, you may find that your pain level increases. Simply visiting a swimming pool to relax can help you manage pain and improve your health. Deep breathing while in the water and floating vertically on a foam pool noodle can help calm your nervous system.
Whether you decide to get into the water to swim, walk, do some water aerobics or simply float around, your exercise and relaxation efforts can certainly have a positive impact on your health while helping your spine to feel better.
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