Hello ,
Is swimming safe in a city pool? Do I need to be aware of anything regarding hygiene ?
Jo
Swimming : Hello , Is swimming safe in a... - Kidney Transplant
Swimming
Written by
PostivelyJo
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
10 Replies
•
That's a really good question. Don't think I'd chance it personally but they do put lots of chemicals in the water. Probably best to ask your transplant team.....
Best wishes
Mgt
Every 2 years, transplant patients from around the world take part in the World Transplant Games and swimming is a huge event.The games are our Olympics with many countries having qualifying National Games. It is a chance to celebrate the gift of life & show prospective donors that lives can be changed & lived fully.
My point being that there are transplant patients out there training daily in pools.
No pool is 100% clean & we will pick up our share of bugs etc but the health benefits of swimming & other activities & sport outweigh the downsides.
It’s a personal choice and finding a well maintained pool (possibly a university pool?) might be better.
Also talking to your transplant team about when to start after your transplant will be important, you need to be settled with your immunosuppression etc.
The British Transplant Games don’t let anyone compete usually within the first 6 months after your surgery.
I hope you find a suitable pool & enjoy your swimming.
Thanks . Do you swim ?
No, not regularly, I’m more dry land sport (badminton & volleyball) but I have friends who swim for the GB Transplant games team so know a little of what they do to train on a regular basis (and that picking up bugs & colds etc is possible).I swam at the British Transplant Games previously and my training happened in my local university pool which was also open to the public. I'd been transplanted 3 years at that point, swam a lot in the lead up & didn’t have any adverse reactions or illnesses.
As I said previously, there are bugs in pools but good pools are managed, cleaned & treated.
I could equally pick up a bug handling a shuttlecock or a volleyball.
Hygiene is key in everything we do but I’ve been transplanted for over 19 years now & am absolutely certain that regular exercise & sport is keeping me fit and well.
Many thanks
My transplant team told me never to swim in a public pool or lake again. Only the ocean or your own pool. Hope this helps.
Ahh really ! I’ll get in touch with mine see what their advice is. Thanks so much
WYOAnneNKF Ambassador
My transplant team told me that if I want to go swimming, most pools at resorts, etc, are a lot cleaner than most lakes or the ocean. Of course, it depends on the lake. I used to live in Milwaukee and local beaches would close ever summer due to high bacteria count. Most of your resorts treat the water daily making it safer than some of our bacteria laden lakes.And yes, I do swim in pools.
I've had a kidney transplant for 21 years and have swum regularly in our local rec center pool, resort hot tubs and pools, local lakes and the Pacific and Atlantic. Never had any infections or issues and I'm not sure why there would be a problem. If you have open wounds or the water has had issues, as in a sewage spill in a lake or local beach, obviously worth avoiding. If not, I would live your life.
There is no cost to doctors to protect themselves by telling you to avoid everything that has even the smallest risk but you have to make your own assessments. Unfortunately the medical industry in the United States often operates on liability avoidance rather than an honest discussion with patients about true risks around the decisions we need to make.
My doctors are very keen for as normal a life as possible to return. I’ll talk to them. NHS perhaps a little less risk averse . But ultimately it’s up to us to make an educated decision isn’t it.Thanks for your words.
