Swimming

[Yesimsevenfold]

I will swim soon and people say swimming is very benefit for rheumatism. Is there any person who is swimming regularly? How is your joints?

[allanah]

I did but what got me was i was tired after the session then had to get dressed lol!

It did give me rib pain but you've put me in mind to start up again. ! Love aquafit too as you can do what you can x

[Yesimsevenfold in reply to allanah]

I will learn to swim. Probably it will hard for me at the beginning. But I believe I'll be successful. Hope you can too.

[allanah in reply to Yesimsevenfold]

Go for it !

[mary53]

I do swim and have learnt is that I have to pace myself...only do a few lengths...get out before I'm tired. If I don't I have to spend the rest of the day snoozing

[ITYFIALMCTT]

I used to swim most days a week - however it's no longer feasible because of problems with my neck. That said, being upright rather than prone is OK so something like Aquafit can be very helpful - always depending on the pool and instructor.

[Valdun in reply to ITYFIALMCTT]

Just try treading water, floating, anything, it does get you literally off your feet!

[Nettac]

I love swimming! The pool is the only place I feel comfortable. I go about once a week. It helps a lot with keeping mobile. It's also tge only aerobic exercise I can do (I'm quite fast in the water) like hippo on land!

I do ache afterwards, and feel knackered, but it helps for sure.

[dwsurquhart]

I swim quite regularly and it is definitely helpful for joint pain as you are buoyant. Aquafit is great as well,get to meet lots of people with similar situations, helps take the mind off the pain.

If not swimming, i am on my bicycle. If I can keep my knees moving in a fluid motion then they hurt less. My goal is to hurt less.

[Matalow]

I swim most days I have done for the last 6 months.i found it very tiring to start but I've built up to about 20 mins hard swimming. It's giving me cardiovascular exercise without impact on my joints.in fact I'm better in the water then I am on land .

Hope you enjoy your swimming.

Regards Mike.

Ps it does use quite a few of your spoons up, so put your feet up afterwards.

[Valdun in reply to Matalow]

Perfect reply!

[Hidden]

I used to love doing laps and am not able to do them due to rheumatoid in my shoulder but I go to a warm pool once a week and do exercises that a physio did up for me. It is great and I can do one lap of breaststroke after them. I feel really good, but tired. It does my soul good.

[LadyL0u]

Swimming is my main 'life saver'! It is the only time I have no pain whatsoever and water completely de-stresses me. Cannot recommend it enough! It keeps me mobile, helps improve cardiovascular aspects (I worry about developing problems with my lungs because of RA) and exercises all my joints without putting any strain on them. If there's a sauna at your pool, you could also use that and do light stretching in it to help keep your joints mobile - it seems to be easier to do stretching when it's warm. The other big benefit of swimming (for me anyway) is that it has a big impact on my mood. So even if it's a particularly sore stressful RA day, I usually feel less stressed if I go swimming Good luck with it, it will be worth the effort

[Beviejon1]

I do swim aerobics in a warm pool a couple days a week.Its wonderful and has been a life saver for me.

[helenlw7]

I swim twice a week most weeks. I swim 25 metres each time. I also have bronchiecstasis and bad asthma and it's usually my breathing that stop me swimming. If my joints are painful before I go in the the water they are still painful when I swim, but it doesn't stop me!