Cold water swimming

[SwimmingUpHill]

I started sea swimming early morning in September last year and continued going after being diagnosed with PMR. On the days I don't go I find my aching and stiffness recur - has anyone else found cold water swimming helpful? It is supposed to have anti-inflammatory effects and may even stave off dementia (though not sure how robust the evidence is).

[PMRpro Ambassador]

I couldn't even do aquaerobics in an indoor pool when it was cooler than usual - I just seized up!

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

It’s supposed to be good for mental health, but not for! The return of stiffness/aching may be more to the exercise (or lack of it) than the swimming in cold water.

[fmkkm]

It sounds like you enjoy it so it’s probably really good for your brain too! 💕

[DeepThought2]

I am pretty sure that any physical activity (within a certain range) is helpful - definitely on a mental/psychological level and most probably also on a physical level. There are many scientific publications on the anti-inflammatory effect of aerobic exercise (not especially for PMR/GCA but in general) and maybe it is the cold water that does provide additional benefit for you. But not sure if it was the right thing for me🥶😀.

[piglette]

I would love to go sea swimming having been brought up by the sea, but would have a two hour drive at the moment. I could go in the river but they have Weil's disease around here. The swimming pool is great now it is open again, hurray.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to piglette]

You'd either get swept away by the current in the river or have some ice to break here I imagine! Either way, the water temperature can't be much above 4C!

[SwimmingUpHill in reply to PMRpro]

It's currently 9.8 degrees in Guernsey - went down to 7.8 degress in February - that was cold!

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to SwimmingUpHill]

A lake about 50km further south and much lower down that is usually the warmest in the Alps is 11C . The sea at Venice is 12C. The nearest lake to us never gets above 17C even after the summer - and the air temperature at present is 2C, -9C overnight so it must be pretty chilly!!!

[Hidden]

You're very brave! I've been enjoying swimming in our local lido since it re-opened but it is heated.

I've read about the potential anti-inflammatory effect of cold water swimming, cold showers and ice-baths and have been building up to 30 seconds of cold shower at the end of a bath or shower but have no idea whether or not it's helping me to feel better.

Lots of my friends have recently taken up wild swimming in the local Norfolk Broads and rivers; I had been planning to join them when the weather warms up a bit. However, I have been advised not to try it as I am immunocompromised because I am taking methotrexate. My very sensible GP friend has expressed concern that I may be more vulnerable to tummy bugs and other 'recreational water illnesses' if I swim in untreated water.

Have you tried the Wim Hoff (sp?) breathing exercises? They have also been recommended to me.

[SheffieldJane]

I love the thought of this and instinctively feel that it would be life changing and totally liberating. Odd for me that you raise it, it has been on my mind.

[Coffeebeans]

Hi SwimminUpHill

I swim twice a week in our local swimming spot and love it - even if I'm breaking ice to get in.

I find the cold really helpful and always feel good when getting out although I don't feel worse on non swim days. I only started swimming around 10 months into PMR because I needed some form of exercise to do!

Weirdly enough, standing around in the cold is the worst thing for seizing up with PMR but active cold as in swimming is so helpful. It's also a huge reset button and so beautiful when calm. Good for the mental health!

I'm a little perturbed by NorfolkEnchants comment about not swimming due to MTX. Just started MTX but I have no plans to stop swimming but will be aware. I did use a surgical glove under my wetsuit gloves to keep a large healing laceration dry in case of infection.

Keep going - you look like you have the Sea on your doorstep. I'm land locked.

[Hidden in reply to Coffeebeans]

I was disappointed too! I still swim in the lido and the local indoor pool now that it has re-opened. It probably depends on where in your river you swim - whether you are close to possible sewage outlets, factories or road or agricultural run off.

As you so clearly love and benefit from your swims it might be worth doing a sort of cost benefit analysis.

[Coffeebeans in reply to Hidden]

I swim in a pretty good location. No outlets but it is surrounded by fields.

On balance I'm going to keep going but it's good to be aware.

Glad you have a lido nearby - that's open air at least.

[Hidden in reply to Coffeebeans]

Enjoy!

[greengages]

I go cold water swimming ( or should I say bobbing up and down) here in the north east, it’s great for my joints and aches and I feel great afterwards. The only thing is is that it’s addictive.😃

[STRAPCOL]

Hi swimming up hill, I do a 5 minute cold water shower daily and it gives me a great boost of energy. In my case it’s for fatigue. I have PMR almost 4 years and I posted my story recently. If you can handle cold water I think it’s brilliant. If you are not already familiar with Wim Hof the ice man, he is worth checking out. Good look your efforts to stave off your aches and pains.

[bBarnabus]

I wonder if cold dipping stimulates the compromised immune system when we are taking steroids?

[OldAl]

I can't help with the cold water aspect but find that two sessions of around 500m per week mixed stroke in a pool has greatly helped repair the immflamatory damage caused by PMR pre steroids. My shoulders have markedly freed up and remaining stiffness is disappearing. I'm afraid my idea of cold water is the sea in June off Poole with a wetsuit. It has been marvellous to return to the water this week after lockdown.Cold water swimming has a good press, keep it up.

[Highlandtiger]

I have a colleague who swims in Loch Ness or other local lochs most mornings before work (all year round) and in the winter of 2017 I had agreed to start loch swimming with him in the summer of 2018 but got hit by PMR in March and diagnosed in May 2018 so I didn't go through with it. On reflection maybe I should have after all...? Actually I'm sure I couldn't have, I felt so awful then! It has become so popular here because of lockdown that my colleague complains that he has difficulty getting parked near his favourite lochs these days! I might give it a try in the summer when they've warmed up a little...