Swimming

[Ormesby13]

Was just wondering if swimming would be a good idea if I have pmr in the shoulder area?

[123-go]

Swimming should be ok providing you take it gently and start off with short sessions. Swimming is good for mental health too 🙂. Some people on the forum have had success with aqua-fit classes, but again, only do what you are able to and tell the instructor that you have an inflammatory musculoskeletal disease.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

You have to try - I couldn't swim but I did aquafit classes which were really great. BUT - whatever you do, start with a very gentle and short trial and build up slowly. Anything in water is a lot harder than land.

[Redrupert]

Take it gently and build up slowly...hopefully you will then see the overall benefits both physical and mental of swimming.

[piglette]

I love swimming and really missed it over Lockdown. I am now building up my lengths again.

[Songbird69]

I couldn’t manage swimming as my arm muscles hurt too much. I’ve not tried it since but you have reminded me what I am missing so may give it another try.

[Ormesby13 in reply to Songbird69]

I was wondering about my arm muscles also, ad I have a physical job sometimes during the night I get woken up with the pain and thought swimming might do the same.

[Songbird69 in reply to Ormesby13]

I only managed about half a length and realised straight away that it couldn’t be done. Guess you could try and if no immediate aches, just do very little on a suck it and see basis. As you do a physical job anyway, you may find you are OK. I only sat at a computer screen most of the day so my muscles hadn’t had any kind of training!

[GOOD_GRIEF]

Try a breast stroke and/or a side stroke.

[bakingD]

I tried a few times and the crawl was too much, it seemed to hurt my back and I felt v strange in the water,then I tried breast stroke, again found it hurt me- only noticed after the swim not during, yet can cycle for miles- weird take it slowly

[whitefishbay]

Swimming is always good.

[Hidden]

Do you want to swim? If you do, then give it a go. If not, save your energy for something else.

As others have said, start slowly and build up gradually. Don't forget to plan to sit quietly for some time later in the day as it may tire you out more than you think.

I don't see the need to restrict yourself to breast stroke (as suggested above) if you previously swam front crawl. I regularly swim 1km, alternating breast and crawl; I'm slower than pre-PMR and find that it exhausts me and I can't do it on a work day whereas in my 'old life' I used to swim a quick kilometre on my way to work.

[Constance13 in reply to Hidden]

I'd love to swim again but the getting there/undressing/showering before I actually get into the water tires me out and afterwards it's the same thing in reverse!!! I live in a Spa village so the water is actually 33 degrees (lovely for my polyarthritis). Poor me!👵🏻 (😂😂)

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Constance13]

I got into swimming gear straight out of bed, with joggers and t-shirt on top, and showered "poolside" when I got there. Afterwards I just took off the swimsuit, showered to rinse off the chlorine and wrapped myself in a very large towel or dressing gown and sat there until I was dry.

[TURQ8 in reply to PMRpro]

This is exactly what I have done for years. To avoid swimming pool showers etc - I have a light towelling robe with hood - straight back into car and home to shower etc. I am in UK but used to swim a lot in the sea in summer where I lived by the coast in UK!

[Hidden in reply to Constance13]

I know what you mean Constance13! In the UK we are being asked to go to the pool 'beach ready' so - as PMRPro suggests - I dress in my costume (with it attractively bunched around my waist!) with a zip-up hoody and leggings on top. After swimming I wrap myself in a towel to dry off then put hoody and leggings on top of dampish costume and drive home to shower and change. I have my fingers firmly crossed that in July my birthday presents will include a robe like TURQ8's.

[Daffodilia]

I swim in non COVID times and think it is ok - I do less than pre PMR

[Coggles]

I found local private pools that were letting people hire by the hour. Floating and very gentle swimming in a warm pool was essential to my mental health when I was first diagnosed. Now 5 weeks in I'm back at the big pool swimming 30+ lengths. Start gently, just floating is a wonderful feeling

[pmr_nikola]

swimming can be relaxing and act as a massage, if done right. However, lots of people get tense in the water, have improper body position and don't know how to breath while swimming. Best to try and see if it works for you. Could it be done with PMR? You bet, I swim free style, 100 laps at least once a week.

[Bennijax]

Before I was diagnosed with PMR but had the symptoms and inflammatory blood test results, I joined a new pool group and was so happy to be swimming again I over did it. My left shoulder developed greater inflammation and frozen shoulder followed. Meanwhile I had a depo-medrone injection which took away the pain, so eventually with specific exercises and further injections I was back to normal. I’d say be careful with over doing movements that engage the shoulders, limit number of the rotations needed, but enjoy the water and the exercise.