Swimming

Each year approximately 150,000 swimming related injuries are treated in hospitals, doctors’ offices, clinics and hospital emergency rooms. Here are some tips to prevent swimming injuries:

• Always take time to warm up and stretch. Research studies reveal that cold muscles are more prone to injury. Warm up with jumping jacks, rope jumping, stationary biking or running for three to five minutes. Then slowly and gently stretch, holding each stretch for 30 seconds.

• Learn how to swim, and do not swim alone. Swim in supervised areas where lifeguards are present. Inexperienced swimmers should wear lifejackets in the water.

• Do not attempt to swim if you are too tired, too cold or overheated.

• Avoid diving into shallow water. Each year approximately 1,000 disabling neck and back injuries occur after people went headfirst into water too shallow or too murky to see objects.

• Swim in a pool only if you can see the bottom at the deepest point. Check the shape of the full diving area to make sure it is deep enough.

• Dive only off the end of a diving board. Do not run on the board, try to dive far out, or bounce more than once. Swim away from the board immediately after the dive, to allow room for the next diver. Make sure there is only one person on the board at the time.

• When swimming in open water, never run and enter waves headfirst. Make sure the water is free of undercurrents and other hazards.

• Do not swim in a lake or river after a storm if the water seems to be rising or if there is flooding. Currents may become strong. The clarity and depth of the water may have changed, and new hazards may be present.

• Check weather reports before going swimming to avoid being in the water during storms, fog or high winds. Because water conducts electricity, being in the water during an electrical storm is dangerous.

• Swimming for fitness is a wonderful option. Pay particular attention to stroke technique. If you do not breathe on both sides of the stroke you should learn how. This will reduce you risk of overuse injuries to your shoulder.

• Be knowledgeable about first aid and be able to administer it for minor injuries. Always use the RICE principal when treating sprains and strains.
• Do not swim through pain. Seek advice from your sports medicine specialist.

Related Content

Overuse Injuries
Sprains and Strains
Pre-participation Physical Exam
How to Prevent Low Back Pain
Exercise for Bone Health
Stretching Guidelines

Disclaimer: This content is reviewed periodically and is subject to change as new health information becomes available. The information provided is intended to be informative and educational and is not a replacement for professional medical evaluation, advice, diagnosis or treatment by a healthcare professional.