Your Body Almanac

Swimming

Thousands of overhead strokes, chlorinated water and wet ears.

Swimming is gentle on joints and great for your heart and lungs. The trade-off is repetition: a serious swimmer may rotate each shoulder hundreds of thousands of times a year. Wet ears, sun on outdoor pools and open water add their own risks.

01

Swimmer's shoulder

Repeated overhead strokes can pinch and irritate the rotator cuff tendons, especially with tired muscles, poor technique or a sudden jump in yardage. It usually starts as an ache at the front or side of the shoulder.

SourcesSwimming injury prevention (OrthoInfo, AAOS)Shoulder impingement and rotator cuff tendinitis (OrthoInfo, AAOS)
Do band pull-apartsWeeklyStretch a resistance band across your chest to strengthen the upper-back muscles that pull your shoulders back. Do wall angelsDailySlide your arms up and down a wall to train the muscles that hold your shoulders and upper back upright. Stretch your chest in a doorwayDailyOpen up chest and shoulder muscles that tighten from hunching over desks, steering wheels and phones. Build up training graduallyWeeklyRaise how often, how long and how hard you train by no more than about 10% a week.
04

Sun exposure at outdoor pools and beaches

Water reflects sunlight and washes off sunscreen, so outdoor swimmers often burn without noticing. Repeated sunburns raise your risk of skin cancer.

SourcesSun safety facts (CDC)
Wear sunscreen every dayDailyPut broad-spectrum SPF 30+ on exposed skin each morning and reapply every two hours outdoors. Wear sun-protective clothingAs neededCover up with a wide-brimmed hat, UV-blocking sunglasses and tightly woven long sleeves when you are out in the sun. Check your skin for changesAs neededLook over your whole body on a regular schedule for new spots or moles that change, itch or bleed.
05

Low-impact training and bone strength

Because water carries your weight, swimming does little to load your bones. People who only swim may miss the bone-building benefits of weight-bearing exercise.

SourcesExercise and bone health (OrthoInfo, AAOS)
Strength-train twice a weekWeeklyWork all your major muscle groups on at least two days a week. Take a brisk daily walkDailyWalk at a pace that raises your breathing for at least 10 minutes a day, building up over time. Eat calcium-rich foodsDailyGet two or three calcium sources a day to support your bones, from dairy or from fortified and plant foods.

When to see a professional

See a doctor for ear pain or drainage, shoulder pain that wakes you at night, or weakness lifting your arm. Anyone pulled from the water after struggling or swallowing water should be checked if they cough, feel short of breath or seem confused afterward.