The magic of Léon Marchand, the enthusiasm during the Paralympic Games events, which run until Sunday, September 8, and the fervor that accompanies them are enough to make you want to jump in the pool. All the better, as this sport also offers numerous health benefits, whether for prevention or people with chronic illnesses, as indicated by le Vidal du Sport, and Médicosport-Santé, a medical dictionary of sports disciplines, validated by the medical commission of the French National Olympic and Sports Committee and the French Society of Exercise and Sports Medicine.
Swimming is often promoted as "the" health sport. "The positive impact of swimming on the health of those who practice it is enormous," said Latif Diouane, head of the health department at the French Swimming Federation (FFN), which has 400,000 members, 77,000 of whom compete, and 252,510 of whom are under 18. A special feature of swimming is that it is a weight-bearing activity, practiced in a state of near weightlessness in the aquatic environment, with no impact on the skeleton or joints. This is particularly advantageous for overweight or obese people.
The effects of swimming on blood circulation and cardiovascular health are obvious. It reduces cardiovascular risk factors, improving lipid profile and glycemic control, and reducing arterial hypertension. In coronary heart disease patients, it promotes cardiac recovery from exercise, reduces resting heart rate and resting blood pressure, and reduces fatigue on exertion, etc., according to Vidal du Sport.
A large study, published in 2017 in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, found that swimmers had a 28% lower risk of premature death and a 41% lower risk of death from heart disease or stroke. The study compared the effects of six sports in a cohort of 80,000 British people in their fifties.
Swimming can also help improve respiratory capacity, especially for asthmatic children, provided that pools are not overly chlorinated or laden with disinfectants that can irritate the respiratory tracts of young patients.
Exercise in water can reduce pain and muscle stiffness in people suffering from joint disorders and disabilities such as cerebral palsy or multiple sclerosis. Swimming also enhances quality of life and cognitive capacity, and prevents anxiety and cognitive disorders, making it an ally for mental health.
Since 2009, the FFN has been offering the Nagez Forme Santé system, aimed at people with conditions, or who are wishing to improve their health, with differentiated teaching delivered by trained teachers. "With the system, we accommodate 2,000 people a year, but many swimmers have conditions and do swimming, without specifically doing sports health activities," said Diouane.
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