“My knees can always tell when it’s going to rain.”
Did you grow up with parents or grandparents that said things like this?
Continue reading “Does Cold Weather Really Make Pain Worse? Here’s What the Research Says”
“No, thanks. I’m not thirsty.”
Drink water anyway, before you’re thirsty. Plenty of it. Water is very important for your health.
Continue reading “The Surprising Ways Dehydration Causes Muscle and Joint Pain”
Losing weight is high on many people’s plan to improve their health. But shedding pounds and keeping them off isn’t easy. Or quick.
Continue reading “5 Exercises That Help You Lose Weight Without Hurting Your Back”
“Sit up straight! Don’t hunch! Good posture is important!”
There’s a strong chance you heard things like this growing up, and have even said something similar to your own children.
Continue reading “The Surprising Link Between How You Breathe and How You Stand”
Ergonomics is sometimes overlooked when you think of hazards in the workplace. That’s because injuries caused by poor ergonomics are not as obvious as injuries from slips, falls or dangerous chemicals. But ergonomic injuries can be just as detrimental in the workplace if the hazards that cause them are left unchecked.
Continue reading “6 Ergonomic Changes That Will Stop Workplace Pain Before It Starts”
Swimming is a good option for most people with chronic lower back pain. Water supports your body weight, so you can strengthen your core and back with less load on your spine, and reviews of water-based exercise show improvements in pain and function. Backstroke and freestyle are usually easiest on the back. Breaststroke and butterfly arch the lower back and are more likely to cause flare-ups. Get evaluated first if your pain is new, followed an injury, or runs down your leg.
When your back hurts, resting feels like the safe choice. Too much rest, though, lets the muscles that support your spine weaken, which can make pain last longer. Swimming offers a middle path: real exercise without the pounding of running or the heavy loading of lifting. Here is what the research says, which strokes to choose, and when to check with a chiropractor before you get in the pool.
For most people with chronic lower back pain, swimming and other water exercise are a good choice because they let you stay active with less stress on the spine.
The American College of Physicians recommends exercise as a first-line, non-drug treatment for chronic low back pain (Qaseem et al., Annals of Internal Medicine). Water-based exercise fits that advice well:
In practice, water exercise tends to work about as well as land exercise. Its main advantage is that many people in pain can tolerate it sooner and stick with it longer.
Water takes weight off your spine while adding gentle resistance, so you can build strength and move more freely than you could on land.
Backstroke and freestyle are usually the easiest on the lower back; breaststroke and butterfly tend to arch it and are more likely to cause flare-ups.
| Activity | Effect on the lower back | Tips |
|---|---|---|
| Water walking or aqua jogging | Easiest; spine stays upright and supported | Best starting point; swing your arms for more resistance |
| Backstroke | Keeps the spine neutral with your face out of the water | Good first stroke; keep hips near the surface |
| Freestyle (front crawl) | Neutral when you roll your body to breathe | Avoid lifting your head forward; a swim snorkel removes the need to turn |
| Water aerobics | Low impact, works many muscle groups | Skip moves that twist or arch sharply during a flare-up |
| Breaststroke | Lifting the head to breathe arches the lower back | Try it with your face in the water between breaths, or save it for later |
| Butterfly | Repeated forceful arching of the lower back | Avoid while you have active back pain |
| Kickboard drills | Holding the head up can arch the back | Keep your face down, or skip them |
Swimming can aggravate back pain when a stroke forces your back to arch, when technique is off, or when your condition is sensitive to extension.
The benefit depends on the person and the cause of the pain. For example:
If pain sharpens during a swim, lingers for hours afterward, or spreads into your leg, stop and get it checked.
Start with short, easy sessions of water walking or backstroke and build duration before you add intensity.
Get evaluated before you start if your back pain is new, came from an injury, runs into your leg, or has not improved after a few weeks.
A chiropractor can help find what is driving your pain and whether swimming fits your recovery. Book a visit if:
Seek urgent medical care for back pain with numbness in the groin or inner thighs, new bladder or bowel problems, fever, or unexplained weight loss (NINDS).
At Keith Clinic, care centers on chiropractic adjustments, supported by therapies such as massage therapy, intersegmental traction, and therapeutic ultrasound when appropriate. Our doctors also guide patients on stretching and strengthening routines they can continue at home or in the pool.
For most people with ongoing lower back pain, swimming is one of the more comfortable ways to stay active and rebuild strength. Start with gentle strokes, keep your spine neutral, and pay attention to how your back feels the next day. Pairing that with a few changes to everyday habits that strain your back often makes the biggest difference.
Whether you are an athlete working back from an injury or a senior looking for gentle exercise, Keith Clinic Estramonte Chiropractic can help you get moving safely. Find a location near you or book an appointment online.
Have you ever considered taking your child to see a chiropractor? At first it might seem like an odd idea or even unnecessary. After all, aren’t most people who suffer from back pain older? Not so fast.
Continue reading “Should Your Child See a Chiropractor? What Parents Need to Know”
We’ve been told for years that there’s not much a good night’s sleep can’t fix, or at least help ease. Sleep is our body’s opportunity to rest, digest, and replenish. It helps us heal!
Continue reading “The Best and Worst Sleeping Positions for Your Back, Ranked”
Did you know that the average human spends 26 years of their average 80 years of life sleeping? Let that one sink in. That’s 26 years of life spent on a mattress.
Continue reading “Could Your Mattress Be the Reason Your Back Hurts Every Morning?”
High-heeled shoes date to the early 17th century. So does the pain associated with them.
Continue reading “High Heels and Back Pain: What’s Actually Happening to Your Spine”
