Did you know that a significant percentage of people who set out to exercise never do, and those who start drop out? According to one study published in the Journal of Health and Psychology, 36% of people who intend to start exercising on New Year’s Eve never start. People quit exercising because of a lack of enjoyment, fear of pain, and high exercise intensity.
But what if you had a fun, enjoyable, and less strenuous option? Your next concern would be effectiveness. You would wonder if the benefits of enjoyment, convenience, and less intensity meant your chosen approach to exercise was less effective.
Pool workouts are a fun way to exercise, lose weight, build muscle strength and improve overall body health. But are pool workouts effective? Please don’t take our word for it. Here’s a sample of professional perspectives on pool exercise. Different health fields answer the question: Are pool workouts effective in maintaining overall body health?
1. Swim Trainers and Rehabilitators
Swim trainers spend their working life training others to swim and are witness to the benefits of water aerobics. So they are in the best position to answer the question: Are pool workouts effective in maintaining overall good health? One of the most popular water exercises is swimming. It’s quite helpful in improving upper body health, which is challenging with other exercise approaches such as running and cycling.
Water exercises can also help improve recovery rates after injury. Gentle pool workouts can help minimize muscle soreness. It’s also a good way to recover from an injury without incurring more impact. Water properties such as buoyancy and density remove the strain of gravity while offering similar benefits as on-land workouts.
One of the studied approaches to rehabilitation is aquatic therapy. According to a study published in the International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy, aquatic therapy can help reduce swelling after an injury and restore normal joint range. It also helps in the development and maintenance of cardiovascular fitness. Patients rehabilitating using aquatic therapy have a better introduction to coordination training.
2. Joint Specialists
Joint specialists highly recommend water exercises for joint problems. For example, the University of Washington Department of Orthopedics and Sports Medicine recommends exercising in water for people with arthritis. Arthritis causes joint pain, so the natural impulse is to keep them still. Yet bone and joint specialists recommend regular exercise, giving bones flexibility and preventing further damage.
Exercising in water is gentler on the joints than on-land exercises. Because water makes the body buoyant, the stress on the joints lessens, and thus you can exercise better. You can work out longer in a pool because water takes the strain of gravity from your body. The CDC reports that people with rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis improve after pool workouts.
Apart from keeping the joints moving, water exercises in a heated pool can provide heat which can help relax muscles and decrease stiffness. So, if you have been asking, are pool workouts effective in maintaining overall health? Joint specialists, including frozen shoulder therapists, say yes.
3. Somnologists
A somnologist’s work is studying and treating sleeping disorders. Sleep doctor services include diagnosing snoring problems and treatment to restore regular sleeping patterns. So how do pool workouts relate to sleep? And how does sleep relate to overall health?
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine states that sleep is a biological necessity and untreated sleep disorders are detrimental to overall well-being. Approximately 70 million Americans live with a sleep disorder that interrupts daily functioning, as per the National Library of Medicine journal. All forms of exercise are good for sleep, especially when done moderately. Swimming is an excellent water exercise because it allows heat transference and thus cools your body.
One of the impediments to good sleep is obesity. Pool workouts will help in burning extra calories and improving your metabolism. Better weight management will reflect improved sleep patterns. Pool workouts will also improve breathing patterns, which is vital for proper sleep.
4. Therapeutic Hypnotists
Are pool workouts effective for overall health? Let’s ask therapeutic hypnotists. According to Psychology Today, hypnotherapy induces a trance-like state of focus and awareness that is highly susceptible to suggestion. It has been certified as a varied procedure by the APA and AMA for more than 30 years.
Hypnosis therapy is a recognized intervention for treating anxiety and stress, managing physical pain, and inducing behavioral changes. Hypnosis works by improving neuroplasticity. Pool workouts such as swimming help develop new neural connections in the brain. Therapeutic hypnotists recommend water exercises because they aid in neurogenesis.
Although it’s still unclear what’s special about swimming in improving brain health. It’s clear, however, that water exercise, such as swimming, improves the cognitive and memory functions of the brain. Another study published in Physiological Reports found a difference in the cognitive function of two groups of participants. Athletes who engaged in moderate breaststroke had improved cognitive function.
5. Dentists
Dental care specialists have long linked proper dental health with overall health. For example, the World Dental Federation released a statement in 2021, calling on policymakers to regard oral health as an essential aspect of overall health. Poor dental health can lead to or exacerbate arthritis and heart disease. So interventions such as exercises that increase dental health will improve overall health in the longer run.
Apart from brushing daily, flossing, and making appointments with your family dentist, exercising will improve your dental and overall health. Pool workouts are a good way to exercise while having fun. According to one study in the Journal of Dentistry, frequent exercise helps prevent the occurrence of periodontitis. The risk was even more reduced by abstaining from smoking.
Pool workouts are also critical in maintaining a healthy BMI. Obesity is a risk factor for diabetes and hypertension, significantly affecting dental health. You burn calories and balance your BMI by engaging in fun water exercise. So dentists recommend exercise, including water-based ones, for overall good health.
6. Chiropractors
What will a chiropractic doctor answer to the question: Are pool workouts effective in maintaining overall health? Chiropractors aim to care for and improve a patient’s neuromusculoskeletal system. They focus on maintaining good spinal alignment through adjustments and exercises to relieve back and neck pain. Pool exercises can achieve the same goals.
Water offers a cushion for bones, muscles, and ligaments, reducing wear and tear common in land-based exercises. In addition, water offers more resistance than air, which helps build muscle endurance and flexibility. Pool workouts are much gentler and thus allow for the circulation and hydration of muscles. Multi-directional moves help direct nutrients to the right muscle joints, which relieves pain.
Since chiropractic therapy targets the body’s self-healing properties to improve the functioning of nerves, ligaments, and muscles, chiropractors would recommend any exercise that improves these factors. Chiropractors don’t recommend any medicine but include practices such as exercise and relaxation as treatment options.
7. Ophthalmologists
Do you remember the first time you were in a pool without water goggles? You probably felt a sharp irritation in your eyes. You may also have read about the risks of too much chlorine in water pools to your eye health. So, it won’t be a surprise if you are skeptical that eye doctors would recommend pool workouts as something that improves your eye health.
How would an ophthalmologist answer the question: Are pool workouts effective in maintaining overall health? They would be quick to note the risks and precautions you should take. For example, the American Academy of Ophthalmology highlights that chemicals used to maintain water pools, such as chlorine, are harsh on the protective tear film found in the eye.
Yet they would also point out the benefits of aerobic exercises that improve cardiovascular health. Aerobics such as water exercises help improve blood circulation to the optic nerve and retina, which could improve your overall vision. So pool workouts effectively improve your overall health, including your eye health.
8. Massage Therapists
Medical spas don’t operate like traditional spas, offering massages and scrubs. They offer non-surgical aesthetic medical services such as fat reduction, skin tightening, and laser hair removal. But what would a massage therapist answer to the question: Are pool workouts effective in maintaining overall health, including skin health? Would they recommend getting your skin underwater to improve the aesthetics?
Medical spas have easier access to warm water, which could increase the benefits of pool exercise for your health. For example, the University of Washington Orthopedic department says warm water relaxes muscles, making exercise much easier and more effective. Treatment in a medical spa is considered a medical expense and could qualify for a tax reduction.
Whether you do pool workouts in a heated pool or a medical spa, you and your skin will benefit. Pool exercises help you burn calories and thus reduce fat. One of the biggest goals for medical spas is fat reduction. Pool workouts will also help improve your blood circulation, which increases skin health.
9. Mental Health Practitioners
Are pool workouts effective in maintaining overall health? One of the professional opinions you shouldn’t miss on this question is mental health experts, such as psychologists. Mental health is often forgotten in conversations about holistic health. Major health organizations, including the CDC, have pointed out the role of mental health in overall health. The presence of diseases such as depression increases the risk for illnesses such as diabetes.
A study published in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry highlights three ways physical activity improves mental health: distraction, social interaction, and self-efficacy. Exercise helps improve mood, cognitive function, and self-esteem. Pool workouts offer a less strict and more fun approach to exercise. For example, you might find bicycle pedals and crunches more enjoyable in a pool than in a gym
The CDC highlights the importance of swimming for both men and women. More water therapy can help decrease anxiety and depression and improve your mood. So, if you ask a mental health expert, they recommend you take a breath and dip into a pool for improved mental health.
10. Geriatrician
Water exercises are much gentler for different groups of people, including pregnant women and aging seniors. So it would make sense that aging seniors want to know if pool workouts effectively maintain overall health. Can it be their go-to approach to having good health? Geriatricians may help in answering the question. They specialize in providing care for aging adults.
While geriatricians understand the essential role of exercise for aging adults, they might hesitate to recommend high knee burpees in a gym setup. Aging impacts joints and overall body energy, which could reduce the interest in doing regular exercises. However, pool workouts offer a better, less strenuous way to work out. Even aging adults with problems such as arthritis and disabilities can work out.
Water aerobics doesn’t limit anyone from joining. It also offers a chance for socialization, which is also helpful for aging adults living in isolated setups. It also helps reduce the likelihood of injury from falls by improving body balance, flexibility, and strength. Swimming requires all body muscles, thus improving overall body posture.
Final Thoughts
You probably never thought pool workouts were beneficial for so many body functions. Water exercises may seem fun and cool to spend an afternoon in a hot summer. However, pool workouts could have multiple health benefits beyond burning calories.
If you were to ask health experts such as chiropractors and swim trainers the question: Are pool workouts effective for maintaining overall health? They would answer with a resounding yes. Water offers more resistance than air, making you work harder than in air. Pool workouts also offer a different approach to fitness that’s relaxed and fun, even for the elderly and pregnant. So, when will you be hitting the pool next?
