Senior Tips for Safe Swimming

Seniors have more opportunities to swim for recreation than ever before. You don't have to be a senior citizen who spends the winter in Florida to swim 365 days a year. Many independent living or gated communities have included indoor pools in their club houses. More and more health clubs, YMCA's and spa's incorporate swimming pools into their offerings as well. As your primary care physician or cardiologist will tell you swimming remains one the best low impact, aerobic exercises we can use to workout regularly. Seniors who know how to swim or those who are just learning can derive great benefits from this wonderful year round activity. But in order to participate safely, seniors need to be more aware than ever of the hazards that swimming can present. Here are five senior tips for safe swimming that can help you to continue to enjoy being in and around the water.

1.Check with your doctor. When we see people frolicking in the water we may not always recognize that when we swim for exercise we will engaging in aerobic activities that place demands on our cardiovascular system. The first and best senior tip for safe swimming is: check with your physician or cardiologist to make certain that this type of exercise is appropriate for you given your personal health statistics.

Not only will your doctor likely give you the go ahead, he or she may also indicate a safe progression to use as you begin regular swimming. Your doctor may suggest certain limitations and can monitor the effectiveness of your exercise if you are in fact swimming for better health.

2.Begin slowly . If it has been some time since you have been swimming regularly it is wise, and your doctor will most likely recommend, that you re-introduce yourself to swimming gradually. As anxious as you may be to start piling up the laps, let good sense prevail and do not overdue on your first few times out.