Best Way to Swim for Back Pain Relief

[@Vernunft2024]

I just discovered your youtubechannel a few days ago. Thank you so much for your information that contains so much knowledge. I' m 70 years old and when I was young I practiced gymnastics in many competitions, later I practiced dancing and swimming and yoga for nearly 50 years. When I was 58 I had a vaginal hysterectomie, maybe this distabilized my core. But I could do many sports like dancing and yoga and swimming till 2020, when I was 66 years old. In 2020 during the corona lockstep my lower back began to hurt. The pain grew more and more and I felt a weekness in my legs. The MRI revealed a spondylolisthesis grade 2 in L 3/ L4, a spinal stenosis, lumbar disc herniation L 3/ L4 and a osteochondrosis and a bone marrow edema / bone bruise in my sacro iliac joint. I tried so many things to get rid of the pain and to improve my lower back: physiotherapy, osteopathy, injections... But nothing really helped. 3 Doctors recommended surgery spinal fusion T-Lif with cages and decompression of the spine, but I am too much afraid of failed back surgery because I have heard a lot of complaints from other people. So I treated myself with care and relaxed for about 10 weaks. Now I really feal a little bit better and I will try the core stabilizing exercises and avoid the mistakes I have done with my yoga and gymnastics and swimming. Hope it will work and prevent me from surgery. Thanks. Sorry for my english, I come from Germany.

[@mariusbonaciu2728]

Elementary backstroke with occasional use of back floatie (start with that at the beginning). Takes the lower back muscles completely out of the picture, and core muscles kick in right away you want it or not (to keep your upper body and legs as “horizontal” as possible, also triggers your hip flexors like crazy). Learned this from a profesional therapist from New England Patriots, and fixed my lower back issues in no time.

[@trishsmith7040]

I have also had good luck with elementary backstroke. Feels great.

[@drbeganyi]

What kind / where would you put the floatie: under feet, between thighs, or you practically lay on it with your back?

[@mariusbonaciu2728]

@@drbeganyi lay on it with your lower back

[@tconcotelli]

Swimming is a lifesaver for my back. I’ve been swimming all of my life and have never heard anybody say swimming was bad for them.

[@ohadschwartz4798]

I'm swimming 3k a day for over 30 years + 1 hour yoga. Me and two more guys from my team had to go through spine surgery. No magic .... wouldn't we swimm we had to do surgery 10 years ago....

[@iburiati4650]

​@@ohadschwartz4798what swim type you do? please i need help

[@craighoover1495]

I have been swimming for over 30 years as an adult. I also have had a lumbar fusion surgery due to spina bifida occulta eventually leading to listing. I still swim even after the surgery which was about 15 years ago. I have learned that swimming freestyle properly is primarily an upper body exercise. My legs do very little work unless I put on fins. In those 30 years I also rode my bike and ran, so yes, I was a triathlete. Lifting your head while swimming is a big No-no, you breathe to the side. Using hand paddles and a pull buoy are really good for helping to develop the strength and endurance in the upper body musculature that will make anyone really enjoy this activity. Furthermore water supports ones body and the movements of swimming stimulate and relax the small muscles in the spine that can get tired. After a long day I always felt better after a swim than before I got in the pool.

[@poolmilethirty2859]

Thank you for sharing

[@coconutsnap]

Yes, thank you. Good grief. If you swim improperly, it's likely to cause some problems. The descriptions of swimming in this video were way off. Appreciate you echoing my thoughts. Enjoy your workouts!

[@paawian]

@@coconutsnap Swimming with a correct technique is how you make sure your exercise is healthy.

[@tamusbaby]

I started using a swim snorkel. Changed my life.. I swim everyday and I suffer from lumbar spinal stenosis, facet syndrome, and severe hip osteo. With the swim snorkel, my back is straight, and I dont twist when I reach forward. Previously, the regular natural movement, sucked.

[@Claire-cj6nn]

I lost all core connection due to my low back injury, failed fusion surgery, neck and thorax ddd and herniations.. lost muscle connections all over due to nerve damage. I have micromovements of the spine. Swimming was totally impossible. Rehabbing 1.5 years again.. after a nerve issues.. getting some life into these muscles.. i am not ready yet to swim trying with somethings between the legs.. but might start with walking for emphasis on maintaining core stability. I forgot about this kind of exercises. Thx. You really have expertise to effectively guide people. It is very difficult to find! Only a handfull know what they are doing and why. 👍🏼💪🏼

[@christbuilds7409]

I have cervical and lumbar stenosis but I swim on my back, a lot ab bracing and work. Good workout...

[@nbedwards8956]

So no discussion about the backstroke? Or the benefit of simply decompressing the spine in a near weightless environment?

[@claudiarankel]

Exactly my thoughts...

[@dawnjolly9437]

Came here to say the same thing.

[@serenity8475]

That’s Honest questions …he should address everything if he’s going to talk about it.

[@wesley5nipes]

Hey. May I ask how one goes about decompressing the spine in the water? I'd love to explore this in the pool. I'll be starting to see how swimming works for my body next week (haven't swam for years but used to do so regularly) and would love to have another tool that may be helpful.

[@nbedwards8956]

@@wesley5nipes I'm not a physical therapist but just the fact it's a weightless environment makes sense that it would alleviate pressure in the spine. When I started swimming again I immediately noticed that overhand freestyle made me arch my back uncomfortably but the backstroke felt great. Take note that decompressing the spine gives temporary relief. Overall goal should be to get stronger with exercises that don't hurt or stress your back.

[@Novie957]

Thanks!

[@CoreBalance]

Thank you so much for the tip, Novlette! Your generosity and support are much appreciated. 💙

[@mohammedbaluch8019]

With a dicey back, try to swim by holding your core firm. If you relax it, the spine curvature will increase in the freestyle stroke. With greater probability of a pain or spasm episode during and after swimming. I find that the backstroke really helps strengthen the core - but build up this stroke very slowly. If you build up your backstroke from say 2 laps of 25 yards each to 10 laps over a period of 14-28 days, you will have many days of no back pain🤸‍♂️‼️ Avoid butterfly, and breast-stroke kicks work better after the hips have relaxed after a few laps. And of course, the use of the snorkel is highly advisable to decrease stress on the lower back. And supplement swimming with appropriate strength training in the gym 🌺😊

[@cinmac3]

i don't like gym exercise for strength. Do you know about pull ups, still challanging having pain , but... so i only do one or two a day, ?

[@AlanLenowitz-q5f]

Thank you for your superb advice Ryan! I swim crawl laps for an hour most days with a mask and snorkel . It is a lifesaver as I am able to decompress L4-L5 where I have disc degeneration at age 76. I try to keep my core engaged throughout the swim ....same with backstroke. Thank you again Ryan 👍

[@anamnesiser]

Backstroke is the only one that works for me

[@Novie957]

First!!! Yayyy!!! You're the best on KZbin!🙏

[@MisterMessinger]

What about SI joint dysfunction?

[@poolmilethirty2859]

Thank you for starting a conversation on the benefits of swimming because it is rarely mentioned by most trainers. Maybe it's because most trainors don't swim.

[@barbarasmith1085]

I use the type snorkel they show, with a nose plug. Wonderful!!!!get the over head type shown.

[@rajeevsinghal6439]

Spine is meant to move in every direction. Due to fear of reinjury if movement is stopped for a long time then brain will forget the memory. After suffering from L4-L5-S1 disc bulges for almost 2 years I have understood to do all movements but in slow and controlled manner. Over time body will adapt the movement and you will be back to normal.

[@thebreadreport9841]

I have spondyliotisis in lower back. I swim every day. Primary utilize the back stroke and focus on the core. This is one of the few exercises I can do without pain and get a good workout.

[@ThaoLe-gp9oj]

I have just discovered that I am having SI join pain & Piriformis syndrome after the last 5-month lower back pain. I have sinus issue as well, hence I tried the breaststroke swimming with head above water in order to prevent chlorine / pool water coming into my ears (though I wore earplugs but the pool water still came in). I used to swim about 800 meters to 1,000 meters per day, non-stop. Recently I tried crossing legs for meditation and it hurt me a lot, I almost could not sit in 30 minutes. I did yoga poses as well. Now, I am stopping all yoga, swimming, walking for more than 2 weeks and trying to do the core exercises like bridges. I still love swimming. Should I try swimming breast-stroke again and how often should I swim per week, and how long (minutes) should I swim each time? Thank you so much for your advice.

[@michaelguidera1876]

I wear a face mask with a snorkel. I can keep my head down, and do a simple breast stroke. I can scissor kick my legs or kick like a frog. I conciously keep by pelvis in anterior tilt. My lower back has all sorts of problem, but this technique does not aggravate it and even strengthens my core and my upper body.

[@Helloall2013]

Hello Dr. Ryan, First of all, thank you so much for all your outstanding videos . I just had L5-S1 fusion surgery 3 weeks ago to fix my Spondylolisthesis due to bilateral PARS fracture for the last 13-14 years. I also had severe stenosis due to this alignment issue. Do you think swimming would be helpful to me or not , obviously not asking for the next few weeks but asking after 2 months or so.

[@surfertango]

I swim primarily backstroke since I can stay relatively straight. I also do side stroke. When I do freestyle with the buoy my legs are still kicking. FYI

[@chrisbarton4847]

What about backstroke/side stroke?

[@EnjoyLife-op5rn]

Is there a SI belt that can be worn while swimming? I understand a neoprene might be used.

[@trishsmith7040]

I have swum 6 miles per week in three 90-minute sessions in a 25 yd pool for many years. I had a L34 fusion in 2021 and had to stop swimming for about 12 weeks. My PT did not have experience with swimmers returning after fusion to the pool so they told me to just walk in the pool rather than swim when I went back. I felt like my back was coming apart when walking in the pool. Very uncomfortable. I then moved into crawl and was able to swim 1/4 mile with lengthy stops to slowly maneuver an open turn without pushing off. Fast forward to now, I have a new stenosis causing pain along outside of Left leg thigh to ankle. The pain started 3 months ago. I continued to swim but had to stop walking due to frequent onset of pain during my 3 mile walks. I feel great while in the pool, no pain, however when I get out of that no gravity environment and get vertical I get severe pain in L leg. I never dreamed the swimming could be setting me back. I am in week 6 of the CBT and have done great on all the pieces of the core to this point. Walking started this week. I can walk 6 or 7 minutes before the L leg pain kicks in. I sit or lie down, get my anchors solid. rest about 5 minutes, then continue. I can make it about 20 minutes total with 2 to 3 rest periods on my back. I am walking with anchors engaged but still experiencing a lot of episodes of pain. I also since starting the CBT program 6 weeks ago consciously engage my core while swimming, I use lazy legs to minimize kicking, and get a lot of relief from backstroke with bracing as well. I stopped doing breastroke because I was having trouble engaging the core while doing it. I will try to stop swimming and see if I can get the walking up to more duration and see if the periods of L leg pain will decrease. I have scoliosis, fused L34, and current stenosis at L45 as well as arthritis in my spine. CBT program is helping me a lot but I worry that I will never hike again. I already gave up skiing (since the L34 fusion) and golf. I want to be able to walk and hike to my hearts content. I have hope but dont know if this program will get me there. I am 65 yrs old and in great cardio condition due to years of swimming. I was also walking about 14 miles per week before the latest L45 issue popped up 3 months ago. Before CBT, PT and drs always encouraged my swimming. I am so sad that it may have contributed to my current painful state.

[@paawian]

To me it's all about good technique. At first I had to be very careful with swimming and I felt pain every time I wasn't careful enough. Right now, when my technique got much better, I feel great during and after a swim. I swim 4 times a week. Engage your core when swimming, especially with breast stroke. I also do a lot of stretching exercise in water.

[@Gail-u3y]

What about swimming on the back?

[@dk.8508]

Thank you for this. I don’t need a flotation device at all between my legs. My core is strong enough that I can pull myself holding my legs straight…

[@traciebarthel3319]

I'm a scuba diver and usually a shore diver. I carry on average 12 pounds of lead and I'm a female weighing around 120 pounds. Any advice?

[@hrsey71]

i have the early stages of DDD, and recently i started lap swimming. after 3 or 4 times at the pool, i threw my back out (extension intolerant) id like to keep swimming for the cardio, so maybe i will look into elementary backstroke or modified swimming

[@davidguthrie3739]

This discussion is almost entirely based on misconceptions about swimming form. The examples of high head position with an arched lower back are both common mistakes and completely wrong. Correct swimming posture requires posterior tilt of the pelvis, eliminating any curve in the lower back. Tucking the hips is similar to hollow body position in calisthenics. Lifting the head to breathe drives the hips down and pushes the body out of streamline position, exactly what we need to avoid. The only exception is in breaststroke, but even breaststroke requires posterior tilt and core integrity. In butterfly the head and upper body should not lift to get a breath. In all four strokes, the objective is to stay as flat as possible by pressing down with the upper body throughout the stroke cycle.

[@cinmac3]

David do you have a youtube link to recommend?

[@MS-bs8dd]

@@cinmac3KZbin beginning backstroke see what resonates

[@cinmac3]

@@MS-bs8dd thank you , learning to do that is hard for me and my shoulder on one side i don’t understand it, i though you might know of one they all see to have many controversies.

[@Blufella222]

How about swimming on your back is that better than swimming on front..? Also would you recommend doing these back strokes if you have SI joint pain or SO instability?

[@FreesoulRavin]

very accurate reason of back pain

[@Macinro191]

what about under water walking ?

[@faith5401]

Yes, chest height water level pool walking exercise is good. Includes some upper and lower body stretches at the end, plus a standing cat-cow spinal mobility is great too. ❤

[@joejoe-lb6bw]

There is also the option to swim using a different technique that is the opposite of the usual ‘competitive’ based mindset. For example, Total Immersion Swimming’. This was created by the late Terry Laughlin.

[@miketonner3094]

Isn't the Superman example very similar to your 'Front Anchors' exercise??

[@dk.8508]

What about for someone with sacroiliac joint problems especially acute problems. Is walking slowly through the water, Good? And how about treading water in an upright position - a lot of swim classes employ treading (Not touching the pool floor)-not everyone uses the same term for that

[@debpratt52]

I had spinal stenosis/degenerative disc disease/congenital narrowing of the spinal canal in L4-5 and did water walking and treading water every day when we lived in Sun City, AZ. It made my back much worse.

[@processfitness]

Well i do the back stoke and side stroke. Im going to take an educated guess that this was the alternative you didn't mention.

[@dk.8508]

One of the images shows a woman doing the glute bridge with her heels off the ground. I haven’t seen you talk about that as being something you recommend.

[@jeanmorrison245]

I'm sure backstroke would mitigate against the lumbar extension of freestyle and breaststroke.

[@macobats]

What about bicycle riding?

[@dk.8508]

Are you saying that if people want to protect their box they should never do daily the basic swimming styles - maybe only the backstroke using an inward, gentle, scooping motion with the arms?

[@adriano969]

everytime I get to swimming my lower back pain vanishes. The only style I avoid is the butterfly, that's very harsh on the back.

[@abudhabi9850]

what about breaststroke or backstroke?

[@dk.8508]

Side stroke is relaxing

[@jankruger4376]

Your swim position examples are terrible, but unfortunately will be common for most new-comers to swimming. Freestyle should have the swimmer looking down, rather than forward. This stops the legs dropping, prevent the exaggerated curved spine and improves drag.

[@CoreBalance]

As you mention, these swim position examples are common for the majority of inexperienced swimmers (which is our audience). In other words, they are accurate for the people we are speaking to, but not optimal swimming positions for competitive swimming. Thanks for sharing!

[@baivulcho]

The examples and the content of the video are quite accurate actually. I for example am a pretty good swimmer, and multiple trainers say that I have perfect form. However, since my herinated disc started to dehydrate and my nerve canal to shrink, I experience a lot of back pain and sciatica after swimming for an hour. One additional tip I can give is to swim on your back. This alleviates the back pain for me.

[@jankruger4376]

@@baivulcho If your freestyle reflects the backward bending as in the example, you have terrible form, and explains why you would pick up back pain. Swimming on you back would have you in a neutral back, neck and head position without this bend in the spine. I would suggest that for your freestyle that you look straight down at the bottom of the pool, NOT forward. This will help raise your hips and give you a more neutral spine with less of a bend, and should be easier on your back.

[@joannebate-shawcross4653]

I get pain when I swim.. Breaststroke

[@TheAuminer1]

Chlorine dries out my body and causes more dry out disk pain

[@redblacktichy7713]

Sadly this swimming is worse for the shoulders. I got 'swimming shoulder" after i swam 4 times weekly

[@davidguthrie3739]

Swimming with improper technique will almost inevitably cause shoulder pain. Good technique protects the shoulders from injury but swimming should absolutely be supplemented with resistance training to insure joint stability. The problem is proper technique is completely counterintuitive and good instructional information is in short supply.

[@coconutsnap]

You do not understand swimming. If you swim improperly, as your diagrams show, it's likely to cause problems. But that's true of most of most, if not all, sports.

[@FarrahKhaledAlii]

The cons make sense for a non swimmer..