Swimming shown to ease lower back pain, Australian study finds

An Australian scientific study has found that swimming plays an effective role in relieving lower back pain, outperforming other sports and physical exercises in terms of results achieved.

The study, published by researchers from Macquarie University in Sydney in the specialist journal "British Journal of Sports Medicine," showed that the benefits of swimming are not limited to the short term, with positive effects lasting between six months and a full year after completing the training program.

Study details and findings

The study involved 76 adults aged between 26 and 74, all of whom had experienced lower back pain for at least three months before the program began. Participants underwent an eight-week swimming program, which led to a marked improvement in mobility and a clear reduction in pain severity.

Deborah Wareham, the study supervisor, noted that swimming reduced participants' pain by nearly 50 percent.

Additional benefits of swimming

Mark Hancock, a researcher at the university's Spinal Pain Research Center, said swimming also helps improve mobility and physical strength, as well as enhancing the body's efficiency in using oxygen during physical activity in general.