Why I Swim to Treat My Ulcerative Colitis

When one is suffering from ulcerative colitis, the best program in my opinion for exercise is swimming. As I have written in another article, I started exercising by walking. My joint paid a price. When one is exercising you are trying to build up the body's support. Sometimes running and walking only take you a step back.

When we have looked at exercises for legs and arms, the same motions can be made in the water without the fear of joint damage because of outward water pressure to inward blood flow (internal to external equalized pressure) and, one even gets additional resistance from water. You can add even more resistance by utilizing small hand weights. All of this is good for ulcerative colitis for stress relief and body conditioning.

As with Yoga, learning to deal with water by submerging, helps teach breathing control. In fact, swimming strengthens muscles and helps with muscle tone. Swimming for the ulcerative colitis sufferer aids in stress and creates body interaction that gets the circulatory system working.

When a person selects exercises to do in the water for ulcerative colitis, it is much the same as performing them outside the water. For example, I lift my leg behind me and hold it up with my arm. I hold my legs straight out and stretch and I go up on my toes and heels for tightness. One can also do muscle squeezes as well. The difference with these exercises is that each one is magnified with resistance without the same joint damage.

If you walk the length of the pool you can keep track of your achievements as to how much you have exercised. That is when I pretty much discontinued walking and did "water walking" because I found that my muscles added more tone; my stress lessened dramatically; if I was cramping when I went, I often got rid of the cramps; I even lost weight.

As I mentioned in a recent article I did for Associated Content on Hot Tubs and Ulcerative Colitis, my wife and I have been able to find a hotel that lets us use their pool and hot tub for three dollars per day; you can't beat that! I am sure you can find a place in your city that has a similar deal.

I think water exercise is your best bet when it comes to successful exercise for a person with ulcerative colitis.

If you look at running you can see where you can pile up injuries and also, I think you have more opportunity for a severe reaction such as a heart attack. The most important thing, however, is to find something you love; something that is effective and, go after it with a passion; the difference in effective exercise and being dormant can dramatically change your life.

"Ulcerative Colitis: Can Hot Tubs Ease Abdominal Pain?" Gary Davis Associated Content