In the first study of its kind, scientists have found that swimming can provide relief from chronic low back pain. The trial suggests this exercise is clinically effective for treating this hard-to-target condition.
Researchers at Macquarie University in Australia have demonstrated for the first time that a consistent swimming regimen can reduce low back pain, providing all-important scientific evidence for the physical activity often suggested by clinicians.
“Swimming is commonly recommended as an exercise for people with chronic low back pain, but there was a complete lack of evidence about whether it actually works,” says lead researcher Deborah Wareham, a physiotherapist and PhD candidate at Macquarie University, Sydney. “We undertook this study because we felt there was an urgent need for research to determine if swimming was effective or not for chronic back pain."
The team recruited 76 adults (average age 41 years) with some level of low back pain disability lasting 12 weeks or longer. They were then split into two groups: one cohort undertaking an eight-week personalized swimming and telehealth coaching plan, with the other participants receiving just the education sessions.
“They weren’t regular swimmers, but they were able to swim 25 meters (82 feet) and feel confident in the water,” adds Wareham.
Each participant in the swimming group had a plan tailored to their abilities in the water and general fitness to complete three 30-45-minute sessions per week.
The coaching side provided education about low back pain, how it was perceived, and the importance of movement.
At the end of the eight weeks, low back pain was significantly lower for the swimmers compared with the control group.
“They improved by about 50% from where they were before starting the program,” says Wareham. “Compared to the control group who received education only, swimmers scored on average 2.5 points or 30% lower on a widely used disability scale.”
What's more, the benefits felt by the end of the trial proved to be long-lasting for the swimmers. At 26-week and 52-week follow-ups, this cohort still reported improved pain scores compared with the other group, although the gap shortened over time.
The study also tracked secondary outcomes – like pain intensity, functional limitation and fear of movement – and found that the swimmers scored better in these areas too.
The researchers note that despite exercise being a frontline treatment for low back pain relief, only some physical activities – like Pilates – have been clinically assessed.
“In fact, the improvement we saw in our study compares favourably with effects reported for other exercise such as Pilates in a recent meta-analysis,” Wareham adds.
“The argument for swimming in back pain is logical, but it was important to test this,” says Professor Mark Hancock, senior author of the study. “Swimming can improve range of motion, strength and general aerobic capacity, and the buoyancy of water can help people engage with movements that might otherwise be painful or limited."
The trial offered more than just pain relief for the swimmers, too.
“Importantly, participants told us swimming built their confidence to start exercising and engage with other meaningful physical activities – some continued to swim after the program, while others transitioned to other forms of exercise,” says Hancock.
“Now we have the evidence to support the recommendation – swimming is a suitable exercise for people with back pain, and it helps," he adds.
While relatively small, the trial opens the door to broader investigation into swimming for pain relief.
Swimming has already been shown to be beneficial for health, particularly when it comes to cardiovascular fitness.
The study was published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.
Source: Macquarie University via Scimex
Fact-checked by Mike McRae
