Swimming is one of the most enjoyable and satisfying activities ever. It is marvellous to move around in the water in a gravity-free environment. Every muscle is involved and you consume loads of calories. In short, it is a truly complete, highly satisfying discipline. Not to mention that in addition to creating muscle mass, it lets you keep in shape.
But what is the relationship between swimming and postural problems?
Posturologists around the world recommend it to those who suffer from postural problems. In their opinion, swimming would help lengthen the spine. Nowadays, the numbers who recommend swimming are fewer, but the belief that it is good for those with scoliosis continues to persist in society.
Well, this is a false belief: swimming is not good for posture!
Swimming does not help to lengthen the spine, on the contrary, it increases postural problems since the dominant muscles tend to become stronger at the expense of the weaker ones, further increasing postural imbalances.
Not to mention that swimming accentuates the dorsal curve. In subjects with significant postural problems such as hyperlordosis and scoliosis, practising this sport can be quite problematic.
Why does swimming accentuate the scoliotic curve?
The problem is that the swimmer works excessively asymmetrically.
For anyone with scoliosis, swimming is so inconvenient that after 20 minutes of activity an annoying pain might occur.
Indeed, those who are scoliotic do not enjoy a stable biomechanical structure where they can unload weight and muscular efforts in a balanced way.
Since the scoliotic cannot unload the muscular forces harmoniously, the body’s muscles are not stressed asymmetrically. For this reason, the muscles working asymmetrically risk further worsening the scoliotic curve.
In cases where scoliosis improves by a few degrees, it is due to the muscles creating stronger compensations. That is, some muscles remain constantly in tension throughout life, creating pain, hernias, injuries, injuries etc.
Theoretically, the gym is more suitable in the case of scoliosis precisely because you do not move in a gravity-free environment. Indeed, each exercise is done with a careful and slow execution giving the spine stability.
Vice versa swimming is not good for scoliosis precisely because in a gravity-free environment there is greater mobility. Giving greater mobility to a scoliotic spine means increasing the risk of injury.
A crooked and asymmetrical spine does not have the correct physiological angles. These angles are narrower in some places, so greater mobility in the aquatic environment means that the vertebrae can make incorrect movements.
In the gym, all this does not happen because the muscles do not work in conditions of mobility, but in a condition of stability.
In any case, even gyms have their limits for anyone suffering from scoliosis: you cannot increase the loads (this problem can only be solved with the Rectifier Starecta).
In any case, whether you want to swim or workout at the gym you should wear the Rectifier.
If swimming is so bad, why are thousands of therapists still recommending it?
On a cultural level, swimming has always been considered the go-to sport when suffering from scoliosis.
According to our internal statistics (these are statistics we do every year with our clients), one in three people has been advised to swim at least twice a week by their therapist to improve scoliosis.
Swimming is recommended due to its absence of gravity. But Starecta in his book, with free distribution, explained that it is not gravity that causes scoliosis but antigravity forces.
Paradoxically, it is the antigravity muscles that cause the skull to sink when it is not sufficiently supported by the teeth. So gravity certainly doesn’t affect the causes of postural problems.
So the “apparent solution” of swimming in zero-gravity is rather weak, as it does not recognise the real problem of scoliosis.
Even the antiquated and dormant Italian spine science institute presented a study to the International Society for the Study of the Lumbar Spine that focused on the relationship between swimming and scoliosis.
The research categorically refutes the thesis that swimming is a cure for back scoliosis problems, indeed it brings to light data that show how this sport can also worsen the spine’s curves or even induce back pain.
The study compared 112 competitive swimmers who train 4-5 times a week with 217 students of a similar age who do not practice any sports or do it at an amateur level.
What emerged from the data collected is that swimming not only does NOT cure scoliosis but in several cases, it can worsen the situation or even cause back pain!
Even when practised only once or twice a week, swimmers often have various asymmetries at their trunk with a general accentuation of the curve.
Can the Starecta Rectifier help?
If you are passionate about swimming and you actually don’t want to give up this sport, the only way to practice it, without the asymmetries surfacing, is through the Rectifier Starecta.
The Rectifier is interposed between the teeth and the skull, in this way, it prevents the skull from sinking and worsening scoliosis. Furthermore, the Rectifier pushes the skull upwards returning it to its correct position.
In this way, the spine is stretched and muscle tension in the back is eliminated or at least reduced.
Thanks to the reduction or elimination of muscle tension from the back you can finally practice sports without having to stop every three months for acute pain. You can go swimming painlessly or if you prefer you can go to the gym.