Swimming is a great exercise. It keeps your heart rate up and takes some of the impact stress off your body. Swimming also builds endurance, muscle strength, cardiovascular fitness, helps maintain a healthy weight, healthy heart, and healthy lungs. But there are few dangers in swimming that students need to be cautious about. The goal in swimming is to increase the time a swimmer can remain in the water; the faster the swim the better the time.
One danger is extended breath holding. It reduces the blood flow to the brain which causes light headedness and decreased ability to concentrate. Lack of oxygen can also carry swimmer’s movements because less oxygen is available to the muscles. Long distance swimmers are at risk for permanent brain damage.
Warm water is also another issue. Swimming in warm water can trigger nausea, vomiting, and dizziness. In endurance competitions, swimmers sweat profusely and risk dehydration, placing greater strain on the body and heart as it attempts to pump oxygen into the tissues. If the water is 87 degrees Fahrenheit it will feel like a warm Jacuzzi which results in sickness.
A person could get heart arrhythmia because the organ can't pump efficiently. It can also result in lung failure as the muscles are unable to function properly. Swimming in warm water can also cause overheating.
Profuse sweating can lead to an imbalance of electrolytes, which can affect muscle mobility. Open-water swimming in warm climates can expose you to water temperatures that are too warm, which can cause muscle spasms and severe fatigue. While swimming is still a good sport many LRHS students need to be cautious of the hidden dangers.