Why Swimming May Be the Best Exercise for Older Adults

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For many Canadians, swimming brings back fond memories of carefree childhood summers, playing games like “Marco Polo” or earning swimming badges. But beyond the nostalgia, swimming is much more than a pastime—it’s an impact-free, buoyant-friendly way to stay active. Ideal for seniors, it offers a gentle, yet effective workout, helping to ease arthritis pain, increase flexibility, and boost overall well-being.

1. Water Takes the Weight Off Your Joints

You may have heard the term “low impact” exercise. This simply refers to any exercise that does not exert a jarring force on your joints. When swimming, around 90% of your body weight is supported by the water, so you will float through your exercise session without putting pressure on your joints. The relatively weightless environment and support from the water can help people overcome painful movement caused by arthritic and other health conditions. Making it an ideal exercise for seniors.

2. Swimming Gives Your Heart a Workout

As with any form of cardiovascular exercise, you reap significant benefits to your long-term health by swimming regularly. A stronger heart pumps blood more efficiently, meaning improved circulation throughout your body (even your brain!). Engaging in regular water aerobics for seniors can help maintain a healthy weight, reduce the risk of heart disease, and improve overall endurance.

3. Swimming is Brain Healthy

The fountain of youth? Just immersing yourself in water increases blood flow to the brain. This improves memory, mood, concentration, and cognitive function in general. Swimming may also help repair damage from stress and forge new neural connections in the brain.

After experiencing a stroke, Rose was affected on one side. With continuous water exercises in the pool, she has regained and maintained better function. “I feel very fortunate to have the frequent use of the pool and would certainly encourage everyone of all ages to experience the pleasure and benefits of water therapy”, says Rose. “We are so fortunate to have a pool in our senior retirement residence.”

4. Swimming Reduces the Risk of Falls for Older Adults

Swimming benefits seniors by improving balance control, which, in turn, reduces the risk of falls. By engaging all major muscle groups—especially the upper body, core, and legs—swimming not only increases overall muscle strength but also serves as a significant protective factor against falls. An Australian study that evaluated 1,700 men aged 70 and older found that those who swam were 33% less likely to fall compared to those who did not swim.

5. Increases Flexibility and Range of Motion

Do you feel stiff when you wake up in the morning?  If so, you are not alone. Most people lose some range of motion as they get older. Good news! The buoyancy of water allows swimmers to move their limbs more easily through the full range of motion. Doing so regularly helps keep your joints supple and improves flexibility, an important factor in older adults’ health and well-being.

Denise P., a resident of College Park II, shares how aquatic exercise has improved her flexibility and mobility: “The pool has been great for my muscles and limbs. For someone living with arthritis, my joints are less painful with consistent attendance in aquatic exercise classes. After each class, I feel regenerated, refreshed, and full of energy!”

6. Water-based Exercise Builds Stronger Muscles

At 91 years old, Sondra R has been swimming since a child. The Shaftesbury Park resident credits swimming, in part, with her continued ability to drive and walk Assiniboine Park with her 95-year-old husband.

“We are physically and mentally as sharp as possible given our age”, she shares. “For me the major benefits are that swimming works every part of my body. It’s not like jogging – you can’t injure yourself in the water.

Swimming is a full body exercise that tones every major muscle group in your body. Each stroke focuses on different muscle groups, so using a combination of strokes when swimming will allow you to feel the burn — and get the tone you want — faster than many land-based exercises. Sondra assures us that “you can do crunches and any exercise safely in the water.”   As an added bonus, building stronger muscles in turn helps maintain bone density!

7. Swimming is Good for the Spirit 

While we swim, almost all the senses are engaged: sight, sound, touch, and smell (and sometimes taste!). The rhythmic repetition of strokes and breath creates an anchor that soothes the spirit. Feeling the water moving over our body creates a massage-like sensation. The calm and quiet alleviates stress and encourages relaxation and even creativity. In short, swimming is a form of mindfulness that can release built-up tension.

8. Swimming Supports Your Spine!

You don’t have to worry about the weight of your body on your spine or your posture when you move your body through water. The buoyancy of the water supports the body, reducing the impact on the spine and allowing for a gentle, yet effective, workout for older adults.  If you’re not a swimmer, you can still use the water for gentle exercise: do some walking workouts waist-deep in a swimming pool to take the pressure off your joints and back while still getting movement.

9. Senior Swimming Helps Circulation

The horizontal position of swimming can help with venous return (the flow of blood back to the heart), which may be beneficial for circulation, especially for those who suffer from conditions like varicose veins. This is because the support of the water reduces pressure on your legs and feet, while strengthening leg muscles helps to push blood through your veins more efficiently.

10. The Secret Solution to Menopause?

In recent years, menopause has begun to take centre stage in scientific research and on social media. As it turns out, swimming has numerous benefits for older women. It helps with menopausal brain fog by boosting your brain power, increasing alertness, clarity, and energy levels, and releasing endorphins (happy hormones). Studies also show that swimming in cold water can significantly reduce symptoms of menopause such as mood swings and hot flushes.  Water exercise also helps women cope with changes to metabolism, improves circulation, and increases sleep quality.