Swimming for the elderly has eight major benefits

　　Summer is hot and many people like to swim to cool down. right elderly For me, swimming is the most suitable sport. Because of the buoyancy of water, a person's weight in the water is only equivalent to 10% of his own weight, so the elderly can move in the water without using much force. So what are the benefits of swimming for the elderly? What kind of exercise should the elderly not do in summer? Next, I will introduce them one by one for your reference.

　　What are the benefits of swimming for seniors?

　　1. Improve body balance ability

　　Swimming requires constant coordination of the movements of the upper and lower limbs to maintain the body's balance in the water, thus making the core muscles stronger and avoiding falling during exercise. swim regularly exercise People who play sports have a 33% lower risk of falling compared to people who play other sports. For the elderly whose body balance ability gradually declines with age, swimming can effectively reduce the chance of falling.

　　2. Helps blood circulation throughout the body

　　in water skin When exposed to cold, blood vessels contract sharply, causing a large amount of peripheral blood to enter the heart and deep tissues of the human body, causing the blood vessels of internal organs to expand. When you come ashore from the water, the blood vessels of the skin expand, and a large amount of blood flows from the internal organs to the epidermis. This contraction is called vascular exercise, which can enhance the elasticity of blood vessels and increase the coronary blood flow.

　　Swimming can also increase lipase in the blood, accelerate the decomposition of cholesterol, thereby reducing the accumulation of sediment in blood vessel walls, and has a good effect on preventing or alleviating arteriosclerosis and cardiovascular disease in the elderly. The increased burden on the heart during swimming can enhance the function of the cardiovascular system and prevent the occurrence of arteriosclerosis and heart disease.

　　3. Enhance immunity

　　The water temperature of swimming pools is usually 26 to 28 degrees. Soaking in water dissipates heat quickly and consumes a lot of energy. In order to replenish the heat emitted by the body as quickly as possible to meet the needs of hot and cold balance, nerve The system responds quickly to speed up the body's metabolism, enhance the body's ability to adapt to the outside world, and resist the cold.

　　It can also improve the endocrine function of the human body and increase the function of the pituitary gland, thus improving the response to disease resistance and immunity. Especially for arthritis and bronchitis asthma It has a good preventive and therapeutic effect on diseases such as , neurasthenia and so on.

　　4. Increase breathing depth and strengthen respiratory organ function

　　Since water is more than 800 times denser than air, people have to endure a lot of pressure when swimming. Therefore, the respiratory muscles must overcome the pressure of water to intensify breathing and increase lung capacity, thereby enhancing the ability to adapt to external stimuli and reducing the occurrence of diseases. Swimming makes people develop respiratory muscles, increase chest circumference, increase lung capacity, and open more alveoli during inhalation, allowing smooth ventilation, which is beneficial to healthy Extremely beneficial. For the elderly, it can delay the decline of respiratory organ function and help prevent and treat chronic bronchitis.

　　5. Strong bones

　　After people reach the age of 50, they are prone to osteoporosis due to lack of exercise.； More than half of the elderly have osteoarthritis, especially osteoarthritis, lumbar strain, etc. Swimming can keep all bones in the body in an active state of activity and promote calcium in the blood to enter the bones, thereby preventing osteoporosis.

　　Swimming can also promote the secretion of lubricating fluid in the joint cavity and reduce friction between bones during activities.； Lubricating fluid can also provide nutrients to cartilage and slow down its aging. Swimming can make skeletal muscles more elastic, thereby better protecting bones and reducing the risk of fractures in older adults. Helps prevent osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, etc.

　　6. Helps slow down sexually transmitted diseases prevention and control

　　People are prone to certain diseases after middle age, such as Stomach problems , duodenal ulcer, coronary heart disease , hypercholesterolemia, rheumatoid arthritis, bone hyperplasia, bronchitis and tumors, etc. The occurrence of these diseases is closely related to the decline of human immune function, and swimming or cold water swimming (winter swimming) all year round is one of the effective ways to improve human immunity.

　　7. Lose weight

　　Water exercise is aerobic exercise that mainly consumes glycogen and fat, and converts excess fat in the body into energy for muscle use.； At the same time, due to the heat dissipation stimulation and buoyancy pressure stimulation of the body surface, the body fat distribution is adjusted reflexively, causing the fat inside the body to transfer to the subcutaneous layer, forming a very thin fat layer, making the body lines flexible and harmonious. Therefore, swimming has a very significant effect on regulating body fat distribution, lowering blood lipids, and losing weight.

　　8. Adjust your mood

　　The mood of the elderly is often in a state of anxiety, depression, restlessness, etc. When the water flow and waves rub and impact the surrounding body surface, it can form a special massage method of water on the human body. This natural caressing and pressing not only relaxes the muscles of the whole body, but also makes people feel comfortable, intoxicated in the embrace of nature, and thus get a rest.

　　It not only relaxes the muscles, but also relaxes the tense nerves immediately, excretes and dissipates those negative psychological factors that have side effects on the body, and restores a positive and healthy mental state.

　　What kind of exercise should the elderly not do in summer?

　　1. Mountain climbing

　　Climbing mountains is not good for protecting the knee joints of the elderly. Because the weight of the knee joint when going up the mountain mainly comes from your own weight. ； When going down a mountain, in addition to bearing your own weight, there is also the force of the body rushing downwards. This impact will increase the damage to the knee joints.

　　2. Squat exercise

　　When doing squats, due to the lower center of gravity, the knee joint will bear too much weight, causing joint pain and accelerating the wear and tear of articular cartilage. Squatting violently for a long time can also make the blood pressure of the elderly unstable.

　　3. Take a walk after dinner

　　Many elderly people regard the old saying that if you walk a hundred steps after a meal, you will live to ninety-nine as a fitness motto, in fact, walking a hundred steps after a meal is not suitable for everyone. From a modern medical point of view, when eating, especially when eating a full meal, the heart load of the elderly increases, and post-meal exercise has a significant negative effect on the cardiovascular system. Therefore, the elderly should avoid exercising within 2 hours after a heavy meal.

　　The editor reminds you that when exercising in the summer, try to choose mild ones. Too much intense exercise will make you sweat profusely and consume a lot of exercise. Too much sweat is equivalent to losing a lot of physical strength, which will also make you feel bad. Choose from sophisticated exercises such as Tai Chi, Qigong or Yuanji Dance.