A Renaissance approach to the (not so) hidden risks of the sport you love
That swimming is good for us is beyond doubt. But that doesn’t mean it’s without risk.
For example, while physical injuries are less common and less severe than in some other sports, they still happen. I’ve misjudged tumble turns before and cracked my heels on the pool side, not realised the backstroke flags aren’t in place and bumped my head into the wall, scraped the skin of my elbows on the lane ropes, and given one of my friends a black eye after a mid-pool collision, which was definitely his fault.
And that’s just the pool. In open water, I’ve cut my feet on broken glass, sliced my hand on barnacles, been stung by jellyfish, and permanently scarred my stomach after colliding with a rock. On long swims, I’ve got tendonitis in my wrists, and once had unpleasant and alarming breathing difficulties. And surely everyone knows a swimmer with a dodgy shoulder.
It’s not just physical injuries we need to worry about. Our health is at risk, too. Swimming pools are the ideal breeding ground for athlete’s foot and verrucae. In open water, we may encounter nasty pathogens.
Swim Smart
None of these concerns can or should be dismissed but we can use Renaissance ideas to help us manage the risks. The Renaissance celebrated thoughtful inquiry, deliberate practice and balance. Likewise, swimming safely demands the same: curiosity about your environment, attention to your limits, and the pursuit of technical proficiency. Absorbing and acting on this will help you access all the benefits of swimming while minimising the risks. For example:
Overuse injuries: The motivation to improve your technique is usually to boost speed, but luckily better technique should reduce the risk of overuse injuries. Always work on your swimming technique.
Avoid pollution: Be wise about when and where you swim. Check water quality reports, weather conditions, and tide times. Rain washes pollutants into natural waters and heavy rain may cause sewers to spill. If a sewer has spilled nearby, avoid swimming until 24 to 48 hours after it has stopped.
Accidents: Protect yourself. Use swim shoes if you’re unsure of what’s beneath your feet, goggles to protect your eyes, and be alert to the other risks such as sunburn, jellyfish and other water users.
Swimming prescribed
Swimming isn’t a panacea, but with care and reflection, it can be part of a Renaissance-style approach to wellbeing, where reason, experimentation and harmony guide our choices in and out of the water.
It’s a powerful tool for health and happiness but it’s not failproof. You’ll get more out of it by understanding the risks and taking sensible precautions. The water may welcome and support you, but if you’re careless, it may bite back.
