Swimming Safety
Swimming Benefits:
Swimming does have many benefits: it builds your body, soothes your mind, regulates
breathing, and stimulates circulation. Swimming is also ideal for anyone because it
puts no stress on joints. It is also a calorie burning exercise. It burns 350-420
calories per hour. Swimming is one way to lose weight, gain nice body tone,
and feel greatly refreshed.
Swimming Cautions:
One of the biggest problems with swimming is the risk of drowning. Small children and
elderly people are the ones who have the greater risk of danger. While children are around
a pool an adult should be present in case of emergency. A good suggestion to reduce the
risk is to have a fence or some other barrier around a pool. Also, you may want
to cover a pool so that small animals could not accidentally get too close to the rim
of the pool and fall in. While at a public pool, smaller children
should stay close to an adult.
One other minor
drawback is that swimming is not a weight bearing exercise, so it will not help
prevent osteoporosis.
Here are some tips for a safe and enjoyable swimming experience:
- Make sure all pool users know how to swim--beginners should be under adult supervision
- Keep radios and other electrical devices away from the swimming pool area
- Always have two or more people in a pool in case of accident or injury
- Swim with a buddy
- Prohibit people who have been drinking alcohol from entering the swimming area
- Always check the pool area for glass, jewelry, bottles, cans, and other debris
- Always wait 30 minutes after eating in case of sickness
- Do not swim if you are tired or sick
- Stay out of the swimming pool if it is raining, thundering, or lightning
- Keep small children away from pool filters, in case of the suction force
- Never run on wet surfaces around the pool area
- Always have a flotation device handy
- When swimming in lakes or ponds, always wear a life jacket
Facts:
Every year approximately 43,000 people are injured in or around a swimming area.
More than 600 people drown in private or public pools annually.
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