What is the best sport for your pain?

We spent a long time wondering whether one sport was better than another in terms of pain relief. We thought that swimming was THE SPORT for reducing pain, especially back pain.

No sport is better than another

Recent studies have shown that exercises performed in water do indeed achieve good results in reducing pain, but no more so than activities performed outside the water. And when it comes to lower back pain, it has been proven that moderate physical activities such as walking or cycling do not contribute to the risk of worsening lower back pain and are, on the contrary, recommended for combating pain.

Unfortunately, too many people mistakenly stop practicing a sport they enjoy, thinking that it is the cause of their pain.

Don't be fooled: no sport is better than another when it comes to getting back into physical activity to combat pain and musculoskeletal disorders!

Did you know? After rehabilitation for chronic lower back pain, it is entirely possible to resume sports activities such as tennis, horse riding, or gymnastics, provided that the frequency and intensity are adjusted. [1- 2]

Choose an activity you enjoy

According to the biopsychosocial model, it isthe physical activity we enjoy most that will have the most positive impact on our health!

Yes, the pleasure we get from our favorite activity will have a direct impact on our well-being and reduce our pain, and above all, it will ensure that we stick with it in the long term.

So rather than forcing yourself to put on a swimsuit and go for a dip when you hate it, choose an activity that you enjoy and that will do your body and mind good. [3-5]

In summary, remember that...

  • - We can stop swimming breaststroke and backstroke if we don't like it!
  • - No sport is better than another for combating pain and musculoskeletal disorders.
  • - The physical activity we enjoy most will have the greatest impact on our bodies.
  • - Do an activity that you enjoy and find pleasurable.

 

SOURCES :

[1] Ribaud, A., et al. “Which Physical Activities and Sports Can Be Recommended to Chronic Low Back Pain Patients after Rehabilitation?” Annals of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine, vol. 56, no. 7, Oct. 2013, pp. 576–94, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rehab.2013.08.007.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S187706571301292X?via%3Dihub

[2] Zhongju 2018 Aquatic Exercises LBP

https://journals.lww.com/ajpmr/Fulltext/2018/02000/Aquatic_Exercises_in_the_Treatment_of_Low_Back.7.aspx

Sjolie 2004 Activities and LBP https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1600-0838.2004.377.x?sid=nlm%3Apubmed

[3] Heisz, Jennifer J., et al. “Enjoyment for High-Intensity Interval Exercise Increases during the First Six Weeks of Training: Implications for Promoting Exercise Adherence in Sedentary Adults.” PLOS ONE, vol. 11, no. 12, déc 2016, p. e0168534, https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0168534.

https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0168534

[4]Lee, Harold H., et al. “The Exercise–Affect–Adherence Pathway: An Evolutionary Perspective.” Frontiers in Psychology, vol. 7, Aug. 2016, p. 1285, https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2016.01285.

 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4996983/

[5] Maltagliati, Silvio, et al. “Why People Should Run after Positive Affective Experiences Instead of Health Benefits.” Journal of Sport and Health Science, vol. 13, no. 4, July 2024, pp. 445–50, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jshs.2022.10.005.