Indoor swimming is a great choice for lots of people. It can help ease joint pain and help with conditions like osteoarthritis by gently building up muscle and flexibility. It’s also good for your heart and can help with some long-term health problems.
Swimming isn’t just about fitness, it helps you relax, feel better mentally, and have fun with others. Most venues offer single sex options.
Pool swimming is great for cardio because moving through the water makes your heart work harder.
Indoor swimming is good for strength because the water pushes against you as you move.
Swimming helps balance because the water moves gently around you, making your body work to stay steady.
Yes! Swimming uses most of the muscles in your body. It’s a great way to build strength and support your joints. And because the water holds you up, it’s gentle, even if you have pain or limited movement.
That’s ok. Have a look at the ‘Getting Started’ section below for tips and helpful links to get you going.
A great way to begin is by joining a water-based class. These are friendly and led by trained instructors. Your local pool or gym can help you find the right session.
It can be hard to know where to start when trying to move more. Everyone begins at a different point, depending on how active they are, how easily they move, and how strong they feel.
To get started, choose the option that best matches what you usually do on an average day in each column below. Look at your daily activities, mobility, and strength to find a sensible place to begin. Then click on the ‘see results’ button to reveal where you should start.
(select all that apply)
(select all that apply)
(select all that apply)
Just being in the water can help. You don’t have to swim far, try walking through the shallow end or gently moving your arms and legs. This builds strength. Ask staff if you need any special equipment to help you feel more confident.
Begin swimming short distances. Go at your own pace and build up slowly.
As you feel stronger, try swimming for longer or practise a particular stroke.
Build up your stamina by swimming faster or for more time. You might want to work on technique, like improving your strokes or practising turns.
Keep going! Swim further or faster, or join a group or club if you enjoy swimming with others. You might even want to take part in a local event or friendly competition.
Many swimming pools have special equipment and staff to help people with different needs. Check local places to see what support they offer.
Other support options are:
Visit Swim England for national guidance, programs, and resources supporting swimmers of all levels across the country.
Aspire provides practical support, resources, and inspiration to help people with spinal cord injuries access swimming and stay active in inclusive environments.
Quickly locate accessible swimming pools near you with our easy-to-use Pool Finder tool.
This site has been put together by specialists in exercise medicine and supported and funded by Nuffield Health Charity. In collaboration with academic experts, specialists in behavioural change, medics across a wide spectrum of specialties, physiotherapists, nurses and most importantly, people living with the symptoms of long term conditions. Through our rigorous academic process we have carefully ensured that all the information on this website is trustworthy and evidence based.
The following organisations have contributed to and endorsed the content of this website.
