Swimming can be a great way to keep your muscles toned as well as your body cooled through the summer. It can be a very enjoyable hobby as well as a professional sport. But swimming on a daily basis can bring a few disadvantages as well. Let’s take a closer look at the downsides to daily swimming.

Dehydration

Swimming is a very physical activity which makes use of major muscle groups throughout your body. This exertion can cause you to sweat just as it would if you were in the gym working out on dry land.

As you sweat, your body loses moisture and electrolytes from the cells. A severe imbalance of these ingredients such as sodium, potassium, and magnesium can lead to fatigue, muscle incoordination, and even passing out.

When swimming, always be sure to take regular breaks to enjoy a drink of cool water or, even better, a drink that has added electrolytes such as Propel or Gatorade.

Repetitive Injuries

Repetitive injuries are most common in the shoulders since your arms and shoulders will be doing most of the movement while you are swimming. This can include general aches and pains, tendinitis, and impingement.

Other injuries are common in the lower back, upper back and neck, biceps, and knees especially if diving is involved. Muscle strain and other injuries can happen due to poor swimming technique, low conditioning, or pre-existing injuries in those areas.

Fungal Infections

One of the most common fungal infections a swimmer can get is athlete’s foot. This fungus thrives in moist environments and can remain suspended in a pool for several hours. Unfortunately, athlete’s foot is highly contagious and it’s uncommon to hear of regular swimmers not getting it at one point or another.

Yeast infections are another common issue women may have to deal with. This fungus thrives in warm and humid environments and can cause problems regardless of pool type and hygiene levels on the swimmer.

Bacterial Infections

Due to the amount of chlorine used in pools, bacterial infections are much less common than fungal infections, but can still be out there. The most common bacterial issue for regular swimmers is “swimmer’s ear” or Otitis externa.

This painful inflammation of the inner ear can run all the way to the eardrum and may even alter your balance. It’s normally caused by pool water remaining in the ear after a swimming session, so always be sure you dry the inner ear as much as possible after you get out of the pool.

Sunburn

While you are cool and comfortable in the pool, the sun can wreak havoc on your skin. Since the water reflects the sun’s rays, you can easily get sunburned on all exposed areas of your skin and not notice it until you are out of the pool and start to dry off.

Always try to keep a high spf waterproof lotion on your exposed areas of skin when you are swimming outdoors in the sunshine.