Swimming

This information is for anyone with axial spondyloarthritis (axial SpA), including people with ankylosing spondylitis (AS).

Swimming can be great for axial SpA

It improves your general fitness, flexibility and strength in a safe, low impact environment. Swimming isn’t about performance or perfection. It’s about finding movement that works for you.

Top tips for getting started

Start gently: Shorter sessions or an easier pace can still bring real benefits, especially during flare-ups.

Warm water can help: Hydrotherapy pools or warmer pools may ease stiffness and make movement more comfortable.

Focus on relaxed technique: Long, steady strokes can reduce tension and unnecessary strain.

Mix your strokes: Alternating your strokes can help manage stiffness in different areas of the body. Maybe start with front crawl, move to your back and then add in some breast stroke.

Listen to your body: Pain is information. It’s OK to adapt, pause or rest.

Consistency matters: Regular movement, even in small amounts, can make a big difference over time.

Make it fun: Go with your partner, a friend or the family and enjoy a chat between lengths. Head to the cafe afterwards. If you enjoy your sessions you are much more likely to keep them up.

Find the right pool

When you’re thinking about starting swimming, finding the right environment can make a big difference.

The Pool Finder on the Swim England website is a simple way to find facilities near you. You can search by postcode and then filter by different options such as hydrotherapy pools, warm-water pools, or standard swimming pools depending on what’s most comfortable for you.

Swimming strokes

Everyone is individual and what suits one person won’t suit another. Find the best movements for you.

Front crawl is a great stroke for many people with axial SpA. The body position remains extended throughout, including the neck, and the spine rotates gently.

Try to include some back crawl in every swimming session. This helps with opening the chest and ensures your shoulders rotate anti-clockwise. If back crawl doesn’t suit you try just swimming or even floating on your back.

Breast stroke can be a comfortable stroke but try to keep your neck in alignment rather than holding it out of the water. Be aware that the leg kick can sometimes inflame the hips so see how you feel in the days after your session.

Not just swimming

Swimming pools don’t just offer swimming. Many will also run water-based exercise classes.

Aqua Fit classes give a full body workout for cardiovascular fitness, joint movement and stretching but have the added advantage of placing little stress on the  joints. Exercises are similar to those performed in a normal land aerobics class but can often make you work harder as you have the resistance of the water to work against. You can use the Swim England pool finder to specifically look for pools offering these sessions.

Good Boost is a personalised aquatic exercise programme which is designed to reduce pain and improve mobility for anyone living with a musculoskeletal condition like axial SpA. Participants use waterproof tablets in 45-minute, self-paced, or facilitated sessions at leisure centres, with exercises tailored to their specific needs. Sessions are generally available at local swimming pools and you can locate them using the Swim England pool finder.