The Pros of Swimming for Human Health and Recreational Fisheries in the Blue Economy: Review (Published)
This review examines the pros of swimming for human health and recreational fisheries in the blue economy. It explores the various benefits of both activities and how they contribute to economic growth, environmental sustainability, and social well-being. The article also discusses the challenges and opportunities associated with promoting these activities within the blue economy framework. Swimming as one of the most popular modes of physical activity, it confers significant physical health benefits for both healthy individuals and those with disease; these health benefits extend across the entire life-course –as it has presented evidence that demonstrates favourable effects of aquatic exercise from foetus through to the frail elderly. There is a copious data considering aquatic exercise per se, there is relatively much less exploring the effects of swimming as a unique activity. It is imperative that this is addressed in future research, particularly given the compelling evidence presented that swimmers demonstrate lower all-cause mortality rates, and reduced incidence of falls in later life. The unique nature of the aquatic environment as a medium for exercise and physical activity has been comprehensively described. What is evident is that water-based exercise can confer a number of specific advantages, as compared to land-based exercise. As an environment that offers reduced weight-bearing stress, higher humidity levels, decreased heat load and a greater margin of therapeutic safety in terms of falls-risk, swimming/aquatic exercise is extremely well-placed to safely and effectively meet the needs of a wide-range of individuals, in both the treatment and prevention of physical health issues. Water-based exercise prescription should be a key consideration for health care clinicians and commissioners as we tap into the blue economy wealth.
Keywords: Environmental sustainability, Human Health, economic growth, recreational fisheries, social well-being., swimming