ISSUE
HIGHLIGHTS

couple.gif (23118 bytes)
PAGE 12

 

4
SELF-CARE UPDATE
Home Treatment for a Sore Back or Neck

5
BODYWORKS
The Mind/Body Connection

cartoon.gif (19090 bytes)

7
FOR YOUR BENEFIT
Our Grievance Procedure

11
EMERGENCY CARE
Make the Right Decision


 

 M.D. Health Plan
Health
Matters
 
A QUARTERLY WELLNESS MAGAZINE    WINTER 1994
 

WATER WORKOUTS

Take the Plunge

BY DARYN ELLER

If you think the pool is just a place to cool off in during the summer, it's time you got into the swim of things.
For millions of people, swimming is a year-round activity that offers an excellent cardiovascular workout. It's also a great way to increase your upper-body strength and to add variety to your workouts. And if you've been sidelined by injuries from other activities, the pool can be safer for you than the gym or track. So if you've been wondering if the pool is the place for you, go ahead and get your feet wet.

The H2O Advantage
Like other aerobic activities, such as walking, running, and cycling, swimming can yield a host of benefits, including a decrease in blood cholesterol levels, weight loss, and most important, a lower risk of heart disease. But unlike most other forms of aerobic exercise, swimming is extremely easy on the body.
    "Since the body is buoyant, there is no pressure on

 wpe2.jpg (7795 bytes)the joints," explains Lewis G. Maharam, M.D., a sports medicine specialist at the Columbia-Presbyterian Center for Sports Medicine in New York City. "For that reason, it's possible to work out at a higher intensity than you might if you were participating in other sports, with very little risk of compounding or creating new injuries. It's also a great activity for anyone who suffers from a bad back." The pool perks don't stop there. Strokes such as the crawl, the backstroke, and the butterfly take the arms through an extended range of