All forms of exercise are great, but some a better than others when it comes to improving specific areas of your health. We tell all our patients who are dealing with advanced stages of arthritis in their knees and ankles that swimming may be a great alternative to running because the stress demands on those joints are decreased in the water, but how do the two exercise techniques stack up when it comes to our heart health?
A recent study put it to the test to see if running or swimming was better for heart health, and we take a closer look at the findings in today’s blog.
Running Or Swimming For Heart Health?
Both running and swimming increase our heart rate and get our blood pumping throughout our body, but is one exercise technique superior to the other when it comes to providing cardiovascular benefits? To get a better understanding of how these two forms of exercise affected heart health, researchers put them to the test with the help of rodents. They split the lab rats into three groups:
- Running group
- Swimming group
- No exercise group
Both exercise groups trained for the same amount of time in order to provide more accurate results. At the end of the study, researchers concluded that both running and swimming improved heart health compared to the no exercise group, but rats in the swimming group showed more ideal changes in the structure and function of the heart. They found that the hearts of the swimming rats developed larger heart muscle cells, ideal for helping the heart pump blood more efficiently during exercise. Researchers also found that rats in the swimming group had greater changes in several biological pathways that regulate healthy heart functions, including heart muscle growth, muscle repair ability and response to stress and physical activity.
Now, that’s not to say that you should throw out your running shoes and go looking for your swim trunks, but it speaks to the idea that different forms of exercise can provide additional benefits for your heart and your body. Running still showed positive heart health metrics, much more so than what was viewed in the no exercise group, so stick with what works for you. Anything that gets you up off the couch and moving can do wonders for your heart health.
So jump in the pool this summer and swim some laps, and your heart will thank you for it! For more tips on how to stay healthy as you age, connect with Dr. Silverman and his team today!