Hello Greenfrog,

I have been exercising in the pool for over a year now and have found it so helpful for my sanity and health.

At first I would just walk very slowly in the shallow end next to the wall in case of dizziness. At times I would have to hold on.

This is a better alternative to going on regular walks because of the resistance.

Once I was able to move a bit more, I added front lunges and side lunges along the length of the pool.

I also added some sculling,both front and back, and would hold on the wall for kicking.

I would recommend just holding onto the wall before you progress to a kickboard because the strain on the neck and upper shoulder muscles.

I would do one minute of kicking hard and one minute of rest. And the good thing is you can just put your head down on your folded arms to rest.

I held off on the strokes for a long time. It was months before I would swim freestyle and I would only do 25 yards at a time. I would try not to breathe so as to not turn my head.

Never any flip turns at all! Still haven't done one in 1.5 years.

Also, I found breaststroke to really bring on the symptoms... If I do it I don't put my head under.

Backstroke can be scary and forget about butterfly



Just take it really slow.. At first I would just go for 15 minutes because the dizziness can come on quickly and be quite scary. Its amazing how being the least bit hypoxic can make you feel like you will pass out.

Leg lifts holding on to the wall are great too. Stretches are so nice to do in the pool. I found that I was able to stretch better in the pool than at home.

About 1.5 years after my concussion my workout at the pool is pretty simple.
I try to break it up 10 minutes walking, 10 minutes lunges, 10 kicking and try to repeat. I probably swim only about 10 minutes tops.

As a swimmer for 10 years it can be discouraging to not even be able to enter the older ladies aerobics class

Just don't expect much, and I agree with the other poster about how you can easily over exert yourself swimming.

Just stick to walking and resistance and toning exercises, maybe there will even be a belt at your pool you can wear if you need to go in the deep end.

Good luck and one more thing. Have someone go with you at first, I was dizzy a lot in the beginning. I would be walking halfway across the pool and would feel it coming on and would hustle to the wall. Sounds comical now but it was terrifying.

Also, I had a seizure and about 11 months and all my tests were negative for them so you never know. I don't want to scare anyone but just please don't swim alone. Not worth it.