To Your Health: Cycling, swimming great for low-impact cardio

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Exercise is a major component of maintaining cardiovascular wellness.

The more we make our heart pump, the better chance we have at keeping our heart muscle and vascular system healthy. If we can find a way to move at moderate intensity for 30 minutes a day, five days a week, it’s a good start.

When combined with a healthy diet, exercise helps us manage our weight and not only keeps us physically fit but also helps us improve our mood by stimulating the release of endorphins. It sounds simple at face value, but sometimes we face obstacles that prevent us from doing certain exercises easily and need guidance to find the workout that works for us.

For instance, jogging and running are great options for cardiovascular exercise, but they can be rough on the joints. So if you have joint pain, they may be difficult for you, especially if you’re just starting an exercise routine.

This time of year, cycling and swimming can be welcome alternatives to running that will help you get the cardio workout you need without stressing your joints and leg muscles to the degree that running will.

Cycling allows us to burn a lot of calories with lower impact on our joints. It also activates our muscles in fewer ways than running does, meaning the time it takes to recover from cycling is typically shorter than that of running.

If you have a bike, consider getting back on it to see if cycling is a good cardiovascular exercise for you. Most people can ride a bike for longer than they are able to run when getting back into shape or first starting a workout regimen. While cycling equipment can be expensive, a gym membership can be more affordable. So if you don’t have a bike, you might consider using a stationary bike at a local gym.

Swimming is another great way to exercise with low impact on your joints. Water provides more resistance than air, so we still burn calories and activate our muscles, but the buoyancy we experience in water puts less pressure on our hips, knees and ankles.

If you’re an experienced swimmer, you can do laps and maybe even vary your strokes to exercise different body parts. If you don’t have a pool, you can look into memberships to a community pool or local YMCA.

Even if you’re not an experienced swimmer, you can safely get good exercise by staying in the shallow end of the pool and walking back and forth. The resistance of the water will give you a good workout while also not taking your joints too much.

Any time we’re cycling or swimming, we should think about safety. So wear a helmet whenever you get on a bike. And make sure you never swim alone. Either enter the pool with others who will be looking out for you or get your aquatic exercise at a pool that always has an on-duty lifeguard.

However you choose to get your exercise, get out this summer and keep your heart healthy.

Dr. Alfred Casale, a cardiothoracic surgeon, is chief medical officer for surgical services for Geisinger and chair of the Geisinger Heart and Vascular Institute. Readers may write to him via [email protected].