I. INTRODUCTION
Men are not primarily born swimmers unlike animals who have the instinct to do what is necessary in dealing with obstacles involving water. Humans have to learn how to swim either by enrolling in a swim class or figuring out how to swim themselves. An important factor in learning how to swim is the learning capability as well as the personal experience and personal drive of an individual. It varies from person to person although many have excelled in swimming as a sport while others have engaged in it either for recreational or therapeutic reasons. It is a good exercise and considered as a lifetime sport that benefits the body and the whole person.
There have been many claims of endless health benefits of swimming. Swimming works the whole body, improving cardiovascular conditioning, muscle strength, endurance, posture, and flexibility all at the same time. It has been associated to certain kinds of medical conditions such as scoliosis as an alternative therapy to the treatment of this abnormal curvature of the spine. While scoliosis is a is an abnormal condition which affects the spines of many children, teenagers and adults, activities like swimming have been recommended for skeletally mature individuals with this condition as they have the vital capacity to swim.
Straightening the spine is no easy task but with swimming as an alterative therapy for scoliosis, people with this condition often resort to swimming rather than going under conventional options such as bracing or surgery. It is a simple yet effective activity to either help prevent and treat scoliosis most especially with children. With early screening and detection, swimming can help prevent more curvature among people suffering from scoliosis in a more convenient manner.
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II. HISTORY
At the beginning of the 19th century, swimming became more popular when swimming competitions were being held in London’s six swimming artificial pools The sport’s popularity continued to grow that by 1869, the Amateur Swimming Association of Great Britain was established for more organized swimming competitions with more than 300 members where the main swimming styles were still the breaststroke and the recently developed sidestroke. The London Sporting Association in England has finally included swimming in its program in 1869. After five years, the first national swimming federation was formed in England. The front crawl then called the trudgen, now known predominantly as the "front crawl" or "freestyle" and the breaststroke was the most common strokes used in the early period for competitive swimming. Then they were followed other developed strokes used in competitions like backstroke and butterfly.
A. DEFINTION OF SWIMMING
Swimming as an art is discovering the joys of exploring and working with water using movements that are far removed from the standard stroke patterns and not only focusing on swimming the standard strokes well. With the coordinated motions of the hand and feet, you can appreciate the rhythmic movements of your body through swimming. Not only it is being enjoyed by people through sports in different competitions but individually, it is gives a relaxing feeling and satisfaction being submerged in water and moving your body freely in a given space.
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A.PROPER SWIMMING
Regardless of your stroke choice, it is important to understand that technique is critically important - the wrong technique will likely cause injury and hinder efficient progress through the water. You will improve your swimming performance most readily by eliminating resistance. Stroking furiously in the water does not necessarily propel you faster, it only exhausts you faster. Swim speed, or velocity, is the product of Stroke Length (SL) and Stroke Frequency (SF). Increasing the SL (distance traveled per stroke) requires that you first learn to reduce resistance to forward progress. After perfecting a position of low resistance, you can then add power to your stroke. This power originates in the hips and is translated up through the torso to the shoulder. SF is not as important as SL. World class swimmers are not fast and efficient because they take frequent strokes. They are fast and efficient because they travel further in the water with each stroke.
C. DEFINITIONS OF THE STROKES
Backstroke It is also sometimes called back crawl is one of the four swimming styles, and the only regulated style swum on the back. This has the advantage of easy breathing, but the disadvantage of not seeing where the swimmer is heading to. It is also the only competition swimming style that starts in the water. The swimming style is similar to an upside down front crawl. Both backstroke and front crawl are long-axis strokes. Backstroke is the second slowest stroke after breaststroke.
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The maximum swimming speed is around 1.84 meter per second. Due to its position on the back, backstroke uses different muscles in the upper body than other styles. Breaststroke Breaststroke is one of the four competitive strokes. It is also a valuable survival stroke. When swimming the breaststroke the swimmer is prone in the water, and the arm and leg actions are symmetric. The swimmer breathes in at the beginning of each arm stroke. It is the only competitive stroke where the arm recovery is carried out under water and where a greater amount of frontal resistance is experienced. The arm action is an out sweep, down sweep, in sweep and up sweep with recovery in a streamline position.
Butterfly Butterfly is a swimming stroke swum on the breast, with both arms moving simultaneously. The butterfly kick was developed separately, and is also known as the "dolphin kick". While other styles like the breaststroke, front crawl, or backstroke can be swum easily even by beginners, the butterfly requires very good technique to be feasible. Many students consider it the most difficult style. It is the newest swimming style swum in competition, first swum around 1934. Crawl Front crawl, also known as The Australian Crawl, is usually regarded as the fastest swimming style developed. It is one of two long axis strokes, the other being the backstroke. It is a racing stroke, in which the swimmer, lying flat on the water with face submerged, takes alternate overhand arm strokes while moving his legs up and down alternately from the knee.
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IV. DEFINITION OF SCOLIOSIS
Scoliosis is a disorder that causes an abnormal curve of the spine, or backbone. The spine has normal curves when looking from the side, but it should look straight when looking from the front. People with scoliosis develop additional curves to either side, and the bones twist on each other like a corkscrew.
A scoliosis is a lateral or sideways curve in the spine that is apparent when viewing the spine from behind. A mild degree of scoliosis is common, occurring in up to 50 per cent of the population. Scoliosis generally does not require any specific treatment. However, severe scoliosis does indeed need treatment. Scoliosis occurs mainly in the thoracic and thoraco-lumbar regions. There are two basic types of scoliosis, structural and functional. In the structural scoliosis the mechanics of the curve are such that rotation of the vertebrae occurs in combination with lateral curvature, and this usually produces a protruberance of one side of the rib cage, seen best when a person bends forward. This is the worst type of scoliosis, and it can be progressive. In the functional scoliosis, fixed rotation does not occur, and the curvature is usually nonprogressive. This type of scoliosis is classified into postural, which disappears on forward bending, and compensatory, which is most commonly due to a short leg. A. WHO WOULD GET SCOLIOSIS?
The condition can be hereditary, so a child who has scoliosis might have family members who have it. Girls are much more prone to developing severe cases of spinal curvature than boys are.
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Scoliosis can develop very gradually, in most cases it isn't diagnosed until a child is between the ages of 10 and 14. Most cases of scoliosis don't require treatment, but even when they do, kids can usually resume an active life after treatment.
B. CASES OF CURVATURE
Some of the many cases of spinal curvature are due to long-continued pr prolonged faulty posture. “Bad posture is more likely to case spinal curvature if the muscles of the trunk are allowed to become weak through lack of proper exercise.”
B.A. DEFORMITY OF THE SPINE Scoliosis Scoliosis refers to a curvature of the spine to the side. True scoliosis is also associated with a twisting or rotation of the spine. Scoliosis is generally not painful. When a person is viewed from the front or from behind, the spine is normally straight. The shoulders and pelvis are normally level and parallel to the ground when standing. When a person bends forward, the ribs appear level and symmetric.
With scoliosis, alterations in this normal anatomy occur. The shoulders may be uneven (asymmetric) with one shoulder being higher than the other. The pelvis may also be uneven, resulting in skin creases on one flank and unevenness in the hem-line or belt line. With rotation, one rib protrudes further from the body than the other. Curvature of the spine may develop as a single curve to a side (shaped like the letter C) or as two curves, side to side, (shaped like the letter S).
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Scoliosis can occur in the mid (thoracic) spine, the low (lumbar) spine, or both areas at the same time. The severity of the scoliosis is measured in degrees by comparing the curves to "normal" angles. Curves can range in size from as little as 10 degrees to severe cases of more than 100 degrees.
C. HOW MUSCLES WORK
Every muscle is actually a wrapped package, containing other smaller wrapped packages of long, slender cells known as muscle fibers. The outer wrapping, made of connective tissue, is called the muscle fascia. The smaller packages are called muscle fascicles, and each one contains a bundle of up to 150 muscle fibers. At both ends of every muscle, the fascia covering the muscle tapers to form a strong, rope-like length of connective tissue called a tendon, which is connected directly to one of your bones. One end, which connects to a relatively unmoving skeletal part, is the origin of the muscle. The point where it's attached to a moving bone is the insertion of the muscle. For example, the biceps muscle originates at the shoulder, and its insertion is in the forearm, near the elbow, which allows the forearm to flex during muscle contraction.
When the muscle contracts, it pulls on the tendon, and this causes the bone to move. The bigger the muscle, the more force it can generate on the bone. During contraction, the muscle pulls its origin and insertion closer together. Often a muscle is attached to either side of a joint, allowing motion of the joint during muscle contraction. For example, the biceps pulls the forearm up toward the body across the elbow joint.
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Each muscle fiber shares a nerve ending with other nearby fibers, making up a group of fibers known as a motor unit. Every time the master motor nerve fires (sends an impulse to a muscle), this motor unit contracts simultaneously. This effect is called the "all-or-nothing" principle of muscle contraction. Every time a nerve ending fires, a burst of energy is released in each individual muscle fiber, causing tiny filaments to slide toward each other. The result is a significant shortening of the muscle fiber. When the fibers in a motor unit contract in unison, the result is a muscle contraction. Whatever form of exercise you're doing, from swimming to bicycling, your movements depend on the repeated, coordinated firing of the appropriate motor units. Improved coordination of this firing sequence is a major reason you get more skilled at any physical activity with practice.
Swimming exercises almost all muscles in the body. Usually, the arms and upper body are exercised more than the legs. In competitive swimming, excessive leg muscles can be seen as a disadvantage as they consume more oxygen, which would be needed for the muscles in the arms, although this depends on the swimming style. While breaststroke generates significant movement with the legs, front crawl propels the body mainly with the arms.
D.STRENGTH EXERCISE
Swimming is a very unique sport to develop a proper strength training workout for. Swimming is one of the few sports that require more upper body strength for maximum performance. In fact, swimming requires at least 80% of strength from the torso and arms.
Strength and power training is essential for elite swimming performance. To optimize the benefit
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of land-based training, you must select exercises with mechanical relevance to the swimming action, particularly those movements which propel the swimmer through the water, such as the arm pull and leg kick. As the resistance in the water is different from the resistance provided by weight equipment on land, unless you have special hydraulic equipment, you must also focus on mimicking the speed and smooth movement of the swimming stroke when performing landbased exercises. Various exercises for the arm pull, leg kick, dive and turn movements are suggested, all with a good functional relationship to the swimming action. While this is not a definitive or exhaustive selection of exercises, especially as it focuses solely on front crawl, it involves highly specific swimming movements in terms of mechanics, positions and speed. When you design strength programs for swimming performance or any other sport, be sure to think about each exercise in terms of its relevance to performance. The human body, being composed mostly of water, has nearly the same density as water. Thus, staying afloat requires only a slight propelling of water downward relative to the body, and transverse motion only a slight propelling of water in a direction opposite to the direction of motion, due to generally low hydrodynamic drag. This propelling is typically accomplished by cupping the hands and using them as paddles, and by kicking the legs to push water away from the body.
With practice, technique can convert a slow or average swimmer to at least a moderately fast swimmer. Since speed converts directly into distance, the same techniques that improve speed also aid one to move farther with the same effort.
The torso and the legs should be kept as much as possible parallel to the surface of the water.
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Drooped legs or a slanted torso dramatically increase drag.
Try to have a pointed hand above the head, pointed forward as much as possible. This increases the average length at the water-line, substantially increasing speed. This is an effect long used by boat designers, and unconsciously used by "naturally good swimmers."
Try to maximize the time spent on the side because the torso is smaller front-to-back than sideto-side on most swimmers. This reduces the frontal cross-section, reducing drag further, and also increasing the ratio between the bodies’ water-line-length and width. Similar improvements are possible by orienting the narrowest direction of head, hands, legs and arms into the water. The torso is by far the most critical.
The motion of the hand, arm, and leg from back to the front should be in the air as much as possible, and in the water, oriented as perfectly as possible, because the returning appendage has to move at least twice as fast as the swimmer, and in the water generates eight times the drag (drag increases with the cube of the speed) of an equal amount of torso frontal area.
The basic "catch" of the water is not nearly as critical as the above items. Most swimmers simply grab water with their hand flat, or the fingers slightly spread, and then draw it smoothly down their body.
Note that none of the above techniques require improved strength. With strength training, the hands and feet can be extended further into the water, gaining more propulsion. For improvers,
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increased strength brings only small improvements if the above strategies (minimize drag and lengthen water-line) are not optimal. * Butterfly stroke A fourth competition is for unregulated styles and is called freestyle. During freestyle, it is possible to swim any style on this list. Due to the superior speed, most swimmers choose front crawl for freestyle competitions. Competitive swimmers often use the term "freestyle" to refer to front crawl, even though this is technically not correct. For medley swimming freestyle is any style except breaststroke, backstroke, and butterfly. with head above the water and a slightly inward curved arm to keep the ball between the arms and in front of the head.
V.HEALTH BENEFITS
Swimming is a fabulous workout, which is not only beneficial for the human body, but, also is a great fun to perform, especially during summers. In fact, in summer time, swimming serves as an excellent exercising choice to beat the summer heat. It provides you the best of both worlds, if on one hand, it provides the cardio benefits of running, then on the other hand, it paves way for achieving weight training strength building benefits. The reservoir of swimming health benefits is really comprehensive. This aerobic exercise is in real demand in the present times, owing to the reason that people tend to enjoy water sports. It ensures the well being of your heart and lungs. It enhances the flexibility of your joints and provides the scope for boosting your physical activity workout level, thus helping a great deal in your weight loss program.
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Swimming is just perfect for people, who have a hard time carrying out weight bearing land based physical activities, as your weight in water is about 1/10 of your usual normal weight on land. For pregnant women and for people with arthritis and back pain problem, there can be no better workout choice, than to go in for swimming. Another great benefit of swimming is that it minimizes the risk of injuries.
Swimming for fitness is rapidly gaining in popularity because it is ideal for almost anyone - from competitive types to the physically challenged. Whether you swim laps or do aerobics in the shallow end, swimming is an ideal exercise. Aquatic exercise and therapy are used to treat and prevent several physical ailments. In addition to its therapeutic role, there are several aquatic activities that are very popular for recreational purposes. An individual's ability to swim and feel comfortable in the water creates opportunity to get involved in other water sports such as kayaking, canoeing, sailing, and water skiing.
The buoyancy factor makes swimming the most injury-free sport there is. Water exercises benefit seniors, pregnant women, arthritis sufferers, or anyone with an injury. One of the biggest advantages is flexibility. In water, body weight is 1/10 of what it would be on land. For example, if you weigh 150 pounds on land, you weigh 15 pounds standing in chin-deep water, hence, range of motion in water is much easier. Also, fitness exercise in water can be done more often because of the low incidence of high-impact injuries and is more effective because movement in water has 12 times greater resistance than movement in air. For pregnant women, water exercise strengthens and tones the muscles used during childbirth. For the elderly, water fitness is safe, fills the need for exercise, increases a body's range of motion and is a low-impact exercise. For
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those with weight problems, water helps the body naturally rid itself of excess water and salt. As physical therapy, it gradually and gently rehabilitates and relaxes muscles and joints that have stiffened or atrophied.
Beginning swimmers need to know that ones resting heart rate decreases 10 beats per minute in water, and maximum heart rate decreases by 10 to 30 beats. The heart puts out just as much blood as in other exercises because it pumps more volume with each stroke, but more slowly. No one is certain why heart rate decreases in water, but the lower temperature and lesser pull of gravity in water may be the cause. In any case, if you know what your exercise heart rate should be, that number should be lower by at least 10 beats when you swim. Swimming is a good sport to take up if you would like to increase your muscle and strength endurance. It is also good for increasing your stamina and improving your cardiovascular system by improving the bodies' use of oxygen and allowing the heart to work less strenuously. Many people understand swimming as a great pleasure and enjoy every time they go the beach or swimming pool. It's a very nice attitude and very helpful if you are planning to make this sport your way into the healthy life.
Swimming gives great advantages to your heart first of all. As far as this sport uses almost all major muscle groups and places a vigorous demand on your heart and lungs, it's better than any training machines that usually use only one group of muscle.
Swimming, unlike running, aerobics and some weight-training regiments, doesn't put strain in connective tissues. There's less chance to harm yourself and, most importantly, your muscles
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don't tire as much so you won't feel any pain the other day.
This sport is perfect for people who are overweight, pregnant and people with leg or lower back problems. There are no requirements what distance or how long to swim, so you may exercise your body as long as you want, stop for a moment and then continue. Moreover, you won't tire as fast as you would while running, doing aerobics or exercise in any other way.
After a few tries you'll start to feel improved strength and flexibility, better muscular and endurance balance. Swimming also improves your circulation and increases energy. You won't feel tired after your swims but will notice great improvement in your health.
It is also a great way to control your weight. You won't feel the need to eat, just to drink after swimming. So if you'll watch your meals and take the healthier ones, the results will be even greater.
Probably one of the greatest advantages swimming provides is relief from stress and tension. Your body and mind relaxes in the water and the more time you spend in it the more stress you lose. The reduction of stress will improve your daily life and relationship with people.
Doesn't matter where you practice swimming - in the sea, lake, river or pool, the effect of water is the same. It's not an expensive way to exercise so anyone may practice it. And every city or small town is sure to have at least one pool or a river or a lake near it.
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Swimming is undoubtedly the sport that anyone may practice. Those who can't swim are sure to learn very fast. And the advantages are obvious for your circulation, lungs, heart and muscle. There's no other sport there you won't feel tired, get rid of tension and stress and see the results so fast. And there's no danger for traumatizing yourself. You may think as long as you want and search anywhere - swimming has the greatest advantages that sports may give you. And you can hardly find any disadvantages at all.
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VI. CONCLUSION
Swimming is considered as the healthiest among all sports because of the benefits that you acquire from this sport. Like what I wrote in this paper swimming benefits all people may it be teenagers, adults, young adults and senior citizen, may it be that they do not have any illness or disease regarding scoliosis, or any other illness that swimming could be of help to them. My paper’s purpose is to aware the society and or community regarding scoliosis and give them ideas of what illness it is, how to prevent it and mainly how to cure it with lesser expense.
Based from research and experience I found out that through the five swimming strokes which the muscles in the back are connected in the arms had gradually build up or develop hard muscles in the back and I have found out that my back pains which is in the upper part of the spinal column or THORACIC, is slowly recovering and that it started to build up muscles, which gradually hardens through the rigorous training. Swimming therefore is an effective way to help scoliotic patients to prevent the curvature of the spinal column from worsening and to help them recover from the disease that they have acquired.
This paper could be of help to those people who have the same disease as I have and for those who want to be aware on what to do and how to recover from it.
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