The Healthful Benefits of Swimming

I am so glad to finally return to lap swimming after being away from it for over three months which for me is way too long!  Our Y pool finally reopened after several months of renovation - and it is gorgeous!  A long wait but a worthwhile one!  I had been traveling across town to swim throughout the Fall but stopped in mid-December before we left town for the Holidays.  Then, inclement weather, illness, a fall in which I sprained my ankle  - all contributed to my hiatus from swimming.  Today was my first day back to our pool, and as is often the case, I realized how much I had missed only after I entered the pool and began swimming - it felt absolutely wonderful!   In fact, it felt so wonderful that I decided to devote this post to the healthful benefits of swimming!
So as I often do,  I decided to do some research.  I found plenty of articles on the healthful benefits of lap swimming but found one in particular that summarized them well.  (source:  Health Benefits of Swimming )

The benefits of swimming include:

>physical strength and flexibility
>muscular stamina 
>cardiovascular conditioning
>posture correction
>weight-loss
>lower your stress
>lower risk of diabetes
>make you happier (because it causes your body to release endorphins)
>boost confidence and discipline
>work your body without having a harsh impact on your skeletal system, thus lowering your risk of injury.

I have personally experienced many of the above benefits - especially  increasing my physical strength, lowering of stress, increasing my stamina - and even making me happier!

I need to add yet one more benefit - one which motivates me to continue swimming as therapy - as it is based on the fact that since I've incorporated lap swimming with a kickboard and the Zoomer fins, my knee pain has been greatly reduced and the strength of my legs has increased dramatically!  I do feel stronger - and I've managed to avoid knee replacement because of it, even though my orthopedic doctor only gave me three to five years before I would need knee replacement - and that was seven and half years ago!    I'm not saying I will never need knee replacement but I've been able to put it off - and will continue to do so as long as I am free of pain.