THE HEALTH ISSUE

“Why did I survive? Doctors believe a key role could well have been my swimming in cold water in natural ponds. Not only did it save my life, but my daily swims in the open ponds have also been how I’ve recovered." Paul, stroke victim and outdoor swimmer

With cold water swimming hitting the zeitgeist and Wim Hof a household name, the spotlight is often shone on its mental health benefits. But many swimmers immerse themselves to help with medical treatment of physical and neurological conditions, injuries and disabilities. So, is cold water swimming an effective alternative treatment, and how does it sit alongside traditional medicine? In the Health issue of Outdoor Swimmer magazine we meet swimmers with real-life stories of how swimming improved their health and find out whether science backs up their claims.

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