Effects of swimming on health

An epidemiological study involving 893 people was undertaken during the 1980/81 summer period in the Richmond and Windsor region of New South Wales to determine the incidence of swimmers and non-swimmers reporting ear, eye, skin, throat and gastrointestinal complaints. Swimmers were found to report a greater incidence of ear and eye complaints than non-swimmers. Swimmers who swam in community pools were found to have a significantly higher incidence of earache compared to other swimmers. The findings of the study supported overseas work which suggests that the incidence of earache among swimmers may be a useful health indicator in the evaluation of waters for recreational use.