Swimming has been shown to be very effective in helping you managing your arthritis

Exercising is an extremely important part of managing your arthritis symptoms, keeping you healthy and helping you lose weight. Sometimes, however, the thought of walking on a treadmill or doing weight resistance sounds like too much for your aching joints. Swimming is a great option that will keep you moving and help relieve your pain. According to Everyday Health, the buoyant environment is perfect for soothing your muscles while you burn calories.

Helps you get fit

Since swimming has no ground impact, and there is a much lower chance that you will strain or stress your joints during your aquatic workout compared to exercising on land. MedicineNet.com notes that even if you hit the floor or walls of the pool during your exercise routine, the force is significantly smaller due to the water. Swimming also helps improve cardiorespiratory endurance - MedicineNet.com says that after swimming for 12 weeks, people in one study increased their oxygen intake by 10 percent and the amount of blood pumped with each heartbeat by 18 percent.

Water exercise also builds muscle mass while burning calories. Because you feel lighter in water but are moving against resistance, swimming allows you to increase strength and muscle tone fairly quickly. You burn between 500-650 calories for each active hour in the water, depending on the difficulty of your exercise routine and your body's buoyancy. Swimming is actually one of the best ways to use up extra calories - it only burns 3 percent fewer than biking and 11 percent less than running, on average. This will help you lose weight, an important part of taking stress off your joints and relieving arthritis symptoms.

Helps to soothe aching joints

In addition to helping you get in shape, swimming offers much-needed relief for painful joint aches. According to Everyday Health, exercising in warm water is ideal for people dealing with arthritis - heat relaxes and relieves tension from tired, aching muscles. If your arthritis symptoms are too intense for you to go for a swim, try relaxing in a warm bath to loosen those painful joints.

Helps you have fun

Water exercise is not just about managing aches - it can be a great opportunity to spend time with friends and have fun. While swimming is certainly an excellent calorie-burning option, do not be afraid to think outside the box when it comes to aquatic activities. Try water aerobics, water walking or even water yoga to get moving and benefit your joint health.

For more on exercising and staying healthy with arthritis:

An Introduction to Exercising with Arthritis
Knee and Hip Exercises for Arthritis
Pilates Exercises to Ease Arthritis Pain