Taking a dip -How to avoid heartburn when swimming

There is a popular myth that says you should wait around half an hour after eating before you swim or you could drown. Supposedly, the reason is that following a meal your blood flow is diverted away from your limbs to your stomach to aid the digestion and absorption process. Therefore if your limbs don't get enough oxygen, you could get a cramp and drown - with your full stomach dragging you down! However, there has never been a documented case of it happening.[1]

Naturally, there should always be enough blood and oxygen to support your whole body all the time, and there should be no added risk of drowning even immediately after a meal. That puts the ‘old wives’ tale to bed. What may happen, however, is you could get heartburn if you go swimming soon after having a meal.

What causes heartburn?

Heartburn can feel like a hot, burning sensation in your chest. It occurs when stomach acid refluxes back up into the oesophagus or food pipe. The lower oesophageal sphincter (LES) is a ring of muscle at the bottom of the oesophagus that opens to let food into the stomach and keep it there. If this muscle weakens or your stomach is too full, stomach acid may reflux more easily. Some of the most common causes of heartburn include:

• Eating big meals
• Eating too quickly or on the run
• Eating late at night
• The types of food you eat, such as, fatty and spicy foods.
• Being overweight

What does this have to do with swimming?

It is important to give your food sufficient time to digest properly. If you eat a big meal or eat too quickly and decide to go swimming before your stomach has had a chance to digest the food, you are more likely to suffer heartburn. The actions involved in swimming may cause acid to reflux more easily, if you’re stomach contents haven’t been digested properly. We look at some of the different swimming strokes that may make heartburn worse.

Can some swimming strokes and techniques cause acid reflux?

Almost any type of physical exercise can cause a greater risk of stomach acid refluxing into your oesophagus (food pipe). This could cause heartburn, since the acid can affect the sensitive lining of your oesophagus, producing a hot, burning pain.

Although it could happen with any stroke, it's possible that backstroke could assist this process more easily than other strokes, simply because you are on your back. This position may allow the acid to pass through your lower oesophageal sphincter more easily. Diving can potentially increase the risk of causing acid to reflux - due to the downward facing position and the impact when hitting the water. However, it's unlikely that any of the swimming strokes will have a significant effect on heartburn if you allow your food to digest beforehand.  

Avoiding heartburn before you swim

The key thing to remember is that should you get even the tiniest hint of heartburn symptoms when swimming, then stop and get out of the water. If it does end up being a severe burning pain, you're unlikely to want to carry on. Avoiding the risk before you swim is obviously more desirable:

• Try to eat an hour or two before you swim, so there's a good opportunity for digestion to take place first
• Eat light, easily digested food if you know you will be swimming later, such as fish, rice, pasta and eggs

Heartburn treatments for before and after swimming

If you are prone to heartburn and believe you may get it when planning to have a swim, it’s advisable to take something beforehand to try to prevent it happening. You may need to speak to your doctor about this option. Should you get symptoms whilst swimming, Gaviscon Extra could help you.

Gaviscon Extra, as the name suggests, helps to relieve the symptoms of indigestion and heartburn in two ways. Firstly by neutralising stomach acid and secondly because it quickly begins to form a raft, or protective barrier, over your stomach contents - helping to keep acid in its place.

Swimming is a good way to relax and to get fit. Forget the "drowning myth" - just follow the tips provided and you should be able to enjoy your dip without heartburn.

 

All information presented is not meant to diagnose or prescribe. Gaviscon Extra oral Suspension and Gaviscon Extra chewable tablets for Heartburn & Indigestion contain sodium alginate, sodium hydrogen carbonate, calcium carbonate. Always read the label. If symptoms are severe or last more than 7 days, consult a doctor or pharmacist.