It has only been in the past few years that I have started swimming all the way through winter. It is more challenging for me access-wise and it is also more painful with my hypersensitivity, but I love it. The ‘oohs’, ‘holy moleys’, my swim buddy sounding like she is giving birth and even the swearing leave everyone coming away from the swim laughing and full of joy.
There is nothing quite like it!
Overcoming my chronic pain was one of my biggest barriers to winter swimming and it does still sometimes stop me from swimming because it can be so painful. For others with chronic pain and conditions such as Ehlers-Danlos syndromes cold water can be beneficial: “It helps me with my joints and helps to reduce inflammation too,” says Gill Pick.
I thought it would be interesting and hopefully helpful to explain how I overcome chronic pain, particularly in the winter when it’s most painful.