9 Reasons Why Swimming Increases Bowel Movements
More than enough people report that when they swim, they experience the urge to poop, more than when they are out of the water.
And in another article, we saw why swimming makes you want to pee more. We saw that the buoyancy of the water makes your urine movement more urgent.
So, does swimming make you poop more? When you get in the water, your body experiences some changes. One of these is that the buoyancy of the water compresses the bowel region, therefore making you feel the need to go to the bathroom.
Not only swimming, but if you have bowel movement issues, you should engage in physical exercises such as running, jogging, and others. Exercise helps to enhance bowel movement.
Please note that even swimming for a short time, say, about 15 minutes only, can boost bowel movement.
Does swimming increase bowel movement?
Swimming definitely increases bowel movement. However, this would also depend on what you eat before swimming.
For instance, if you went to swim in the morning after doing your ablutions, you might not experience bowel movement when you jump into the pool.
Here are some of the reasons why swimming might make you want to take a toilet break sooner:
1. If you have stomach issues
There are many benefits of swimming daily for 30 days, but perhaps the biggest benefit that many people often forget to note down is how it enhances the bowel movement.
If you have tummy problems, you will be happy to know that you can swim them away, and possibly even get rid of these problems for good.
If you have been experiencing problems related to irritable bowel syndrome such as bloating, indigestion, bathroom accidents and others, swimming can help you. You can also engage in other exercises such as walking, and running, when you are not swimming.
Please note that this does not mean that you should not seek medical attention to help you. The information that we bring you here is intended to inform you, so it is not a cure.
Therefore, see a doctor as soon as possible if you have IBS. Swimming and other exercises will only give you a temporary reprieve.
2. Swimming engages the core muscles, and this increases bowel movement
When you swim, you engage the core muscles. This might increase the urge to go to the washroom, so you should not feel surprised at all.
Many people wrongly assume that swimming uses the upper and lower limbs only. However, that is not the case, because the core muscles are widely engaged.
When you are floating in the pool, the core muscle enhances your balance in the water. It also keeps your body balanced when you are swimming laps. The core muscles also come in handily when you are treading water in the pool.
3. When you swallow pool water with fecal matter
Another way in which swimming might give you a bigger urge to go to the bathroom is when you swallow the pool water. I advise my readers to never swallow pool water.
No matter how restricted it is, people pee in pools. In return, this affects the chlorine levels in the water, and so it does not kill all bacteria and germs as it is supposed to. Therefore, swallowing the pool water can introduce germs into your stomach, and cause you to feel sick.
Some people also get into the pool without cleaning up properly, and this introduces fecal matter into the pool water.
Now, if any of these “unhygienic” people have diarrhea, you could sustain the same infection if you swallow the pool water.
Also, use earplugs, swimming goggles and nose clamp to prevent swimming pool water from getting inside you.
4. Pool water relaxes your muscles
When you swim, the water is very relaxing. Actually, many people go to swim to relax their worries away. But it seems that a dip in a heated pool in winter can relax even the gastrointestinal muscles, and boost bowel movement.
In fact, this could be the reason why seniors and kids might poop in the pool involuntarily, when the muscles start relaxing.
5. Irritation from pool chemicals
If you have shocked the swimming pool recently, well, you never know how the chlorine, and other pool chemicals might affect you.
Some people experience tummy issues when they inhale the chlorine used to sanitize the swimming water.
In some cases, some people will experience irritation from the pool chemicals, and in some cases, they will not experience it.
For instance, if you swim when you have a cold, you might experience sickness from the chlorine and other chemicals. When you are fully healthy, you might not experience the same.
6. If the pool is not as clean as it should be
If there is no proper swimming pool maintenance, you could experience sickness when you get into the water.
When you swallow even the smallest amount of the dirty pool water, it could infect you with diarrhea immediately, and an unexpected bowel movement will follow soon after.
If you have been covering the pool, remember pool cover can cause algae in the water. Swimming in such water and swallowing some could give you immediate stomach issues.
This can happen irrespective of whether you had taken a bathroom break before getting into the water.
7. Horizontal exercises can cause poop movement
Swimming is largely a horizontal exercise, since that is the position you adopt all the time. This alone helps the digestive system to realign, and it might cause bowel movement.
In addition to the horizontal posture in the water, the hydrostatic pressure of the water is going to compel you to take a toilet break sooner than you had anticipated.
8. The food you eat before getting in the pool
Some foods will cause faster bowel movement and a more urgent need to go to the toilet, especially when you float in the water.
Some of the foods that you should avoid include the ones that give you gas and cause bloating. Eating beans before jumping into the pool is not recommended.
Foods rich in fiber are also not good to take when you are going to swim. Fiber is great for making you feel fuller for longer.
However, when you stay in a horizontal position when swimming, you might feel the urge to empty your bowels.
9. When you feel anxious
If this is the first time you are going to a public pool after learning how to swim by yourself, you might feel too excited and anxious at the same time. This could cause bowel movement, although it is not too common.
How to control bowel movement when swimming
When you get to the swimming pool, especially if it is a new one that you have never used before, do some due diligence.
Scout around and take note of the location of the bathrooms. That way, if you experience an urgent urge to poop or pee when you are inside the pool, you can get out faster and head to the bathrooms.
Here are other things to do, to avoid swimming pool toilet accidents.
1. Go to the bathroom before swimming
One of the swimming pool safety rules is to take a shower before getting in the pool. This ensures that you clean out the bacteria on your skin, so you won’t introduce them to your swimming pool.
While taking a shower, go to the bathroom if you need to. This should give you a longer time to relax in the pool.
Just to advise you, use the bathroom first, and then clean up very well. That way, you will not spread any fecal matter in the pool water.
2. Do not swallow swimming pool water
No matter what you do in the pool, do not swallow the water. Spit it out as soon as it gets into the mouth and most importantly, keep your mouth closed. This is especially important if you have a sensitive tummy.
Swim gently, without splashing too much water around. You can also avoid a crowded pool so that other swimmers do not throw too much water your way.
3. Go to the bathroom as soon as you feel the urge
Sometimes, if you keep ignoring the urge to go to the bathroom, the poop might involuntarily escape into the water. To avoid that, get out of the pool as soon as you feel the urge to go to the bathroom.
If you are swimming with a child and he or she needs to go to the bathroom, get them out of the water immediately. Swimming really does soften the bowels and can cause the involuntary release of poop.
4. Understand your tummy health
If you know that certain foods give you a frequent urge to poop, do not eat such when you are going to swim.
Also, if you think that your bowel movement is too frequent, you might need to see a doctor. Perhaps you have irritable bowel syndrome, or other conditions.
Also read my past articles on:
Swimming with a yeast infection
Wearing bikini bottoms without hair showing
Wrapping it up
Swimming can definitely make you poop more. Children, seniors, and people with tummy issues will experience the urge to take a toilet break more often.
But … anyone can experience loose bowels when their muscles relax in the water, thanks to the buoyancy. Thus, the most important thing to do is to go to the bathroom, as soon as the urge to go comes.
Never try to suppress the urge to go to the bathroom, as that might cause bathroom accidents before you can actually get to the toilet.