MSA and swimming in the sea Safety and physiotherapy advice

Living with Parkinson's Carers, friends and family
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Subject: Swimming in the sea with MSA – Safety and physiotherapy advice?

Hello everyone,

I hope you’re all doing well.
I’m writing to ask for some advice or shared experiences regarding sea swimming and MSA (Multiple System Atrophy).

My friend with MSA recently went to the beach and went for a swim in the sea. Unfortunately, we found it extremely difficult to get out of the water afterward. It was quite a scary experience, and now we’re wondering:

  • Is sea swimming generally considered safe for someone with MSA?
  • Are there any recommendations about the type of beach – for example, sandy vs. pebbly beaches?
  • Would physiotherapy (especially for leg strength and balance) be advisable to help with these situations in the future?
  • Are there any aids or precautions others take to make beach outings and swimming safer?

Any insights, experiences, or advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you in advance for your help!

Warm regards,
Irene

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Hello Irene, thank you so much for posting to the forum.

We hope that others may be able to share their experiences with you, but we wanted to let you know that we have some information about swimming on our website here: Swimming and Parkinson's | Parkinson's UK It’s not specific to sea swimming and muscular system atrophy, but can give you an idea of some of the challenges people sometimes experience.

If you’re worried, we would recommend speaking to your GP or health specialist who can give more specific advice. Or, you can call our helpline. It’s free and totally confidential: 0808 800 0303.

We hope this helps,

The Parkinson’s UK Moderation Team

1 Like
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Thank you Corinne🙏

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Good morning Irene … I think your friend had a VERY lucky escape. She / he has had a warning that she / he needs to listen to. Clearly she / he should not ever swim in the sea again. It is dangerous !!!

My suggestion is that if she / he wants to swim she / he should go to a swimming pool, maybe an outdoor swimming pool where there is going to be help available should she / he get into trouble again.

Sorry to be blunt.

Best wishes
Steve2

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Thank you Steve2🙏