EUL Academician Meriç gave important information about the beauties of the sea and the problems that await us.

European University of Lefke (EUL) Faculty of Health Sciences Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation Department Lecturer Assist. Prof. Dr. Aydın Meriç shared detailed information about the problems to be experienced while swimming and the precautions to be taken.

“Although we have come to the end of the summer, many people continue to flock to the beaches to spend their time in the sea in September due to the consequences of global warming and the stress caused by the pandemic. He stated that it can also cause problems and one of them is cramps during swimming.

“Involuntary contractions that can be seen in one or more of the muscle bundles, sometimes very short but sometimes quite prolonged, are called cramps,” Meriç said, adding that mineral deficiency together with fluid loss is a very important place in muscle cramps due to the effect of increasing air temperatures.

Mineral deficiencies cause muscle cramps

Meriç pointed out that “While certain mineral deficiencies such as magnesium, potassium and calcium prepare the environment for muscle cramps, the main problem is not knowing the exact cause of muscle cramps” and pointed out that malnutrition, being on dialysis, use of diuretics, diabetes, circulatory disorders and alcohol use can be counted among the reasons. . “Vitamin D deficiency has an effect due to its relationship with calcium. “Intense exercises that cause excessive fluid and electrolyte loss through sweating or respiration can cause cramps,” Meriç said.

“Cramps are more common in people who are active in the sun on the beach before going into the sea and then go to the sea to swim. During the cramp, a visible or felt hardness occurs in the relevant muscle group. It is painful and the muscle group involved during the cramp becomes unusable. Generally, calf and foot muscles are involved ”Meriç stated that if faced with cramps while in the sea or in the pool, the thing to do is to try to swim to the shore calmly without panic or to get support from the pool side.. We should not forget that panicking can increase muscle cramps and we may be at risk of choking. We can try to lighten it by light strokes or rubbing your leg. When the person reaches the shore, he should be laid on a flat surface, while trying to restore the cramped foot slowly, light pressure should be given to the calf muscles and the patient’s foot should be moved back and forth to help reduce the cramp. “You can help your cramped leg by making a springing motion with your other leg.”

Making recommendations about what should be considered in order to prevent cramping, Meriç said, “Fluid loss should be taken into consideration, plenty of water should be consumed, stretching exercises should be done at regular intervals before swimming, and if a situation related to circulation problem is suspected, a doctor should be consulted. There may be reasons based on various diseases behind some cramps. For this reason, if it recurs or takes a long time, you should consult with your doctor. ”

Long stay in the sea is risky for people suffering from high blood pressure

“Apart from this, another danger that awaits us at sea is that spending a long time at sea may pose a risk for blood pressure patients. When it stays in the sea for a long time, dissolved salt in the water passes into the body. This increases the salt content in the body, raising the blood pressure of patients with salt-related blood pressure and may cause heart attacks, ”said Meriç, adding that although swimming regularly has health benefits in all aspects, this is not true for some people.

Stating that swimming and staying for a long time are risky for people suffering from high blood pressure due to salt, Meriç continued his words as follows; The risk increases as the duration of immersion in water increases. Some people over the age of middle age may not know that they have salt-related blood pressure. In such cases, people should swim after having their blood pressure measured. In addition, blood pressure patients due to salt who enter the sea for a short time should be rinsed with fresh water as soon as they come out of the water. It is also very important for these people to have blood pressure pills in addition to their health. In these situations, it will be healthier for people to choose places such as lakes, rivers and pools instead of the sea. Since hot air and moisture combined with salt water in the sea will pose an even more risk for blood pressure patients, it will be very useful for salt-dependent blood pressure patients to drink the juice of one or at least half a lemon squeezed into cold water before entering the sea, and also, it will be very useful for these blood pressure patients to consult their doctor before swimming. .