Safe pool temperature for various health conditions

I see where you're coming from, but the pool is already kept very warm at 84 degrees. I think if Elaine can present a compelling case that raising it any higher would be potentially dangerous to some pool users (not to mention much more expensive) then she should. I think the key is not demanding that the pool be kept at the temp you, personally, want, but rather present your arguments and then be willing to live with whatever the decision is. Right. And if the maximum ideal for lap swimmers is 82, and the minimum ideal for noodlers is 86, then 84 seems like a good compromise. It shouldn't just be those who whine the most who get their way.

There's also a whining bias in favor of the noodlers. Since they never get their hair wet they can whine a lot more than a swimmer whose face is underwater most of the time. :D

I have a couple friends who are what you call "Noodlers". Both of these ladies suffer from painful arthritis. Believe it or not cool water makes their symptoms worse instead of better. They have a hard time staying in the water if it is much under 86. If it is 86 or warmer they can enjoy an hour of aerobic workout (for them), flexibility training, and social time with their friends. I quit the facility where they noodle due to the warm water conditions but was able to join a different facility where the water is better for me. I don't know the answer to this problem but I do believe in respecting other people and their limitations. I think there is an exercise solution for all populations of mankind but it will take flexibility and tolerance, not elitist attitudes! Elaine: Do the "noodlers" swim every day? It could be possible for Mon-Weds-Fri to be warm water days with Tue-Thurs-Sat-Sun cooler days for the swimmers? Perhaps the swimmers who swim 6x per week could tolerate warmth for 2 days if they knew it would be cool the other 4. Just a thought..........................................

Drinking enough fluids isn't sufficient. At some point you just have to cool off. In the heat, you can: 1- Get dehydrated 2- Get your electrolytes out of balance (hyponatremia). Drinking only plain water makes this worse - it dilutes already low levels of electrolytes. 3- Get your core body temperature too high. Sweating is your body's cooling mechanism. In high humidity or submerged, it isn't very effective; yet you'll still lose water and electrolytes. The other thing I do is get out and get under the cold poolside shower- without my cap- to cool my head off. Unfortunately, between cold shower breaks and needing more rest between intervals, by yardage per hour is off by about 30%.

I guess where I'm coming from is that sometimes we just have to compromise and understand that everyone is entitled to an opinion in all situations. I thnk many facitlities feel like master's swimmer's are a little psycho and "over-the-top" anyway. If we begin taking over facilities and demanding certain water temps so we can complete our extensive workout routines we may just get kicked out all together. In todays society the ability to get nice facilities is based on numbers. The more versatile the facility, the more people able to use it. When we start getting to "me" centered two things happen: 1) the prices go up, and 2) the number of the facilities go down. I think it toughens us up to have to adjust to a bit of adversity every now and then. Being FLEXIBLE and TOLERANT OF OTHERS are two of the greatest virtues one can posess!!!! :2cents: Again, I did not ever approach the HOA about MY needs. I may complain on the forums from a training standpoint, however, I have never once mentioned the needs of a "competitive swimmer" to the HOA. I have only shown concern for my friends who I know are swimming laps or participating in water aerobics with high blood pressure, other heart conditions, and/or diabetes. If you would like to see the letter I sent off to the HOA today, I would be happy to forward it to you directly. P.S. Our pool is a private pool within a private community under a homeowners association. This is not a public community pool.

Dear Elaine, Our experience with noodlers as you call them is similar. Health concerns and even money does not influence pool temperature policy. It's the incessant complaints, "OOO, this water is too cold," to the management. I get vascular headaches when I lap swim in water too warm, usually 84+. As far as documented study I would suggest contacting a research University that has a masters or Ph.D. program in recreation/athletics. The subject of water temperature and its effects, good or bad on a body would be a good subject for a masters thesis or Ph.D. dissertation. I know that Baylor University has a graduate program in the area of recreation. If I find out anything more, I'll post it. Thank you for your post! I appreciate your understanding of the situation and sharing your experience. :applaud: I ended up digging up some good information from the International Fitness Association, when I used a different search engine. In addition the fitness trainer at the gym contacted the National Council on Strength & Fitness and received an e-mail back with specific guidelines. If you would like to see the letter I sent the HOA, send me a PM with your e-mail address and I will forward you the letter. Meanwhile, any additional information is always appreciated; I would be more than happy to forward it on to the board president! :D

Elaine: Do the "noodlers" swim every day? It could be possible for Mon-Weds-Fri to be warm water days with Tue-Thurs-Sat-Sun cooler days for the swimmers? Perhaps the swimmers who swim 6x per week could tolerate warmth for 2 days if they knew it would be cool the other 4. Just a thought.......................................... No, they don't. Nobody uses the pool as much as I do. Nobody even uses it three times per week on a consistent basis The most frequent pool users use the pool (maybe) three times per week in the summer and hit-and-miss in the winter. Today, there were two participants in water aerobics class. During most of the year, six is max almost all of the time. In the summer months, maybe 10-15 class participants, but the cast of characters is always changing... Posting the letter I just sent to the board would answer many of the posts, so I'm going to go ahead and do it. Sorry for the long post, but at least I'm sparing you the color/font from here on out! :D November 30, 2010 Dear SCP HOA Board of Directors, I would like to know what the HOA’s policy is for the indoor pool water temperature, humidity level and air temperature. Are definitive guidelines in place? If so, what are these specific guidelines? Since the amenity center opened in April, 2008, the indoor pool water temperature has been set at 86 degrees, except for a couple of summer months, when it was lowered to 84 degrees. The humidity level has been in the range of 70-82%, for most of that time. Today, it was at 82%. (For a very short time, when the HVAC system was working correctly, it was at 60%). During the summer months, the indoor pool air temperature exceeded 90 degrees in the afternoons, and was never at the recommended 80 degrees or below. American Red Cross and several other authorities on water health and safety recommend the following: Indoor pool water temperature: 78 – 82 degrees for lap swimming A maximum of 83 degrees for water exercise classes; 80 degrees is recommended A maximum of 84 degrees for anybody exercising in water who has MS (Multiple Sclerosis), high blood pressure or other heart conditions. (This includes some of our water aerobics class participants.) Indoor Pool Humidity: 50-60% Indoor Pool Air Temperature: 80 degrees maximum The higher the humidity and air temperature, the lower the water temperature should be, according to the American Red Cross and medical experts. Every American Red Cross recommendation has been exceeded, on most days, since our indoor pool was opened. According to the International Fitness Association, “Temperatures which are above 85 degrees place an unusual stress on the cardiovascular system.” (Source: International Fitness Association training manual for fitness instructor certification) Wayne Robinson, SCP Trainer, contacted the National Council on Strength and Fitness (NCSF), regarding these issues. They replied in an e-mail, “Thank you for contacting the National Council on Strength & Fitness (NCSF). The proper pool temperature is between 75-85 degrees and the high-low range is dependent upon the humidity within the building of the pool.” I think it would be a fair guess to say that most of the residents who use the swimming pool have high blood pressure or other health issues that put them at risk, swimming in an 86 degree pool with humidity ranging from 70-82%. I swim 5-6 days per week, 1-11/2 hours per day, and check the air and water conditions each day I enter the pool area. I believe I am the only person monitoring the conditions of the pool on an almost daily basis. It is my belief that the HOA should be aware of the indoor pool conditions and should understand the health risks involved, when exercising in water aerobics classes or swimming laps, in such warm water. Medical facts and American Red Cross recommendations should dictate what the water temperature and humidity level should be, rather than the subjective opinions of a few residents who feel the water is “too cold” at 84 degrees. The health and safety of all of our residents should take priority. But, if this is not a priority, perhaps the cost of heating the pool will get the attention of the Board of Directors and the residents of this community. According to the representative from the Carolina Lakes Del Webb community who conducted tours of the amenity center during the grand opening, it costs them $1,000 per degree for every degree the water heater is set above 82 degrees. At our current water temperature of 86 degrees, that equates to $4,000 per month! If heating costs are the same at Sun City Peachtree, this money could be better spent elsewhere, rather than overheating our pool. Thank you, Elaine Krugman

I guess where I'm coming from is that sometimes we just have to compromise and understand that everyone is entitled to an opinion in all situations. I thnk many facitlities feel like master's swimmer's are a little psycho and "over-the-top" anyway. If we begin taking over facilities and demanding certain water temps so we can complete our extensive workout routines we may just get kicked out all together. In todays society the ability to get nice facilities is based on numbers. The more versatile the facility, the more people able to use it. When we start getting to "me" centered two things happen: 1) the prices go up, and 2) the number of the facilities go down. I think it toughens us up to have to adjust to a bit of adversity every now and then. Being FLEXIBLE and TOLERANT OF OTHERS are two of the greatest virtues one can posess!!!! :2cents:

I guess where I'm coming from is that sometimes we just have to compromise and understand that everyone is entitled to an opinion in all situations. I see where you're coming from, but the pool is already kept very warm at 84 degrees. I think if Elaine can present a compelling case that raising it any higher would be potentially dangerous to some pool users (not to mention much more expensive) then she should. I think the key is not demanding that the pool be kept at the temp you, personally, want, but rather present your arguments and then be willing to live with whatever the decision is.

Dear Elaine, Our experience with noodlers as you call them is similar. Health concerns and even money does not influence pool temperature policy. It's the incessant complaints, "OOO, this water is too cold," to the management. I get vascular headaches when I lap swim in water too warm, usually 84+. As far as documented study I would suggest contacting a research University that has a masters or Ph.D. program in recreation/athletics. The subject of water temperature and its effects, good or bad on a body would be a good subject for a masters thesis or Ph.D. dissertation. I know that Baylor University has a graduate program in the area of recreation. If I find out anything more, I'll post it.