Swimming is fun, it’s great exercise, and water is the perfect medium to encourage gentle rehabilitation.

Conquering the fear of water and knowing how to swim opens up a world of watersports, from boating to surfing. As a form of exercise, it’s relatively injury-free, and the water’s buoyancy supports much of a person’s weight. That means a full-body workout is possible even for people who are injured, are recovering from surgery or have a painful chronic condition such as arthritis.