Let's Dive into the Technicalities of Swimming with An Ostomy

When you first get an ostomy, it can feel like a lot of activities are closed off to you. After all, this is a huge physical change, and worries about leaks, or exposing your ostomy, can leave you hesitant about doing anything outside of your comfort zone. In reality, though, with the right supplies, and the right knowledge of how to avoid leaks and other risks, you can do a lot more with an ostomy than you might think.

This is even true of things like strenuous physical exercise once you’re 12 weeks post-surgery and have the sign-off from your physicians. But, you might still be hesitant to embark on an activity like swimming. After all, aside from the physical strain, you would have to get in the pool with your ostomy bag, and that can be nerve-wracking for obvious reasons.

In reality, though, the full-body swimming workout can provide significant health benefits for anyone with an ostomy. There’s also no reason, and there’s no reason why you can’t have a leak-free safe, and comfortable experience if you simply follow these tips.

Step 1: Know your rights

While it shouldn’t be the case, some people, and even pool workers, are under the incorrect assumption that you can’t swim with an ostomy bag. The good news is that you’ll probably never need to defend this right, as there’s no way for others to notice that you have an ostomy. But, if anyone does challenge you, it’s always helpful to know that the Americans with Disabilities Act protects your right to pool access.

Step 2: Empty your pouch before getting in the water

Swimming doesn’t increase your chances of an ostomy leak. This is true whether you’re taking a dip in your local pool or are going all-out with an underwater activity like scuba diving. But, as we all know, ostomy leaks have an unfortunate habit of happening when you least want them to. With that in mind, it’s always worth removing all doubt by simply emptying your ostomy pouch before you get in the water. By also making sure you don’t eat more than two hours or so before swimming (which you should do anyway to avoid cramps), you can rest easy so that you won’t be contending with leaks when you’re down in the deep.

Step 3: Sort out the right swimwear

Honestly, nothing is stopping you from wearing whatever swimwear you’re comfortable in, even if that reveals your ostomy bag. It’s no one’s business! But, if you’re worried about leaving your ostomy on show, swimwear like all-in-ones, or high-cut tankinis with frills and ruffles around the midriff, can help you feel more comfortable. There are also some great ostomy-specific designs out there, which can help you to feel more confident and comfortable, whatever your water-based excursion.

Swimming with an ostomy might feel like it’ll leave you in hot water, but trust us when we say that you can dive in just as well as anyone else, and will likely have a great experience when you do so!