Abstract
To the Editor: As a former competitive swimmer who is now involved in the health and fitness industry, I am often approached by swimmers and coaches to get my opinion on the water quality in swimming pools used for training by competitive swimmers. Many swimming clubs train in heated indoor pools, mostly in a gym environment, and most of the swimmers complain of a number of symptoms such as sinus problems, itchy skin and itchy ear channels as a result of spending several hours per week exposed to chlorinated water. The scientific literature around the topic of swimming and water quality focuses on asthma and allergies caused by chlorine in swimming pools. However, none of the studies mention any normative values for chemical levels in swimming pools.
Highlights
To the Editor: As a former competitive swimmer who is involved in the health and fitness industry, I am often approached by swimmers and coaches to get my opinion on the water quality in swimming pools used for training by competitive swimmers
Many swimming clubs train in heated indoor pools, mostly in a gym environment, and most of the swimmers complain of a number of symptoms such as sinus problems, itchy skin and itchy ear channels as a result of spending several hours per week exposed to chlorinated water
The scientific literature around the topic of swimming and water quality focuses on asthma and allergies caused by chlorine in swimming pools
Summary
To the Editor: As a former competitive swimmer who is involved in the health and fitness industry, I am often approached by swimmers and coaches to get my opinion on the water quality in swimming pools used for training by competitive swimmers. Many swimming clubs train in heated indoor pools, mostly in a gym environment, and most of the swimmers complain of a number of symptoms such as sinus problems, itchy skin and itchy ear channels as a result of spending several hours per week exposed to chlorinated water. Chlorine levels of South African swimming pools in a gym environment have been reported to be around 2.0 mg/l and fall into the higher range of the abovementioned standards These higher chlorine levels result in a drop in the pH of the water below the recommended value (7.2 - 7.8), which causes additional irritation to the skin, ear, nose and eyes. Until alternative and costeffective methods are found swimmers are forced to deal with the side-effects of their training environment
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