The benefits of surfing

Surfing is a great workout for the chest, back and shoulder muscles, and is great for leg strength. A recent original study highlights the psychological benefits of this sport.

Martin Ducret, doctor and journalist at Doctor’s Daily Today, we talk about an increasingly popular activity that has become an Olympic discipline: surfing. And in particular, about an original study on its benefits in terms of mental health.

franceinfo: What is this study about?

Martin Ducret: This study, published in the Portfolio of the famous journal Natureestimated in dollars the savings generated by the benefits of surfing on the mental health of 130,000 surfers in the very touristy city of Gold Coast in Australia.

These savings amounted to $5,000 per year per surfer, which makes a total of $650 million annually, which corresponds to reductions in health costs – fewer medical consultations, fewer taking antidepressants or anxiolytics – but also to increased productivity at work. By comparison, this impressive figure is four times higher than the annual profits from surf-related tourism in this Australian city.

But be careful, we can’t extrapolate these figures to France either, because the Australian health system works differently from ours. But we can remember, from this original study, that surfing, in addition to being good for the body and mind, also allows you to save money in terms of health. It doesn’t matter the country.

In fact, beyond the cool spirit that this board sport conveys, it is probably for the well-being that it provides that surfing has more and more practitioners in France. There are said to be nearly 600,000 people who indulge in this discipline, as much on the Channel, the Atlantic Ocean, as on the Mediterranean Sea. And yes, contrary to popular belief, there are also waves on the Marseille coast.

But is this sport accessible to everyone? Don’t you necessarily have to be young and healthy to do it?

Well, not necessarily. Unless you want to become the next Olympic champion. “Surfing is possible at any age, whether you are in good shape, have a disability or suffer from a chronic illness.

At the beginning, we start by gaining confidence in the water (this is aquatic ease), then we look for the pleasant sensation of gliding, first lying on the board, to gradually get up on it”, explains Sandra Saint Geours, who is responsible for the development of the national Surf Santé association, which promotes surfing and activities involving contact with the ocean as therapy.

The goal of all these activities is to have fun, to surpass oneself, to gain self-confidence, and to feel calm, by reconnecting with the ocean and nature.