Surfing as a therapy

Surfing becomes an alternative to alleviate some conditions and ailments.

Surfing is a “treatment” increasingly used by experts around the world, who have seen a great alternative to other types of therapies for people with different types of illnesses.

Currently, great results are being obtained with this way of treating some pathologies. Surfing promotes coordination, concentration and social, physical and mental development.

What kind of diseases can be improved by surfing?

Autism spectrum disorders, as well as some syndromes, such as Down’s syndrome or cerebral palsy, which are diseases with alterations in neurodevelopment. This means that these people are going to have difficulties both on a psychological and physical level.

A very striking example is that of autism. This disease is characterised by difficulties in social relations, very routine and repetitive behaviours, and in many occasions, limitations to lead a normal life due to fear of unknown or new situations.

There are many treatments that have been tried to improve their quality of life and in many cases, the pharmacological therapies have not given results. There is a great deal of ignorance about the mechanisms that produce this type of illness and, therefore, there are few specific drugs to deal with them.

However, more and more psychosocial, cognitive and rehabilitation therapies are being introduced and are giving very good results, as is the case with surfing.

How can these types of diseases be improved through surfing?

The power of surfing can be the perfect channel to generate a greater space of communication between parents and children with autism, and boost their cognitive development. One of the main reasons why this happens is the contact with nature. This medium offers many different stimuli, both auditory, visual and tactile (the sun, water, wind …). By using the board as a tool, we manage to put them in contact with the forces of nature and, in this way, awaken their emotions.

In addition, water is the ideal medium for the development of physical abilities in these patients, as it facilitates the mobility of rigid muscles, as is the case with people with cerebral palsy.

Without a doubt, it is a therapy that helps in many ways, since it not only exercises physical and mental capacities, but also, it has been demonstrated that surfing is a way to have fun for everyone, including these people. By practicing it, serotonin and endorphins are released, substances produced by our own body, which favour the transmission of positive stimuli. Its basic function is to reward us with a pleasant feeling when we do something convenient for our body.

For this reason, surfing is not only beneficial in neurological diseases, but can also be the perfect weapon to fight depression or even other pathologies that produce pain or anxiety.