Water Trail Toolkit – Health Benefits

Water trails provide a variety of health benefits for local communities.

• Because water trails and water walkways encourage greater physical activity, they have been associated with decreased health care costs and rates of obesity.
• Other specific health benefits from paddling sports include improved cardiovascular fitness and increased muscle strength. Paddling sports provide low impact resistance that is beneficial for muscles yet easy on joints and bones. 
• The surgeon general has recognized non-motorized boating as an acceptable excercise to replace more traditional methods, such as running.
• Studies have shown that increased exposure to natural environments is linked to improved mental health and can combat many conditions, such as stress, anxiety, depression etc. Additionally, the communal nature of recreational paddling improves interpersonal relationships and community bonding.