will swimming help my neck & back?

Yes, swimming can cause a stiff neck because the strokes can put extra strain on it if you are not doing the stroke correctly or you are just not use to it. I don't think that all your swimming stamina stays with you for life. However you will be able to swim quite well depending on how long you swam and to what degree. I swam from age 4-11 and then stopped till i was 15, i could still swim really well but not like I used to. After training for a couple days I was back to swimming like a pro. If you are having neck stiffness or pain, i recommend doing some dryland, including some stretching or exercises for your neck.

Swimming will make your pains worse. You have tight muscles in your neck causing those pains. When you walk fast you are probably tightening up your muscles as you do that rush. That tightening up of the muscles brings on your pain. To get rid of that pain so it won't come back you have to free up the muscles and then you can do whatever you want and not worry about the pain. Here's how ot free up your neck muscles:

Neck

Put your hands alongside your head so your thumbs are on the front of the muscle under your ear and your fingers are on the back of the muscle behind your neck. Squeeze your thumb and fingers together and hold. Relax your body. When your fingers and thumb touch, about two minutes, slowly lower your head as far as you can, release the pressure but hold your neck lowered for another 30 seconds.

Your back pains are caused by pinched muscles there and the movement of swimming on your spine keeps it moving which is the cause of the pain in the first place so when it's moving it'll be putting a constant pressure on the muscles for more pain. To get rid of the pain so it won't come back you have to free up the muscles in your back and here's how to do that:

Back:

(do from a sitting position)

Place your left hand on your left leg next to your body. Place your right hand over your left shoulder, fingers over the back and the palm in the front and firmly pull down on them and hold. After 30 seconds slowly lower your body forward and to the outside of your left leg, keeping your left arm fairly straight as you do. When you reach your lap remain there for another 10 seconds, release the pressure but rest there for another 30 seconds. Then reverse your hand positions and do your right side. For both- for best results relax your body first by taking a deep breath and exhaling then remain this relaxed.

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