Water therapy, sometimes also called aquatic therapy or pool therapy, is an amazing form of physical rehabilitation that can work wonders with the body. It is important for the purposes of this discussion to understand that we are speaking of exercises in a pool and not of drinking water as a form of therapy, although that certainly has its benefits as well.
Water therapy can be used in a number of situations to strengthen and improve the performance of the body. One of the most common applications for water therapy is in rehab after an injury or surgical procedure. Water therapy is also widely used in the treatment and management of many conditions, including arthritis, fibromyalgia, chronic back pain, and general ageing.
Water Therapy Benefits
Water therapy greatly reduces the amount of force and stress placed on the joints and muscles of the body. This makes it the lowest impact form of exercise that still offers the resistance necessary to facilitate strengthening and healing. Some specially designed water therapy pools can eliminate 100 percent of a person’s body weight, or as little as 20 percent, depending on the needs of the patient.
Why is this important? The buoyancy of the body in water creates a unique set of circumstances that aid in the acceleration of healing an alleviation of pain. Benefits include:
- Gentle, natural resistance. Have you ever stood flat-footed in a pool and tried to run from one side to the other? If so, then you are very familiar with the increased resistance that occurs in the water. Muscles require some amount of resistance in order to grow stronger; just consider weight training to illustrate this point. In water therapy, the body experiences enough resistance to be effective, but not so much that it strains the body.
- Lower impact on joints. Most aerobic exercises that are so important to well-being and optimal ageing involve a lot of jumping around. This movement places a great strain on the joints, especially those of the lower body. For arthritis sufferers, joint replacement patients, and the ageing population, this stress can create more problems than it solves. With water therapy, patients can experience the benefits of aerobic exercise while virtually eliminating the joint impact that usually comes along with it.
- Elimination of fall-risks. If you lose balance during land-based exercises, you could sustain injuries during a fall that set your recovery back even further. If you lose balance performing water-based exercises, the worst that will happen is that you’ll get your hair wet.
- Improved joint flexibility. When water therapy is performed in warm water, it helps to loosen the joints and muscles for better range of motion and flexibility. Warm water also provides some measure of pain relief, improves circulation, and helps to reduces swelling in the joints. This makes your therapy easier, more comfortable, and more effective.
- Faster recovery. Because water therapy is so gentle, many patients are able to begin therapy much sooner in their recovery than they would be able to if they were doing traditional physical therapy. Furthermore, water therapy almost eliminates the usual fatigue and strain that comes with land-based therapy, which allows the body to focus on healing from the condition or injury instead of from the exercises.
Lastly, water therapy patients are more likely to stick with their regimen simply because it’s fun. Improved compliance due to higher spirits helps to speed recovery as much as the physiological benefits of water therapy.
