What is the difference between normal exercise and water exercise therapy?
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Water therapy has become one of the most popular forms of exercise especially for individuals with arthritis, sports injuries, and spine problems. Working in a low or zero gravity environment allows individuals to exercise muscles and joints without them having to support you at the same time. It promotes normal range of motion, increased circulation, strengthening, stretching, traction, and endurance all at the same time. Further, you will never hurt yourself in the pool. Just be careful getting in and out of the water.
Heated swimming pools, lap pools, lazy rivers, and underwater treadmills are a few of the devices and facilities where aquatic exercise can be performed. In fact, the horse racing industry has been training thoroughbred horses for years using large underwater treadmills because of safety and effectiveness. Many physical therapy centers are emerging focusing on aquatic or water therapy, or, therapist are using local facilities to treat patients. Further, many community recreation centers and YMCAs have formed various water exercise class for individuals with arthritis, osteoporosis, and deconditioning for a nominal membership fee. We are also starting to see water Yoga and water Pilates programs. Also be sure that the pool is heated.
Various types of equipment are now available to aid in water based exercises including the Aqua Jogger System which contains a flotation belt and water “dumbbells” and “ankle weights” which use the resistance of the water to strengthen muscles and enhance the workout. A good routine for almost everyone would start by floating with a life vest, flotation belt, or hanging on a “noodle” for 15 min in the deep end of the pool so that your feet are not touching the bottom. This essentially provides stretching of the muscles and traction therapy similar to the spinal decompression machines. Next use the water dumbbells and ankle weights to move the water around (while in hanging traction) to start to improve range of motion of the joints and muscle strengthening for another 15 minutes. The resistance of the water will provide necessary “work” to gain the exercise benefit. Lastly, move to shallower end of the pool so that the water is about chest high and begin to walk, jog, or run – forward, backwards, sideways, or bouncing. This hour long program can be performed every day with tremendous benefits.
For sports injuries or post-surgical rehabilitation, a physical therapist should probably work with patients to instruct them on specific goals of the rehabilitation program. Further, I have found in many of my patients with certain spine conditions that may require surgery, if their pain and symptoms go away in the pool using the above program, this will be the best predictor as to how they will feel after the operation. In other words, the pain that usually goes away in the water is the pain that will go away with surgery and the proper rehabilitation program afterwards. Aquatic exercise and therapy can be performed by people of all ages, physical conditions, size, height, race, sex, and functional status.
Water Exercises can treat the following conditions:
