3 Reasons to Consider Aquatic Therapy
For someone who has weak muscles or is recovering from an athletic injury or invasive surgery, aquatic therapy is an excellent tool to help get moving again. Sometimes physical therapy patients are hesitant to get in the water because the concept of exercising in a pool seems foreign and strange. However, the unique properties of water create an excellent medium for rehabilitation therapies. For those who may be considering aquatic therapy, here are three reasons to get in the water:
- Decreased Pain
The warmth of the water in an aquatic therapy pool helps relax tense or strained muscles and pump blood to injured areas. The resulting effect is decreased pain and increased mobility – particularly for patients with muscle spasms, back pain, and conditions like fibromyalgia. - Less Swelling, Better Healing
Aquatic therapy relies on the pressure, weight, and resistance of the water to aid in healing. While the heat of the pool water helps relax aching muscles and fight swelling, the buoyant support of the water also decreases swelling by lightening the load a patient’s body places on strained joints, bones, and muscles. In addition providing heat and buoyancy, water also exerts hydrostatic pressure, which lessens swelling to allow for more movement. - Reduced Stress on Joints and Muscles
When a patient is submerged in the pool, the buoyancy of the water helps support their weight. This extra support decreases the weight-bearing demand on muscles and joints and allows the body to relax. Because of the reduced stress on joints, patients can move with less stress and pain in the water than on land and can accelerate their recovery by getting active sooner rather than later. These aspects of aquatic therapy make it a wonderful option for patients who are suffering from arthritis, healing from bone, joint, or muscle injuries, or who are overweight.
In sum, aquatic therapy is an excellent resource for pain-fighting, recovery-speeding physical rehabilitation. Using the unique properties of water, a patient can achieve many benefits that can not be experienced on land.