Aquatic therapy offers various benefits for patients who can have trouble moving or exercising because of pain. One of the greatest benefits of aquatic therapy is buoyancy. When the body is submerged in water, buoyancy assists in supporting the weight of the patient, making movement possible.
Decreasing the amount of weight the joints bear reduces the force of stress the joints feel. This aspect of aquatic therapy is especially useful for patients with arthritis, healing fractured bones, or who are overweight. It is much easier and less painful to perform exercises when you decrease the amount of stress put on the joints.
A second property of water that is beneficial for aquatic therapy patients is viscosity. The viscosity of water provides an excellent source of resistance that can be easily incorporated into an aquatic therapy exercise program. This resistance allows for muscle strengthening without the need of weights. Using resistance coupled with the water’s buoyancy allows a person to strengthen muscle groups with decreased joint stress.
To decrease swelling and improve joint position awareness, aquatic therapy also utilizes hydrostatic pressure. This pressure produces forces perpendicular to the body’s surface and allows that patient to become more aware of their joint positions.
Ultimately, as a result of aquatic therapy, patient proprioception is improved. This is important for patients who have experienced joint sprains, as when ligaments are torn, our proprioception becomes decreased. The hydrostatic pressure also assists in decreasing joint and soft tissue swelling that occur after injury or with arthritic disorders.
The warmth of the water experience during aquatic therapy assists in relaxing muscles and vasodilates vessels, increasing blood flow to injured areas. Patients find this aspect of aquatic therapy therapeutic, especially those with muscle spasms, back pain, and fibromyalgia.
Limitations of Aquatic Therapy
Although aquatic therapy offers various benefits, it may have some limitations. First, the gains that you make while exercising in the water may not equate to functional gains outside of the water. Walking in water may be easy due to the buoyancy created, but once you exit the pool, you still may have difficulty walking on dry land.
The overall effect of the aquatic therapy may not equal functional and strength gains that you hope for. For some patients, aquatic therapy simply feels good. You should understand the specific goals that you are looking to achieve when you participate in aquatic therapy.
Some Folks Should Not Perform Aquatic Therapy
It is important to know, however, that aquatic therapy is not for everyone.
Cardiovascular Stress: Exercise in water produces training effects with less cardiovascular stress than the identical exercise (or exercise intensity) per formed on land. This reduction in stress creates a training environment without compromising safety. Those who have fevers, infections, or bowel/bladder incontinence are also not candidates for aquatic therapy. Always discuss your health and concerns with your physician before beginning an aquatic therapy program, or any exercise program for that matter.
If you cannot swim, you should not participate in pool therapy unless your occupational therapist is aware of your lack of swimming knowledge and can provide you with full assistance 100% of the time.
Do you have an injury or illness that causes a limitation in functional mobility? If so, you may benefit from the skilled services of a occupational therapist to help you recover fully. You may also find that aquatic therapy to be beneficial to your full return to your baseline mobility and to get back to your normal activity level sooner than you thought possible.
Freedom Rehab
941-400-1505
3545 Massini Ave., North Port