The water therapist uses specific techniques to help reduce your pain, improve tone, decrease spasmodic activity and improve mobility. Aquatic therapy is ideal whatever the ability or level of rehabilitation of the individual, so you can start right at the beginning or join in at a higher fitness level and still receive huge benefits.
Exercise in Water
Aquatic exercise is the process using water and its properties as the primary exercise medium. It can be used as a stand alone exercise medium or part of a health related exercise regime. All exercises are performed in water using the hydrodynamic properties of water, with or without water specific equipment e.g. aqua mitts, dumbbells, noodles, buoyancy belts and much more to add extra resistance and thus a more intensive workout.
Exercising in water decreases joint compression whilst increasing range of movement, muscular strength and endurance, cardiovascular and cardio respiratory fitness. It is excellent for cross training with benefits for runners as a way of training without impact, it will increase speed and assist in training for endurance, without the compression factors of gravity, therefore allowing longer periods of training without fear of injury. Aquatic exercise is excellent for mind and body relaxation and stress reduction; coordination and fall prevention in the elderly or post injury; anti & post natal fitness and posture post partum; plus the early return to sport post injury.
The Reasons Behind The Benefits
The water’s buoyancy virtually eliminates the effects of gravity, depending on the depth of the water that you exercise in up to 80- 90 % of the body’s weight is supported by the water thus reducing impact and joint compression plus allowing far greater flexibility.
Due to viscosity, drag forces and frontal resistance, water provides a resistance which is proportional to the effort exerted against it. Resistance in water is between 4 and 42 times greater than in air, depending on the speed of movement and surface area. A key benefit of exercise in water, unlike most land based exercise, is that it provides 360º resistance for 100% of the time. Water’s resistance can be increased by extending lever length and/or the wearing of aquatic equipment, the resistance is proportional to the effort required to move against it.
The unique properties of water enable your heart to work more efficiently. The hydrostatic pressure of water pushes equally on all body surfaces and helps the heart circulate blood by aiding venous return – blood flow back to the heart. This assistance to the heart accounts for lower blood pressure and heart rates during water exercise.
Benefits of Water Therapy & Aqua Exercise
- Decreases pain
- Decreases blood pressure
- Improves circulation
- Increases bone density
- Minimises impact on joints
- Improves flexibility & range of motion
- Improves motor control
- Improves postural awareness & alignment
- Decreases oedema
- Stimulates production of serotonin
Aquatic therapy and exercise is suitable for all ages and all abilities ranging from those recovering from an injury, accident or surgery up to elite athletes who are using it as part of their training regime.
Vanessa Hodge, joint owner of BodyActif Group who specialise in helping individuals, communities and businesses to be in the best health possible via a wide range of therapies and training enabling them to achieve their best results and a enjoy a great work life balance. The therapists at BodyActif can help with a wide variety of conditions, we have many years experience in the industry and specialise in rehabilitation via aquatic and manual therapies, sports and remedial massage, manual lymphatic drainage, corrective exercise, pilates, personal training, swimming coaching and nutrition & lifestyle advice.
Further information on therapy, treatment & training
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