aquatic therapy, spine - person swimming in a lane

Benefits of Aquatic Therapy on Your Joints

When your joints are so stiff and uncomfortable that it is even painful to walk, it may seem impossible to get your body moving again. There is hope! Desert Spine and Sports helps patients in the Phoenix, Mesa, Scottsdale, Chandler, and Gilbert areas relieve pain and improve maximum functioning. We also like to help people find ways to move and exercise in ways that do not cause pain or further damage. Whether you are dealing with knee and hip arthritis or other conditions that limit your mobility, aquatic therapy may be the answer.

What is Aquatic Therapy?

Aquatic therapy, or physical therapy and exercise in the water, is considered to be a low-impact activity that relieves stress on weight-bearing joints and muscles while improving range of motion and strength. The Mayo Clinic recommends aquatic therapy for improving flexibility, balance, muscle strength, endurance, and aerobic fitness. One of the main benefits of aquatic therapy is that it allows for movement and exercise with decreased pain.

How is it Beneficial?

The natural buoyant state of water adds resistance that you would normally have to achieve with weights or bands if you were on land. In water, there is also a decreased risk of falling for those with balance issues. When exercising, endorphin’s are released, which are hormones that decrease stress and reduce pain.

Aquatic therapy in warm water can lessen joint and muscle stiffness thus improving joint flexibility (the more flexible your joints and muscles are, the less likely the risk of hurting them further). In the warmth, tense muscles are relaxed, and blood vessels are vasodilated, increasing blood flow to injured areas.

There are many benefits of aquatic therapy based on your specific diagnosis. As part of the continuum of rehabilitative services offered by Desert Spine and Sports, aquatic therapy can be a beneficial too. for speeding healing of an injury and helping build strength and improve overall physical functioning.

 

Contact Desert Spine and Sports today to hear more about how aquatic therapy can benefit you and your specific needs. Our goal is not only to help treat the injuries that have already occurred, but to prevent future injury and maintain the health of your joints and your body as a whole.

 

Images used under creative commons license – commercial use (9/22/2017) Fort Rucker (Flickr)