Are your aching joints from arthritis making it difficult for you to go about your daily routine? Did you know that several painful conditions related to aging respond to aquatic therapy? Our team of therapists uses the healing properties of water to help our patients get relief and improve their function, so they can keep doing what they love!
Stiff, achy joints or other health conditions can limit how people perform their typical daily tasks. Pain and injury often interfere with our ability to stay active, and for the elderly, it can be even more challenging. Fortunately, aquatic therapy is an effective solution for aging adults to exercise regularly while reducing the strain on joints.
Our therapists at your physical therapy clinic will provide you with a comprehensive program, including aquatic therapy, to help alleviate your pain while improving your overall health and fitness!
Call us today to schedule an appointment and see if aquatic therapy is right for you!
What exactly is aquatic therapy?
Aquatic therapy, or pool therapy, is a form of physical therapy that uses the benefits of water as part of a comprehensive treatment plan. Aquatic exercises are performed under the direction and supervision of our highly trained physical therapists.
We use the water’s natural properties to create an exercise program that safely and effectively challenges you without provoking your pain. The buoyancy of water naturally decompresses the joint to alleviate pain and allow for movement and exercise without the struggles that come with land-based exercises and gravity.
Water creates a natural resistance to movement. The faster you move, the more resistance you will feel. A physical therapist can increase the resistance of an exercise and make the movement more difficult by increasing the surface area of a person’s body by adding paddles, noodles, and kickboards.
Your therapist can also manipulate the exercise intensity level by adding a current to the water. Currents that move in the same direction as a person’s body makes it easier. Whereas turbulence, or a current in the opposite direction of a person’s body, makes it harder to move and can also add a safe way to challenge your balance while moving forward.
What are common conditions associated with aging that benefit from aquatic therapy?
Water’s natural properties set the stage for an ideal therapeutic environment for the elderly. People with arthritis find exercising in the water less stressful and less painful than exercising on land.
Some of the other conditions that benefit from aquatic therapy include:
- Age-related weakness
- Balance and gait challenges
- Fall risks
- Neurological disorders like a stroke or Parkinson’s
- Cardiovascular health
Water’s buoyant properties help support you, making balance and gait work safer. For example, any fall in the water is less dangerous and more manageable for a therapist to deal with. Aquatic therapy is an effective way to help aging adults reduce pain, improve their function and help them restore an active lifestyle!
What to expect at your aquatic therapy sessions
Your physical therapist will start with a comprehensive evaluation and a movement assessment to identify all the factors contributing to your condition. We will use this information to develop a program tailored to your specific needs.
Our treatment plans will include aquatic therapy to help you exercise in a safe, pain-free environment. Our programs will consist of targeted mobility exercises, strengthening, and other appropriate water-based techniques to ensure you can find relief and improve your function.
For people with fears related to water or swimming, our physical therapists will get in the pool to ensure your safety. Our therapists will stay by your side throughout the entire session so you can feel safe while exercising.
Aquatic physical therapy can benefit individuals with most neuromuscular or musculoskeletal disorders. The natural properties of water will assist your therapist in finding appropriate exercises to help you feel good again!
Contact us for an appointment!
At Exercise Sport Physical Therapy, our physical therapists are dedicated to helping you find relief and improving your overall health and well-being. We would be happy to meet with you for a consultation and assess how our aquatic therapy programs could help you get moving again!
Contact Exercise Sport Physical Therapy today if you suffer from aches and pains related to aging!
