Aqua therapy or water rehabilitation is an excellent form of healing exercise for those people who may not be able to undertake normal physiotherapy or exercise. Patients such as the elderly, or those with muscle or bone density issues can greatly benefit from the exercise provided through aqua therapy, particularly given the supporting properties of water. Aqua therapy pools are well maintained and clean to help avoid illness, with strong pool filters and chemicals that won’t impact the patient.
Why is it helpful in healing?
Water has many properties that mean it offers the benefits of exercise and physical activity, without the harshness of impact. It supports the patient, and allows them to work slowly and more comfortably as they progress towards healing. Properties that enable this include:
- Buoyancy
Buoyancy is basically the supporting property in a fluid that enables something to float in it. In normal physio or exercise outside the water, a patient will be more subjected to the forces of gravity, meaning they have to manage the weight of their body and also the impact they feel when they move. The buoyancy of the water enables people to feel lighter, so they don’t have to work with their full weight. This can be great for bone damage or brittle bones, as well as joint and muscle issues.
- Heat
Aqua therapy is undertaken in heated pools. If you’ve ever had a nice long bath at the end of a long day, you understand that the heat of the water has a rapid ability to relax the muscles and improve movement. This property is very helpful when working with people who have muscle or joint issues, as it enables them to relax and experience a greater level or movement and agility.
- Pressure
Warm temperature, combined with the pressure of the water can also have an impact on the body’s ability to circulate blood from the heart to the limbs in the body and back, with less effort. This property is particularly useful in elderly patients who are experiencing a lot of swelling and related discomfort, as it can reduce swelling and provide more movement back to the joints.
- Resistance
While resistance is not necessarily a good thing for people running on the street – especially those with bone, muscle or joint issues – it is a great thing in the water. Light resistance in the water enables patients to improve balance and joint use, so they can move more freely in a range of directions.
In general, patients with a variety of ailments can improve greatly with the assistance of water therapy. Often it will be used post surgery – for example, after a hip replacement – to gradually improve the ability to bear weight on the effected leg, as well as in cases such as arthritis and other illnesses impacting the joints, bones and muscles. Patients may expect to see improved muscle tone, improved muscle strength, a decrease in swelling in affected areas, better circulation and benefits such as better strength and endurance, greater flexibility and motion and increased balance.
If the patient is elderly, these benefits can be vital to post-op recovery, and their ability to transition back into a home environment where they won’t continuously have the support of nursing and hospital staff. If you want to continue therapy in the home pool, the rehab centre, pool or event hire outlets may be able to help you source special pool stairs that allow easier access to the water.
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