Water therapy, or hydrotherapy, includes a group of treatments and exercises done in swimming pools Christchurch. These exercises can be used for chronic pain management, especially back and neck pain. Pain that is present in the body for three months or longer is classified as chronic pain. They usually occur due to some disease or injury. In some cases, older adults may experience pain as a part of ageing. Chronic pain can be debilitating for many people and can affect the quality of their lives.
Hydrotherapy
In hydrotherapy, a patient practises recommended exercises while they are submerged in a swimming pool. The temperature of the swimming pool is determined by the disease the patient is being treated for. In most cases, the pool water used for hydrotherapy is warmer than the water of a normal swimming pool. But in some cases, hydrotherapy recommends cooler water for treatment.
The concept of hydrotherapy has been doing the rounds since as early as the Ancient Egyptian civilisation. The Pharaohs and other royal members used warm water baths as a way to improve their health and de-stress. Water therapy is now widely used as a treatment for physical and mental conditions. It is also a great way to support people who are recovering from surgeries and neurological conditions.
Benefits of water therapy
Water therapy is usually used in situations when land-based treatments are ineffective or too uncomfortable for the patients. This therapy is used for numerous medical conditions like:
- Advanced osteoporosis
- Osteoarthritis
- Muscle strain
- High blood pressure
- Diabetes
Water therapy offers numerous benefits to the participants, including:
- Improved strength, mobility, and endurance
- Improved flexibility and range of motion
- Boosts the immune system
- Improves the elasticity or tone of muscles and skin
- Improves digestion and metabolic rate, making the patients more active
- Relaxes tense and tight muscles
- Stimulates circulation of blood throughout the body
- Reduces chronic pain
Water therapy is advantageous due to three of its properties:
- Water resistance
The resistance offered by water is ideal for building strength and enhancing muscle tone in an injured state. This resistance will also stabilise you during movement, reducing injury risk. Since resistance depends on the speed of your movement, you will be able to set the pace for exercise.
- Buoyancy
This property of water will cause you to float, thereby relieving the pressure or stress on your joints. You will also be able to move freely during the exercise.
- Heat
Warm water is great at stimulating the thermoreceptors in the body. This enhances fluid movement in the body and improves soft tissue extensibility. This will have a relaxing effect on your body and mind.
Things to consider before starting water therapy
Hydrotherapy is a highly effective treatment for chronic pain. But there are some important things that should be considered before you start water therapy. People suffering from chronic back pain should only start water therapy under the guidance of a medical health professional. This is very important since the temperature of the pool water is decided according to the health condition of the patient. There are some medical conditions that can make patients ineligible for this treatment. These conditions include critical heart failure, incontinence, infection, limited eyesight, limited endurance, fever, and impaired awareness of the body’s position.
How water therapy helps
Water therapy is suitable for different types of chronic pain, including those caused by diseases, trauma, or old age. For upper body pain, generally moderate exercises are done in water. But when the patient is suffering from severe lower body pain, underwater treadmill exercises are performed. These exercises can also help patients regain the flexibility and full functionality of their lower limbs.
- Chronic spine, neck or back pain
In this case, water is used to soothe the nerves and muscles in the area affected by pain. Patients can sometimes suffer from partial mobility loss due to chronic pain. In this case, water can be used to reduce stress caused by body weight and provide resistance while they are strength training.
- Parkinson’s Disease
This disease causes chronic and debilitating pain in patients and is degenerative in nature. Parkinson’s can also affect the mobility and flexibility of limbs, as well as tremors. This disease can also lead to severe mental conditions like depression. Water therapy can be used to treat the pain caused by Parkinson’s disease as well as depression. Patients will be able to improve their gait and train their limbs in water without the issue of falling, as in the case of land-based exercises. Water therapy also improves blood circulation, improves sensory perception, and reduces swelling. This will alleviate their pain and improve their quality of life.
- Limb or joint trauma
This usually happens when you have been in an accident or suffered a sports-related injury. Even though the pain may decrease over time as the body heals naturally, sometimes the pain might be too severe. In this case, water therapy can be used to reduce the pain. Warm water can be used to soothe the pain near the wound and you can even use pressure jets to give relief to the muscles. Underwater exercise will also speed up your recovery.
- Cerebral Palsy
The pain occurring due to neurological conditions like cerebral palsy can also be treated using water therapy. Patients can perform movements of a wider range when they are in the water. Similarly, they will be expending more energy while doing water-based exercises than compared to land-based exercises. Water-based exercises also have limited chances of falling and injuries.
- Arthritis
Arthritis is a very common disease in older adults. This inflammatory disease can cause swollen joints, joint pain, and stiffness. Water therapy can help older adults overcome pain and regain the mobility of their limbs.
- Spinal Stenosis
This condition can heavily affect the motor abilities of a person along with numbness and pain. Aquatic therapy can help patients regain their motor functions through a steady, slow exercise regime. Using underwater treadmills is an ideal way to treat patients suffering from leg mobility problems associated with spinal stenosis.
In Conclusion
Water therapy is one of the best exercises for people suffering from severe chronic pain. When done correctly under the supervision of a physician, it can provide great relief to people suffering from different debilitating diseases.