Dive Into Aquatic Physical Therapy
If traditional, land-based exercise feels too painful or intimidating, the pool might be your perfect solution.
Aquatic physical therapy is exactly what it sounds like – performing exercises and activities in water, usually a heated pool. From sports injuries to chronic back pain, fibromyalgia, and arthritis, taking your recovery into the water offers a wide range of benefits.
While we love traditional land based therapy, recent clinical data has shown that aquatic therapy does have unique physiological and mental benefits that cannot be replicated in a standard gym.
Here is why taking your recovery into the pool with Aquatic Physical Therapy could accelerate your healing process.
1. Reduced Weight Bearing
We’ve always known that one of the main benefits of aquatic physical therapy is that it reduces the impact and stress on the joints and muscles, thanks to the buoyancy of water. When the water is up to your neck, you only bear about 10% of your body weight.
We now have evidence that this reduction in weight bearing also reduces kinesiophobia, or the fear of movement due to chronic pain.
Patients who are terrified of walking, squatting, or bending on land often find they can move freely and confidently once submerged.
2. Built In Resistance
Water provides natural resistance. Because water is thicker than air, every step or arm swing requires effort, turning the pool into a gentle, full-body strength training machine.
Therapists can adjust this resistance by changing the speed, direction, or surface area of the movement.
A great thing about water’s resistance is that it’s very safe.It allows patients to build muscle and cardiovascular endurance without the impact that can come with traditional weights or land-based exercises.
3. Under Pressure
A third benefit of aquatic therapy is the hydrostatic pressure. The pressure of the water can be used to help reduce swelling in joints or tissues.
It also gives your brain more input about the position your body and limbs are in, which can help improve proprioception.
Recent research shows that this enhanced body awareness translates well to dry land. Aquatic therapy is now recognized as a highly effective intervention for improving walking patterns and significantly reducing the risk of falls in older adults.
4. Heat
Our last benefit of aquatic physical therapy is that it takes advantage of the warmth of the water, which can help relax the muscles and relieve pain. The heat helps to dilate the blood vessels, which can increase blood flow and oxygen delivery to the injured or affected areas.
But we’ve learned that there’s more to it than that.
Recent trials show that regular warm-water therapy leads to improvements in sleep quality for chronic pain sufferers, while lowering rates of clinical anxiety and depression.
Ready to Dive In?
Discover the transformative benefits of Aquatic Physical Therapy at Kinetic Physical Therapy and Wellness in Greenville, NC! Our expert therapists provide personalized, one-on-one sessions designed to improve mobility, reduce pain, and enhance overall wellness in a soothing, low-impact environment. Whether you’re recovering from an injury or managing a chronic condition, our Aquatic Therapy is tailored to meet your unique needs. Dive into better health today—schedule your Aquatic Therapy session now!
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Dive Into Aquatic Physical Therapy
If traditional, land-based exercise feels too painful or intimidating, the pool might be your perfect solution.
Aquatic physical therapy is exactly what it sounds like – performing exercises and activities in water, usually a heated pool. From sports injuries to chronic back pain, fibromyalgia, and arthritis, taking your recovery into the water offers a wide range of benefits.
While we love traditional land based therapy, recent clinical data has shown that aquatic therapy does have unique physiological and mental benefits that cannot be replicated in a standard gym.
Here is why taking your recovery into the pool with Aquatic Physical Therapy could accelerate your healing process.
1. Reduced Weight Bearing
We’ve always known that one of the main benefits of aquatic physical therapy is that it reduces the impact and stress on the joints and muscles, thanks to the buoyancy of water. When the water is up to your neck, you only bear about 10% of your body weight.
We now have evidence that this reduction in weight bearing also reduces kinesiophobia, or the fear of movement due to chronic pain.
Patients who are terrified of walking, squatting, or bending on land often find they can move freely and confidently once submerged.
2. Built In Resistance
Water provides natural resistance. Because water is thicker than air, every step or arm swing requires effort, turning the pool into a gentle, full-body strength training machine.
Therapists can adjust this resistance by changing the speed, direction, or surface area of the movement.
A great thing about water’s resistance is that it’s very safe.It allows patients to build muscle and cardiovascular endurance without the impact that can come with traditional weights or land-based exercises.
3. Under Pressure
A third benefit of aquatic therapy is the hydrostatic pressure. The pressure of the water can be used to help reduce swelling in joints or tissues.
It also gives your brain more input about the position your body and limbs are in, which can help improve proprioception.
Recent research shows that this enhanced body awareness translates well to dry land. Aquatic therapy is now recognized as a highly effective intervention for improving walking patterns and significantly reducing the risk of falls in older adults.
4. Heat
Our last benefit of aquatic physical therapy is that it takes advantage of the warmth of the water, which can help relax the muscles and relieve pain. The heat helps to dilate the blood vessels, which can increase blood flow and oxygen delivery to the injured or affected areas.
But we’ve learned that there’s more to it than that.
Recent trials show that regular warm-water therapy leads to improvements in sleep quality for chronic pain sufferers, while lowering rates of clinical anxiety and depression.
Ready to Dive In?
Discover the transformative benefits of Aquatic Physical Therapy at Kinetic Physical Therapy and Wellness in Greenville, NC! Our expert therapists provide personalized, one-on-one sessions designed to improve mobility, reduce pain, and enhance overall wellness in a soothing, low-impact environment. Whether you’re recovering from an injury or managing a chronic condition, our Aquatic Therapy is tailored to meet your unique needs. Dive into better health today—schedule your Aquatic Therapy session now!
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“This place is AMAZING! They have everything you could need/want for a healthy lifestyle and help getting assistance from PT, exercise, aquatic exercise, massage and most importantly Doctors and licensed staff who are wonderful, professional, fun and eager to help! You can tell they honestly love working there! Love this place and the fabulous staff!“
~Kristen H.
“My post-surgery arthritic foot limits my choice of exercise options. I have been taking the aquatics exercise classes for a few months, and they are giving me the cardio, strength, and toning that I could not get before due to physical limitations. Kiara is exceptional in knowing exactly how hard to push me while still allowing me to enjoy the high of exercising again. A great workout that will get me 100% more mobile in no time. Highly recommend Kinetics.“
~Holly W.
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