When you combine the natural properties of water with body movement, you’ve got a winning exercise and physical therapy solution. You may intuitively realize this, but let’s delve into it. Here we take a fascinating look at how and why aquatic therapy and water exercise works so well.
The magic of aquatic therapy starts with its physical properties. Water increases mobility, so pool-based exercise helps people get and stay fit, or regain fitness, without joint damage. Water provides gentle but effective, resistance along with uniform pressure and supportive buoyancy so that individuals gain strength and endurance crucial for overall health.
These characteristics make exercising in water an ideal solution–almost anyone needing physical therapy can benefit from aquatic therapy.
What Is Aquatic Therapy?
Simply put, aquatic therapy involves hands-on therapy techniques and specific body movements designed, taught and supervised by a physical therapist who specializes in aquatic therapy. Your treatment plan is tailored to achieve specific patient needs and goals. We use specially designed exercise equipment, along with simpler exercise aids like balls, and we train you in specific exercise movements.
Whether you’re recovering from an injury or illness and need water rehab services, or you’re looking to improve overall fitness and sports performance, aquatic therapy can be ideal. Water provides natural buoyancy to reduce gravity’s effects and avoid joint strain, yet water is hundreds of times more resistive than air, so water-based exercise provides extremely efficient and effective results. Exercise in a warm water aquatic environment also provides social interaction, but exercise can also be done solo in your own pool. Our expert physical therapists teach you, support you and help you improve your quality of life.
Who Benefits from Aquatic Physical Therapy?
Aquatic therapy can benefit both the mind and body. Spending time in our therapeutic, temperature controlled, pool alongside your physical therapist can alleviate many chronic conditions. Exercising in our 96,000-gallon, indoor pool helps you recover from a variety of injuries and ailments and banish life-limiting symptoms, including:
- Chronic pain, including back pain, joint pain
- Traumatic brain injury patients
- Car accident injuries
- Sports injury
- Muscle spasms
- Circulation problems
- Heart disease
- Stroke recovery
- Neurological injury
- Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy
- Arthritis (osteo or rheumatoid)
- Balance problems due to muscle weakness on one side
Why Choose Water Therapy?
Our physical therapists may recommend aquatic exercise for you because it is:
- Flexible exercise option, no equipment is required
- No sweating required to gain strength, fitness and pain relief benefits
- Water supports the body while providing gentle resistance
- Warm water soothes sore muscles
- Typically appropriate for all levels of fitness
- Offers stress reduction along with muscle relaxation
- Feels great, especially in our dry southwestern climate
- Provides social interaction or meditative time alone, as you wish
- Avoids joint strain
- Works for all ages, from childhood through senior years
- Helps us to help you achieve the dozen aquatic health, fitness and rehab/recovery benefits listed above–and even more
Aquatic Therapy Experts in Phoenix
Get expert aquatic physical therapy and rehabilitation planned around your specific needs, right here in Phoenix. If you’re in pain or need rehab services to gain strength and mobility, you can count on our skilled, attentive and friendly team of licensed providers. Our compassionate and inspiring staff are here to help you achieve your goals for a pain-free, healthy life. Contact STI Physical Therapy and Rehab today.
