Benefits of being in a pool:
Buoyancy of water causes an individual to feel lighter and float upwards
An individual who is unable to support their body weight on land is often able to walk with minimal support in the pool
Water supports weak muscles
Enhances flexibility due to warm pool temperatures
Enhances range of motion
Less fear of falling
Buoyance allows many difference exercises to be performed without or with minimal equipment
Decompresses joints such as the spine
Being submerged to the neck decreased weight bearing by ~90%
Water provides resistance for toning exercises
Can perform strengthening, endurance, and muscle re-education exercises by resisting water
Exercises that are too difficult on land are easier to perform under water
Resistance can be used to create progressions for patients at different levels, for example, increasing speed increases resistance and slowing down speed decreases resistance
Hydrostatic pressure decreases pain and edema
Water provides pressure throughout entire body that is submerged, providing similar effects of wearing compression stockings to decrease swelling
Almost every condition is appropriate for pool therapy as long as all incisions/surgical sites are fully healed! Knee replacements, herniated lumbar disc, pediatrics, are all appropriate!
Example exercises that can be done in the pool:
Cardiovascular exercises:
Swimming
Walking forwards, backwards, sideways in a regular pool or against the current in a lazy river
Running
Treading water
Strengthening:
Squats (pictured)
Leg lifts (pictured)
Lat pull downs
Deltoid front raises
Tricep dips (pictured)
Happy Healing!
Maggie Nguyen PT, DPT
References: https://www.brainline.org/article/why-aquatic-therapy