How Athletes Can Benefit From Aquatic Therapy
January 20, 2017
Aquatic therapy, otherwise known as water therapy or aquatic rehabilitation, focuses on providing physical treatment for those of all ages and fitness levels. It looks at helping individuals who need to improve their coordination or balance, build up their muscles and endurance, enhance aerobic capacity, improve flexibility and reduce stress. It is a physical medicine that works well with athletes as it can be tailored to each individual based on previous injuries or specific requirements. One would obtain aquatic therapy from a trained professional. You can find a trained professional at either a hospital, a clinic like the sports medicine clinic in Toronto, or from a rehabilitation centre.
The Benefits of Water Therapy
The largest benefit that water therapy provides individuals such as athletes is that those who are recovering from injury, who cannot practice rehabilitation on physical land, can do so in the water. The reason for this is because water provides compression to injured muscles and reduces gravity’s pull on the body due to the principal of buoyancy. Water also exactly matches the resistance an injured muscle can generate ensuring that an injured muscle is never overused yet providing maximal exercise potential for healing. Other advantages that athletes would specifically benefit from include:
- Respiratory muscles must work harder in water which naturally strengthens them throughout the therapy session and afterwards.
- The resistance of the water can be used to strengthen muscles and increase the progression of rehabilitation.
- Pain will be reduced as the individual will always be supported in the water. This in turn also reduces any fear that the individual may have after a serious injury.
- Increased joint flexibility as the reduction in gravity allows for a higher range of motion.
- Increased blood supply to all areas including muscles, which reduces pain and speeds up the healing process.
- Balance and muscle strength will be improved due to the water’s natural resistance.
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