Hydrotherapy Is Age Old
Hydrotherapy is an age-old therapy first written about by Hippocrates in Ancient Greek times but likely used by ancient cultures for aeons before that.
It is a sign of our long standing connection to the healing properties of water that hydrotherapy adelaide continues to be a vital tool in healing and rehabilitation today.
Being immersed in water almost eliminates the effect of gravity on the body. If your body is 50% immersed in water, then there is a 50 % reduction of weight stress on the parts of your body that are immersed.
Once you move to neck deep in water, you have a 90% reduction in weight on your body. This reduces pain and stiffness, and means you can perform movements and exercises you might not be able to do on land, due to weakness and pain.
Water Provides Resistance
Pushing your body and limbs against water and using floats and other devices to offer resistance to muscles that is different to the way things work on land.
This allows you to build strength in parts of the body with damaged joints, without the stress and strain of land based exercise.
A Thermal Effect – Hydrotherapy is performed in warm water, this has the added benefit of reducing pain and increasing flexibility, in part by a therapeutic effect on circulation.
Also, water provides hydrostatic pressure – the deeper you go in water, the higher the pressure. This supports the lymphatic system of the body reducing tissue oedema (swelling) in the parts of the body under the water. This assists in returning the fluid back into the blood stream so it can be recirculated.
Everyone Can Benefit From Hydrotherapy
To be truthful, everyone can benefit from some form of hydrotherapy – whether it’s a bathing ritual, water based exercise, or a regular swim. But to prioritise, here is a list of the conditions that benefit the most from formal hydrotherapy treatment and classes.
- Arthritis
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Post surgery – total hip replacement, total knee replacement, knee reconstructions, shoulder reconstructions, after surgical repair of fractures.
- Rehabilitation after shoulder girdle fractures
- Severe injuries and disability following work and vehicle accidents, and other trauma
- Neurological conditions such as nerve injuries or degenerative conditions like motor neurone disease, or after a stroke.
- Pre-natal exercise during pregnancy, helps to maintain a strength and a strong core, when loose ligaments in the pelvis can greatly hinder other forms of weight bearing exercise.
This blog was written by Nicole Brammy from the City East Physio practice.
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