Water provides buoyancy. This can help you move simply, therapeutic exercise in water. At the same time, it decreases impact and therefore lowering chances of further injury or pain. The water provides resistance and as a result, can help you strengthen your muscles and further chances of re-injury. The warm water also increase circulation to injured areas as well as relax muscles. The pressure of water also can help reduce swelling edema of injured areas.
Water provides much greater resistance for exercise while providing a supportive environment for non-weight bearing on an injured lower extremity.
Aquatic therapy is an efficient and safe way to treat some diseases and maintain health and wellness. Aquatic Physical Therapy combined with appropriate standard, land-based therapy shortens the disability period.
How does aquatic therapy work?
MaxFit Movement utilizes an AquaCiser III, a hydrotherapy chamber combined with an underwater treadmill. Adjustable treadmill speed and water depth and the easy entry/exit of the AquaCiser III make it the perfect medium for improving your state of health and enhance your fitness levels.
The concept is simple. The results are real. Water provides buoyancy and viscosity. Buoyancy aids your movement while resisting gravity. Water viscosity will add gentle resistance to exercise, enough to make it efficient but keeping the risk of further injury or pain low. Simply put, water provides greater resistance while, at the same time, substantially lowering the chances of further injury or pain. The temperature and pressure of the water also assist with circulation and relaxation of muscles. Compression by the water helps to reduce œdema, or swelling, in the tissue. Warm water increases circulation to the injured body part.
Our AquaCiser is…
- A hydrotherapy chamber combined with underwater treadmill
- Can adjust both treadmill speed and water depth
- Do not need to know how to swim!
- Safe and easy entry/exit
Plus, it can be a FUN and ideal way to rehabilitate, condition, and train.
The AquaCiser III can be used for:
- Recovery runs after intense training runs or races
- Soreness in joints and muscles after long runs or strenuous exercise
- Water Running
- Walking and mobility problems
- Knee or ankle injuries
- Stress fractures in pelvis and lower extremities
- Rehabilitation following orthopaedic surgery
- Rehabilitation following knee and hip replacement surgery
- Back and neck injuries
- Osteoporosis
- Maintaining fitness post surgery
- Poor circulation in legs
- Swelling or edema in joints
- Arthritis, fibromyalgia, and other rheumatic diseases
- Neurological problems: Parkinson’s disease, stroke, multiple sclerosis and brain injury, poor coordination, decreased balance, muscle weakness
- Low impact exercising during pregnancy
- Muscle relaxation
- Obesity – escape the vicious cycle through low-impact, pain-free exercise
- Low impact exercise for Diabetics, and those suffering from osteoporosis and arthritic joints
- Post partum, pelvic floor pain and dysfunction
Benefits
- Ability to exercise sooner, especially if unable to do land exercise
- Allows for early weight bearing by unloading weight and stress of joints
- Total exercise program
- Cardio, flexibility, strength, muscle, endurance, proprioception, tendons and joints
- Combining Aquatic (Physical) Therapy with standard, land-based therapy shortens disability period
- Allows for exercises during pregnancy
Other benefits
High resistance of water coupled with its minimal impact on the patient delivers:
- Scar tissue management
- Soft tissue mobilization
- Joint mobilization
- Progression from a passive range of motion to a maximal range of motion
- Increased muscular activity and recruitment of muscle fibres to increase muscular strength and endurance
- Modulation and reduction of pain
- Temperature and pressure of the water assist with circulation and muscle relaxation
- Compression by the water helps reduce swelling of the tissue (œdema)
- Warm water increases circulation to the injured body part
See the AquaCiser in Action
Dr. Kelsick provides some support and motivation for an athlete using the AquaCiser.
As mentioned there are many benefits to using Aquatic Therapy as part of a “Pre-Hab” or Rehab training scenario. Check out these examples of the benefits below:
Also, check out some of the images of the AquaCiser in action on the right.
