Firstly, we have to answer what is hydrotherapy.
Hydrotherapy is an effective way of using warm water to assist in rehabilitation of acute and chronic injuries. What makes hydrotherapy so effective is it uses water’s properties such as buoyancy, resistance and warmth to create a fun interactive environment to be able to strengthen your muscles and improve your balance.
Buoyancy: Is the upward force exerted by water but what does this mean for us? This means that water can allow you to feel light, almost weightless-like you have dropped 10 kilos! As physio’s we use this advantage to minimise your body weight and allow you to do things you might not be able to on land such as squats or marching!
Resistance: Almost all of us been at the beach at some stage and felt the push and pull of the water. This is because water is heavier than air and so it has a stronger force or push on us. In hydrotherapy, we can use this property to work for us and against us. Instead of using weights at the gym or springs on a Pilates reformer we can perform exercises using water as our weight. We can push the water away or pull it closer. And the best part is…. the water is all around us. So, with a slight change of hand or leg position we can make it easier or harder or use different muscles!
Warmth: Who doesn’t like hoping into a nice soothing bath. The water in the hydrotherapy pools are kept around 34 degrees Celsius. This heat relaxes our muscles and allows us to move efficiently whilst minimising injury.
Using all these components hydrotherapy can help increase your strength by pushing against the resistance of the water, allow you to perform exercises that you normally couldn’t on land due to your now buoyant nature and keep your muscles warm and relaxed.
Call the office now on 8331 1557 to arrange an appointment to speak with one of our physiotherapists at our Oakden, Toorak Gardens or Windsor Gardens clinics and find out if hydrotherapy can help you.
Written by: Kelsey Lamont B. Physiotherapy
