Benefits of Aquatic Therapy

Aquatic therapy, also known as hydrotherapy, is not a new concept but the benefits of water for patients, of all types, is getting more and more attention in the physical therapy industry. It’s something sport programs have been utilizing with athletes for years and now patients suffering from a wide range of conditions are now utilizing.

Hydrotherapy in an underwater treadmill or pool uses the natural properties of water, or the principles of relative density, buoyancy, hydrostatic pressure, surface tension, viscosity and resistance to achieve its therapeutic benefits in a safe environment. Exercising in water can help reduce fatigue and pressure on joints, soothe aches, and help with balance. It can also improve mobility and flexibility, allowing patients to recover from surgery or an injury quicker, and experience a better quality of life and well-being.

Benefits for Humans

The prospect of recovering from a medical procedure or injury, dealing with arthritis or weight issues can all be painful, frustrating and cause fear. With aquatic exercise, patients experience the benefits of water immediately. A low-impact, high resistance workout in warm water helps reduce inflammation, relieve pain, increase circulation, improve balance and promote relaxation. The stabilizing and buoyant effects of water enable many patients to perform exercises in water that they cannot do on land, reducing the fear of falling and increasing mental outlook.

For more information on the benefits of water for humans, see Case Studies.

Benefits for Equines

Of any industry, horse owners, trainers and managers understand the benefits of water when handling their high-end performance horses. The unique aspect of hydrotherapy for equines is that warm, hot and cold water are healing for different purposes. An equine underwater treadmill like the AquaPacer Plus, has become the increasingly popular choice with all three water supply options.

The natural properties of water reduce the horse’s bodyweight for less stress on bones and joints, ligaments and tendons. The moving treadmill belt mimics the natural movements of the horse’s gait, as opposed to other aqua therapy options, while the resistance of water helps build stamina, strength and endurance. The resistance of the water also helps build a horse’s stamina and mental performance. Having the option of warm, hot and cold water gives unlimited therapy options in rehabilitation, training and conditioning.

To read more about hydrotherapy for equines, see Case Studies.

Benefits for Small Animals

Because of the success of Hydrotherapy with humans, veterinarians are gaining confidence in and observing similar positive results with animals. Specific interest in canine rehabilitation started with the horse racing industry and branched out to include racing and performance dogs, and house pets. Aquatic therapy for small animals in an underwater treadmill or pool is effective for improving strength, muscular endurance, cardio-respiratory endurance, range of motion, agility, and psychological well-being, while minimizing pain. It is also an excellent form of exercise for weight loss and older patients, as less body weight in water reduces the stress on bones and joints.

Many conditions benefit from hydrotherapy, especially those disorders in which an animal is reluctant to use a limb or there is a lack of strength, range of motion, proprioceptive ability or weight-bearing status. An animal that will not use a limb on land will be more apt to use it in the water. Hudson Aquatic AquaPaws underwater treadmills have variable control over speed, resistance and depth, which allows for a tailored and progressive therapy plan for every type or breed of patient. Resistance jets can also be turned on or off, depending on the amount of resistance desired, which is useful for muscle strengthening and cardiovascular training as well as reducing swelling and edema.

For more information about the aquatic therapy success for small animals, see Case Studies.

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