How Aquatic Therapy is Changing the Game
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Aquatic therapy is changing the training, conditioning and rehabilitation game for athletic trainers, strength coaches and other sports medicine professionals with the use of Hudson Aquatic Systems’ underwater treadmills. Incorporating the benefits of aquatic rehab and conditioning through buoyancy, resistance, hydro-static pressure, and heat reduces injuries, increases recovery time and enables athletes to build muscle and endurance without the strain on joints. Athletes are able to rehab from injury quicker and recovery can begin sooner than land-based exercise.
Keeping athletes at peak performance, avoiding injury, and rehabilitating athletes safely and quickly can best be done in the water. Resistance of water is 800 times as dense as air.
Underwater treadmills improve recovery from the following specific athletic injuries or challenges: shin splints, inflammation and swelling, muscle bruising, fatigue, poor circulation, stride imbalances, fractures and chips, laxation, and muscle atrophy. Underwater treadmills enable athletes to extend conditioning and endurance, build muscle, and improve performance.
Hudson Aquatic Systems has been manufacturing underwater treadmill systems for over 25 years, and currently has systems in over 50 colleges and universities, most recently in the University of Montana. Hudson manufactures underwater treadmills for humans, canines and equines, and ships them all over the world. They have manufactured over 2,000 systems, many of which are more than 20-years-old and being used on a daily basis. The systems are quality commercial grade, built to operate 10 hours per day, seven days per week. In order to give your program and athletes the best care and treatment, and to avoid equipment downtime, they offer 24/7 service support, a water quality expert on staff to ensure a sanitary water environment is maintained, and all parts are readily available and in stock at their 40,000 sq. ft. facility in Indiana. Rest assured, they are the experts, with products made in the USA.
If you are not currently offering aquatic therapy to your athletes at your facility, consider how much more effective and efficient your program could be. The advantages to athletes are endless. Opinions on land vs. aquatic therapy, rehab and conditioning vary, but it is generally agreed that 30 minutes of aquatic exercise equals 45 to 60 minutes of land-based exercise without the strain on joints and with the benefits of added resistance of water. You’ll see less time working out with better results.
Hudson manufactures the AquaFit underwater treadmill system, custom performance pools, therapy and plunge pools and can accommodate any athletic department budget. Hudson also manufactures the AquaGaiter, an underwater treadmill system that drops into an existing pool and operates on hydraulics and pneumatics (no electricity in the pool). The treadmill requires a low investment of approximately $18,000.
Hudson’s AquaFit is a complete self-contained large exercise chamber with a treadmill and water storage system (the water pumps back and forth from a sanitized water storage tank to the exercise chamber with a high speed, high efficiency pump). It fits into a space as small as 10’ X 12’, requires no expensive HVAC modifications and requires an investment beginning at $68,000. This system is well-equipped with a larger treadmill track that offers a forward and reverse option and varied speeds, making it ideal for athletes and programs looking for versatility in workouts. At this price it is delivered and professionally installed including in-service training on how to operate and maintain the equipment.
To learn more about how aquatic therapy and conditioning can change the game for your athletes and athletic program, or for more information on Hudson Aquatic Systems’ underwater treadmill systems or custom pools, contact us.