Reduce Joint Pain with Warm Pool Water Therapy

Contents:

• Medical Video: How to Exercise with Knee Pain
  
• What is water therapy?
  
• What are the benefits of water therapy?
  
• Why should it be in the water, can it also on land?
  
• How to do water therapy techniques?
  
• Who can't do water therapy?
  

Medical Video: How to Exercise with Knee Pain

When we hear about water therapy, what we have in mind may vary, such as therapy by drinking water or therapy with soaking in water. Yes, water can be a medium for therapy programs. However, you are not drinking water, therapy is done by being in the water. He said this therapy can relieve lower back and neck pain. Hmmm, that sounds fun huh? Who does not like playing water, especially when knowing the health benefits? But, wait a minute, water therapy can't be done just like that. Here we will discuss what water therapy looks like.

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What is water therapy?

Water therapy aka exercise in water uses water as a medium to fight, so our body will fight the mass of water. You certainly have heard or studied the properties of water, right? One of them, water can press in all directions. In water therapy, you will fight water pressure, just like when you swim. The difference is, you don't always do swimming movements. The exercise you can do is walk or run in the water, besides that you can also jump or kick.

This exercise can increase your flexibility and movement without pressing the joints and spine. Besides reducing pain, this exercise is also thought to reduce the risk associated with bone density, such as osteoporosis. In addition, it can also reduce the risk of osteoarthritis and muscle tension.

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Not only that, even people with diabetes and high blood pressure are also advised to do this water therapy. For those of us who don't feel pain, water therapy might be comfortable to do. Unlike some of the conditions mentioned just now, water therapy might make people uncomfortable, even painful. But take it easy, water is a pretty 'friendly' medium.

What are the benefits of water therapy?

As explained above, water therapy is highly recommended for treating back pain and musculoskeletal injuries (which are associated with joints, muscles, nerves, ligaments, and tendons). Some of the important elements of using water as a therapeutic medium are the following:

• Water can make patients float. Water is against gravity, this trait can help us stay afloat in water. When the patient tries to stay floating in the water, it trains his body's balance and strength, especially when you practice lifting your legs while floating in the water.
• Water puts pressure on the body by providing gentle friction, this can help strengthen the condition of the injury, while reducing further injury due to loss of balance.
• Water has a strong effect by providing hydrostatic pressure, which can improve heart and lung function. This pressure can also help increase muscle blood flow.

Why should it be in the water, can it also on land?

Here's an example, in patients with osteoarthritis of the neck and shoulders, it is necessary to do a hand or shoulder twist exercise. Doing this in the water will reduce the pain a little, because water has an element to fight gravity. Likewise with hip stretching exercises, if you do it on land, you may feel more severe pain. In addition to reducing pain when exercising, you will also get the effect of calm. We might both agree that water can produce soothing sounds.

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How to do water therapy techniques?

Here are some water therapy techniques that can be done:

1. Knee-to-chest exercise: this exercise is done while standing. Position stand on one leg, with the body slightly bent, the other leg stretched forward. Position one hand holding the pool side. This movement is intended to strengthen the legs, hips, and lower back
2. Stretch your legs: You can imitate the position of 'Superman' while flying. Position both hands by touching the pool wall, stretch your body and legs with a floating motion in the water. This exercise is aimed at the back and joints of the back.
3. Walking exercise: do the movement of walking forward and backward in a pool that has water at your altitude. This exercise is intended for leg muscles, good for arthritis sufferers.
4. Exercises carried out with the therapist: In this exercise, you will float on the back of the therapist with exercises involving the legs and arms. You will be asked to make a rowing motion with your hands and feet.

Who can't do water therapy?

Although water therapy is quite safe, you need a therapist to do it. In addition, this therapy must be avoided by people who have the following conditions:

• In a state of fever
• Severe heart failure
• Infection
• Urinary incontinence - pressure on the bladder

In addition, for certain conditions, the water used must also be very warm. Water therapy itself is indeed often using warm water around 32 to 34 degrees Celsius. The reason, so that when the exercise is carried out, blood flow increases. So, before you do this therapy you should consult a doctor or health professional / therapist first.