Benefits of a Hydrotherapy Pool

Hydrotherapy is water-based therapy for pain relief, rehabilitation and exercise. It’s often supervised by a physiotherapist, occupational therapist or other healthcare professionals.

Hydrotherapy pools are heated and often fitted with specialised equipment. They help ease muscle tension, promote relaxation and allow people to exercise without putting too much strain on their bodies.

Reduces Pain

The warm water helps muscles relax, reducing pain. The buoyancy of the water reduces gravity’s force on the body, helping with movement and increasing mobility. The warm water also stimulates the release of endorphins, a natural pain reliever. This can help people hydrotherapy pool with chronic pain to find relief and increase their ability to exercise.

Many people who suffer from conditions like fibromyalgia or arthritis find that water-based exercises improve their mood and reduce stress. It is important to note that hydrotherapy does not cure chronic pain, however, it can reduce symptoms and increase movement which will benefit other areas of the body including energy levels, sleep quality, cognitive function and happiness.

Hydrotherapy sessions are often overseen by a health professional and include a program of movements and exercises that are tailored for your specific needs. This can give you confidence to continue exercising at home and build upon your hydrotherapy experience.

It is important to tell your therapist about any medications you are taking or any health issues, as certain conditions and injuries may not be appropriate for hydrotherapy. It is also advisable to avoid eating a large meal before your session and do not drink alcohol or caffeine before you go into the pool. You should wear comfortable clothing and a suitable sized swimsuit or trunks.

Strengthens Muscles

Warm water exercise in a hydrotherapy pool helps build muscle strength, improves balance and agility, and increases flexibility. It also helps reduce pain by relaxing muscles and relieving tension, which is particularly beneficial for people with arthritis (osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis).

Water buoyancy reduces the effective body weight, so clients feel lighter and have greater range of motion than they would on land, facilitating workouts at higher intensities and speeds. Exercises such as walking, jogging, and using paddles or noodles can be done in a hydrotherapy pool to strengthen the legs, arms, back, core, and shoulders, while promoting good posture. The turbulence of the water also makes muscles work harder, strengthening and toning them.

In addition to reducing joint pressure, the warmth of the water promotes the production of endorphins, which are natural stress busters and analgesics. This further aids in reducing muscle soreness post workout and enables faster recovery, making it easier to fit regular workout sessions into your schedule.

Before starting any exercise in a hydrotherapy pool, it’s recommended to spend about five minutes walking around the pool to acclimatise your body and loosen up your muscles. Then, begin by exercising and stretching in short increments, gradually increasing your time and intensity as you go along. Remember to always listen to your body and don’t push yourself too hard.

Increases Circulation

Unlike on land, exercise in water promotes blood circulation, which reduces stiffness and improves flexibility. It also warms the body’s tissue and stimulates cellular activity. This helps to reduce swelling and relieve pain by distributing tension evenly throughout the body. The buoyancy of the water reduces a person’s effective body weight by 80% when submerged hydrotherapy pool up to their chest, so they feel lighter and move with greater ease. This makes it possible to perform exercises that are impossible or painful to perform on land.

The hydrotherapy pool creates turbulence, which forces the core muscles to work harder, improving balance and stability. This also increases the strength and control of your arms and legs as they learn to balance against the resistance offered by the water. Our Karingal Green hydrotherapy pool is also fitted with jets that can be used to increase the pressure applied to your muscles, enabling you to challenge yourself and build muscle strength more quickly.

The relaxing and calming environment of the pool, along with specialist physiotherapy sessions, will help you to relax, lower your stress levels, and release endorphins. All of which will boost your immune system, improving your overall health and wellbeing. This is why many physiotherapists and exercise physiologists incorporate hydrotherapy into their clients treatment programs. However, before taking part in hydrotherapy sessions, it is important to have a thorough screening process done by your therapist to ensure you are suitable.

Reduces Stress

A hydrotherapy session not only benefits your muscles, joints and heart, but also your mental health. Studies have shown that exercising in the warm water helps alleviate stress, reducing cortisol levels and increasing serotonin. The relaxing environment of a hot tub or swim spa soak has an instant calming effect, helping people with chronic stress disorders to improve their quality of sleep and overall mood.

The buoyancy of the water reduces your effective body weight to 80% and takes pressure off joints and muscles, making it easier for many people to perform exercises than on land. The warm water also increases flexibility and mobility, so you can move your joints through their full range of motion – great for conditions such as arthritis, fibromyalgia and migraines.

Some of the water-based exercises like water jogging, arm raises and side stepping increase your cardiovascular fitness, but they are low impact and don’t put too much strain on your joints. The warm water helps relieve pain and inflammation from joints, muscles and tendons and also stimulates the lymphatic system to move toxins out of the body.

Although the benefits of hydrotherapy are numerous, it’s important to listen to your body and only go as far as you feel comfortable. It’s best to have 2 or 3 sessions a week at a maximum and don’t push yourself to the point of pain. The team at Karingal Green will be on hand to help guide you through your hydrotherapy sessions and ensure you’re not pushing too hard.