Successfully recovering from an injury requires time, dedication, and the right rehabilitation methods. After a long period of immobility due to an injury our connective tissues can become stiff. Our muscles can become imbalanced; some are short and tightened while others are lengthened and loose. Achy joints and muscles make it difficult to begin moving again, but water fitness offers a low-impact option for rehabilitating and building strength.
Water fitness is a type of physical activity that takes place in water and makes use of aqua physics (drag, buoyancy, hydrostatic pressure) to improve both physical and mental health. It’s a more comprehensive workout than swimming and is most widely recognized as an exercise and rehabilitation solution for those suffering from joint pain.
Less Pain and Discomfort
When we stand neck deep in water our bodies weigh about 10% of what they weigh on land (Knopf, K. G. 2012). This places significantly less pressure on the joints as we perform our exercises. The diminished effects of gravity allow us to perform movements that would cause pain on land to be performed with greater ease; allowing for longer more vigorous efforts. Water Fitness burns between 400-700 calories an-hour, similarly to land based exercise, but without jarring, high-impact activities that cause joint pain (Knopf, K. G. 2012).
Greater Results in Less Time
Water fitness allows us to work both agonist and antagonist muscles (for example, the biceps and triceps) simultaneously. Using one exercise to work opposing muscles means we can complete a whole body workout in half the time of land exercises. Water fitness also offers 12x the resistance of land exercise (Knopf, K. G. 2012). The harder we push or pull, the more effective the exercise becomes. That means greater results in less time, and more control than with land exercise.
Why Swimming is Different
Compared to swimming, water fitness offers a more well rounded workout. While a swimming routine will repeatedly work the same muscle groups, water fitness gives us the opportunity to complete a total body routine. It’s is also better for targeting. If we’re dealing with a shoulder injury, we can perform a water fitness routine that targets the shoulder. This isn’t possible with swimming.
Lower Risk of Reinjury
In water fitness, the amount of resistance depends on the speed of our movements. The harder we push or pull, the more productive our workout becomes. However, we can’t create more resistance than our bodies can handle. This is a built in “safety feature” of water fitness that doesn’t exist in lan exercise (Knopf, K. G. 2012). If you’re already working with a compromised musculoskeletal system, minimizing risk is important to avoiding reinjury.
Learn More About Water Fitness and Healing
Do you have questions about how water fitness can help you? Book a free 20 minute Online Consultation. I’ll learn about your challenges and you’ll discover how I can help. If you’re ready to get started with Water Fitness training you can book a single session or a package below. I’ll design a program specifically for you to repeat at home alone or with my help. To learn about the role nutrition plays in our healing, check out my blog post titled Healing with Good Nutrition.
*While aqua fitness is overwhelmingly good for most people, there are some conditions that could preclude it as beneficial. This includes severe hypertension, severe hypotension, cardiac conditions, skin infections, as well as other conditions. Always consult your physician before beginning any physical activity routine.
Sources
Knopf, K. G. (2012). Make the pool your gym: No-impact water workouts for getting fit, building strength and rehabbing from injury. Ulysses Press.