Dive Into Wellness: Exploring Hydrotherapy

What is Hydrotherapy?

Hydrotherapy, or aquatic physiotherapy, is a treatment approach which utilises warmth and the buoyancy of water to promote healing, alleviate pain and enhance overall being. A typical hydrotherapy session with a physiotherapist will involve a range of mobility and strength-based exercises designed to help you achieve your health goals.

Two Key Benefits

1. Muscle relaxation and Pain Relief

Hydrotherapy has many health benefits! Namely, immersing in warm water can significantly reduce muscle tension and provide relief from pain. Hydrotherapy pools are warm! - ranging between 33-36 degrees Celsius. Heat promotes a bodily response known as vasodilation whereby blood vessels widen. Blood flow is therefore increased, enhancing oxygen and nutrient delivery to tissues which aids in therapeutic healing, swelling and improved comfort. This process not only assists with the healing process, but also decreases systemic vascular resistance - helping to reduce blood pressure.

Water makes you float! The buoyancy of water can help reduce the force of gravity applied to our joints – so we can move with less pressure on our body. We can use this to our advantage, allowing those who struggle with joint pain to improve their pain free mobility and strength whilst in the warmth of water.

2. Mental Health Benefits

Do you feel nice and relaxed after a warm shower? Immersion in warm water may promote the release of endorphins - the body’s natural stress relievers and mood elevators! We can utilise hydrotherapy to help us feel a sense of relaxation and well-being as we manage our daily stresses and anxieties’. Equally, this can promote better sleep quality as the calming effect on the nervous system helps to prepare the body for deep and restful sleep.

 So… Who can be of Benefit?

Hydrotherapy is versatile and low impact! Given these health benefits, hydrotherapy can assist in a range of populations – inclusive of all ages, abilities and various conditions such as bot not limited to;

• Chronic and acute low back pain
• Chronic fatigue
• Arthritis
• Joint injuries
• Sports rehabilitation
• Stress and anxiety
• Complex multifactorial conditions
• Pre and post operative rehabilitation

Post and Pre Operative rehabilitation

Because hydrotherapy is low-resistance, It provides a safe platform as you recover from surgery. Within the water, you can gradually progress your rehab by capitalising on the water’s gentle resistance, additional support and stability. Preoperatively, hydrotherapy is a useful tool to improve fitness and gently strengthen the muscles around an affected joint, preparing them for surgery and assisting with operative outcomes and timeframes.

Where to from here?

Hydrotherapy is an extremely helpful tool in assisting to achieve individualised health outcomes. Before we get in the water, there will be an initial examination to determine the most appropriate health interventions and exercise program for you! – including a few screening questions to ensure safety in the water. From there, we will get your hydrotherapy journey under way – utilising valentine swimming pool for our consultations. Please speak to your health care provider or one our lovely reception team for more details!

Article written by Perry McIntyre - Physiotherapist at ATUNE Health Centres