For most individuals suffering from spinal conditions, water and its special properties provide a path to effective symptom management. And the best thing about exercising in water is that it significantly decreases the pounding impact on joints that is known to accompany land-based workout programs.
Depending on your workout goals and your physical condition, water exercise can be done in deep, mid-deep, and/or shallow water. The deeper the water, the higher the likelihood that you will need a floatation device such as a floatation belt, paddles, noodles, or dumbbell bands to support you as you work out.
So, what exactly are the benefits of pool exercises for back pain?
Reduced pain
Working out is an effective way of keeping most kinds of back pain in check. According to various research, exercise greatly helps in managing chronic low back pain, and water exercises are no different. In fact, most people partaking in pool physiotherapy Ottawa describe them as being enjoyable, safe, and well-tolerated.
Strengthening of muscles
A bit of muscle-strengthening might be all you need to start feeling much better. Aquatics classes generally involve toning exercises for the back, hip, and ab muscles. Water, which serves as a surrounding medium for pool exercises, offers resistance to your body movements simulating weight training.
Maintaining body fitness
Thanks to pool exercises, you can still remain fit even as you heal your spine injury. Note that high-impact workouts have the reputation of slowing down, and at times even impairing the process of healing. That’s where pool workouts come to the rescue. By replacing some or all of your normal exercise routine with water workouts, you might be able to reduce fitness loss due to the decrease in activity without aggravating your spine.
Increasing joint motion range
Exercising in water is the best physical activity for most individuals suffering from spinal pain. Why? This is because water’s buoyancy helps take away the load off your joints. This not only makes working out more enjoyable, but it also allows you to move your joints more by increasing the motion range.
Core stabilization
Pool exercises challenge your core. On top of common movements such as water kicks, bicycling, and walking, you might also be involved in a number of movements specially designed to strengthen your back, abdominal, and hip muscles. Any depth of water is appropriate for a core strength job, but you have to use a floatation device for support.
Motivation
A lot of individuals find water workouts to be incredibly fun. Aquatic exercise classes not only offer freedom from joint pain and a way to both stretch and strengthen your muscles, but also comradeship with your fellow workout buddies.
If you are experiencing spine pain and are considering looking for pool therapy in Ottawa, contact Apollo Physiotherapy for effective and enjoyable aquatic classes to ease your spine pain.
