Humans have recognized the therapeutic value of water for millennia. Through the generations, effective aquatic therapies emerged, providing relief from a myriad of diseases. Water is a safe and ideal environment for relieving the pain and stiffness associated with arthritis because the buoyancy of water protects your joints and provides the resistance your muscles need for an effective workout.
Focus
Aqua therapy helps arthritic patients because of the buoyancy and resistance water provides. Water therapy improves your flexibility and range of motion, according to Online Orthopaedics, and strengthens and tones your muscles. It can address arthritis in almost every joint in your body, from your neck to your feet.
Buoyancy
Archimedes' Principle is the law of buoyancy that says any body partially or completely submerged is buoyed up by a force equal to the fluid displaced by the body. Applying Archimedes' Principle to aqua therapy for arthritic patients means that submersion makes it easier to exercise because you are lighter in water than on land.
Exercise in water can't damage arthritic joint because it is difficult to engage in sudden or jarring actions typically associated with joint injury. In water, you work with buoyancy rather than gravity, so exercising in water reduces the stress placed on arthritic joints. Because of buoyancy, 10 minutes of exercise on land is roughly the equivalent of 30 to 45 minutes of exercise in water.
Resistance
According to Online Orthopaedics, water has 12 times the resistance of air, making aquatic therapy an effective way to build muscle strength, important to the prevention and treatment of arthritis. Increasing the strength of your thigh muscle reduces the risk for the development of arthritis in your knees by 20 to 30 percent.
Muscle strength gained through aqua therapy stabilizes vulnerable joints. Strong muscles prevent joints from moving in awkward ways and provide strength that allows your joints to move more easily despite the tissue damage associated with arthritis.
Temperature
Aqua therapy typically takes place in warm water, with temperatures measuring between 83 and 86 degrees Fahrenheit. Moist heat relieves pain, and warm temperatures relax muscles. Heat also raises the pain threshold, enabling you to exercise longer in water than on land.
