Being what is essentially a D1 Waterboy, I see a ton of potential in using hydrotherapy for not only people with mobility issues, but also any athlete who is recovering from an injury.

What Is Hydrotherapy?

Hydrotherapy is essentially any sort of exercise that you do in water for the purpose of recovering from an injury. Benefits of Aquatic Therapy in Rehabilitation – (hss.edu) states this includes both musculoskeletal and soft tissue injuries.

 

How Does It Work?

When we move in the water, things like buoyancy help to make it so that we face less resistance. This can be extremely beneficial for an injured body, as it puts a lot less stress on the bones, muscles, and joints that may be recovering from an injury, but still allows for full range of motion.

 

Is This Just For Old People?

No, although older people can typically benefit a lot from hydrotherapy, it can be a very valuable tool for any athlete who is recovering from an injury and could benefit from having less resistance on their muscles and joints. This makes it a fantastic resource for anyone no matter what age or injury.

 

Is Hydrotherapy Just Swimming?

No, although swimming can be a type of hydrotherapy, there are so many different types of hydrotherapy. Many of which can be done without the need for any additional equipment, such as running or treading water. There are also many types of simple equipment that can be utilized as well, such as Aqua Steps, paddleboards, and even noodles. There are many different ideas for types of exercises. Some of which can be found at 10 aqua therapy exercises for a full-body water workout – Master Spas Blog.

How Does It Help Your Body

There are many different ways that Hydrotherapy Can help your body. It can help you build strength with less resistance, allow you to utilize a range of motion that you might not be able to while outside of water, and even help you improve your balance with things like an Aqua Step or a pool noodle. There are many different and unique advantages that can come from Hydrotherapy.

 

Hydrotherapy is a very unique part in the toolbelt of any athlete who is recovering from an injury, as it could allow them to do a lot of different kinds of exercises with less resistance, which they might not have been able to do outside of water.