Five of our clinics including Campbelltown, Blacktown, Werrington, Goulburn and Hobart have their own hydrotherapy pools. Our other studios have access to pools to perform hydrotherapy.
Hydrotherapy plays a large part in the rehabilitation process and is highly beneficial for a wide array of injuries and conditions. Research has shown that hydrotherapy assists in the management of arthritis, post-operative rehabilitation, chronic lower back or neck pain, falls prevention, joint injuries and weight loss management. But why is hydrotherapy so beneficial?
The Benefits…
Exercising in a water-based environment is often overlooked. However, it is an excellent therapeutic environment for exercise and has many benefits over land-based training—especially early on in the rehabilitation process. Firstly, the water reduces weight-bearing stress on the body, which has many benefits after surgery. Whereas exercise on land is difficult due to injury or in the case of obese populations. The degree of weight-bearing can be increased or decreased by moving into shallower water.
Secondly, water increases the resistance on the body when performing an exercise, as it is denser than air. This will allow you to strengthen and tone muscles. The resistance can be altered by increasing the speed of movement or using paddles, noodles and aqua dumbbells. Additionally, movement through water creates turbulence, which helps to strengthen the core, hence stabilising muscles and improving balance.
Lastly, the aquatic environment helps to decrease inflammation. Our pool temperature ranges from 33 to 34 degrees, which promotes relaxation of the muscles and improves circulation to assist with pain relief. The pressure of the water also helps by pressing against swollen tissues, which decreases swelling and inflammation.
Whether you are recovering from a knee replacement, or are recovering from a lower back disc bulge, hydrotherapy provides a range of benefits to get your life back on track and enable you to live life to the fullest. If you would like to enquire about Optimum’s hydrotherapy service, then feel free to contact us on (02) 8599 6275.
