You’re in heated water, and you find yourself moving around and relaxing. Think this is a hot tub session? Nope! It’s actually part of what you may experience when you do an aquatic therapy session near you.
Aquatic therapy or aquatic rehab is a type of physical therapy, and that means it’s geared toward helping people address aches and pains caused by injuries and medical conditions. Typically, aquatic rehab takes place in a heated pool. Sessions can include doing specific stretching, strengthening and relaxation exercises.
Finding aquatic therapy near you can be as easy as finding a nearby physical therapy clinic, and physical therapists often use this technique for several specific reasons.
Here are three reasons why a physical therapist near you may use aquatic therapy:
- It soothes painful joints and muscles — People often develop painful muscles and joints when they have osteoarthritis. Muscle strains are another common cause of muscle pain, while tendon and ligament injuries can lead to joint pain. The hot water used in many aquatic rehab pools can soothe the tension in your muscles and joints. As a result, you can end up feeling a drop in your pain.
- It strengthens naturally — Not every patient can work with weights or resistance bands when they first begin physical therapy. Fortunately, aquatic therapy allows people to increase their strength naturally without any equipment. The reason? Water resists movement; it will provide a natural resistance for any therapeutic exercises you do during aquatic rehab sessions.
- It reduces your risk of further injury — Physical therapists work hard to make sure patients don’t injure themselves further during their PT sessions. However, this is often harder when the patient has a balance disorder that increases their risk of falls. One reason your physical therapist may recommend aquatic rehab sessions is that water helps keep you stable. It presses against you while you’re in it and helps hold you up, which helps decrease your risk of further injury.
Excel PT offers aquatic therapy near you
Are you looking for aquatic therapy near you? If you’re in or near Wentzville, Missouri, you’re in luck! Our Excel Sports & Physical Therapy team has a clinic in Wentzville that offers aquatic therapy. We can also help you learn more about your aches and pains with our free screenings. Even better, our physical therapists have experience building treatment plans that are unique to each patient’s needs.
Contact our team today for more information about all the physical therapy services we offer or to schedule an initial appointment.