Aquatic Therapy For Back Pain: 3 Water Exercises That Can Help Ease The Pain In Your Back
Posted on: 12 October 2015
Back pains are almost inevitable. Chances are that you will experience back pains at one point in your life, even if it is just minor pains. This is credited to the fact that in life, there are plenty of activities that make wrong use of the back, such as overstretching, poor posture, standing for long periods, and lifting objects incorrectly. No matter the cause, you need a way in which you can ease the pain. While there are many solutions out there, one which you should certainly try is aquatic therapy.
What is Aquatic Therapy?
It is a non-surgical type of physical therapy that is carried out in the water to relieve pain and pressure on muscles and joints. For effective pain relief, aquatic therapy is usually practiced in warm water. Back pains caused by spinal conditions, such as spondylolisthesis, herniated discs, and spine arthritis respond fairly well to aquatic therapy.
Aquatic therapy holds an advantage over other types of physical therapy when it comes to back pain relief because the natural buoyancy of the body in water reduces the gravitational stress on the spine. As a result, the treatment causes less pain.
What Types Of Exercise Are Used For Back Pain Treatment?
There are many exercise carried out in aquatic therapy, but only a few can ease the pain in your back.
- Wall-Facing Leg Stretch Exercise - To perform this exercise, you must assume a "superman" position; rest your hands on the side of the pool, and spread your legs and body into the water. Your body and legs should also be supported by the water. This exercise stretches all the regions of the back, including the joints.
- Leg Raise Exercise - To perform the exercise, hold onto the side of the pool with one hand. Raise and stretch out one of your legs, and slightly bend the other one as you use it for support. This exercise stretches and strengthens the muscles in the lower back, leg and hip.
- Knee to chest exercise - To carry out this exercise, sit erect in the pool and hold your head high above the water surface. Lift one of your knees and hug towards the chest. You may place your hand over the knee or under the thighs to aid with the stretching. This exercise also stretches the lower back muscles.
The effectiveness of aquatic therapy has already been proven. According to research, the healing power of aquatic therapy depends on how regularly you engage in the practice. The research hints that you are likely to see better result if you can practice aquatic therapy two or more times a week.
For more information or physical therapy options, contact a health clinic, like Allied Family Healthcare.
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