Confessions Of An Aquatic Therapy Fanatic
Eighteen! That’s how many weeks are left until Summer when we can finally go to a nearby lake, beach or swimming pool and indulge in all the summer activities we love to do. I don’t know about you, but I am most looking forward to getting out there in the water and getting my swim on. Even though it would be a lie to say I have not kept up with my water activities through the winter. With COVID-19 restrictions and the cold weather, I have been attending weekly aquatic therapy sessions at The Clinic at Christie.
Luckily, the clinic has a Hydroworx machine, kind of like a treadmill under water, that allows me to do water activities such as walking and running, all with the supervision of either a physiotherapist or a chiropractor.
To be honest, in the beginning, I was hesitant to try the Hydroworx machine, especially since it was supervised by either a physiotherapist or a chiropractor, but I quickly realized how beneficial their help actually was. They were able to pick up on my form or any postural errors that could lead to my pain. They were also able to provide me with exercises that would be beneficial for specific areas I wanted to strengthen, such as my lower back.
After a few sessions, I could already see the benefits of exercising in water. Some of the benefits that my physiotherapist pointed out to me were:
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- The low impact on my joints: Since water allows us to float, this decreases the impact on our joints, lowering the risk of injury.
- Water has a built-in-resistance: Moving in the water makes us work harder, which is great for building all around strength and endurance.
- You can increase intensity slowly: We can gradually change our routine without much effort. We can increase the time spent in the water, or take breaks.
- It’s great for keeping joints limber and toning muscles.
- It offers support for the whole body!
I forgot to mention the best part is that my physiotherapist is able to adjust my routine as my exercises plateau. This allows me to continue building strength and seeing results as the weeks go by.
So for now, while I count down the next eighteen weeks, I’m going to continue with my weekly aquatic therapy sessions.