Home 5 Benefits of Aquatic Therapy for Arthritis Pain

5 Benefits of Aquatic Therapy for Arthritis Pain

By: Olivia Mayo, PT, DPT

What is Arthritis?

Arthritis is a medical condition where there is swelling around a joint. There are many different types of arthritis; however, the most common types are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. With osteoarthritis, joints have increased swelling due to degeneration of cartilage, or the substance that covers the end of bones. In a typical joint, cartilage allows bones to glide smoothly and free of pain as cartilage does not contain nerves. However, when this cartilage wears away, the bone underneath is exposed. Exposed bone rubs during joint movement resulting in pain as bones have nerves that sense pain.

Arthritis is a common condition that is often seen after years of impact on joints. Risk factors for developing arthritis include increased age, obesity, and previous injury. Common symptoms of arthritis include swelling, pain, decreased joint motion, and stiffness. Treatment for arthritis is aimed at improving joint function and decreasing symptoms. One beneficial option for treatment is aquatic physical therapy.

What is Aquatic Physical Therapy?

The goal of physical therapy, and aquatic therapy specifically, is to assess and treat movement dysfunction through exercise to improve daily function. Physical therapy often involves addressing impairments in muscles, bones, and nerves with noninvasive exercises and manual techniques. Due to the properties of water, there are many benefits of aquatic therapy to address arthritis.

Aquatic Physical Therapy and Exercise Provides:

1. Low impact activity.
Buoyancy is the upward pressure exerted by water, which allows for decreased force on joints. Exercising in water at the belly-button level reduces joint impact by 50 percent.

2. Increased muscle strengthening.
Water’s ability to provide resistance allows for increased strengthening. With arthritis, muscle strength is important because muscles help stabilize joints, which results in less force between bones.

3. Increased joint mobility.
Aquatic therapy allows for greater motion of joints as warm water relaxes muscles and water offloads joints. “Motion is lotion” is an idea that is very applicable to acquatic therapy and arthritis since movement allows for greater nourishment for joints and decreases pain levels.

4. Increased exercise and weight loss.
Weight loss can have a significant effect on decreasing arthritis pain as less weight provides less force on joints. The aquatic setting allows individuals to participate in longer durations of aerobic exercise, which may lead to weight loss.

5. Reduced swelling.
Hydrostatic pressure, or pressure exerted by water on the body, helps decrease excess fluid accumulations and swelling in joints.

If you are interested in aquatic therapy, these services are offered at Sheltering Arms Institute’s Bon Air and Reynolds outpatient locations. Contact us today to schedule an aquatic therapy appointment.

References

2021. “Arthritis.” Mayo Clinic. 1607 N. Market Street, Champaign, IL 61820: Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. September 15, 2021. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/arthritis/symptoms-causes/syc-20350772.

Layne, Melissa. 2015. Water Exercise. 1607 N. Market Street, Champaign, IL 61820: Human Kinetics.

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