Hydrotherapy
Exercises in water provide the benefits of buoyancy and resistance. This can be applied to many physical conditions for adults, children and babies.
Physiotherapists are trained in the uses of hydrotherapy and can provide tailor made sessions and exercises programmes in water.
Buoyancy allows a body in water to float. This allows a greater freedom of movement as the forces of gravity that work on land are up to to 3 times less in water. Often patients with physical disabilities can achieve movement they can’t achieve on land. Buoyancy reduces the stress on immersed joints, which can be very useful for people with joint conditions or recovery after a fracture.
Water can provide resistance to a movement if the part of the body being exercised is moving against buoyancy. Specifically directed exercise in water can have the same effect as gentle exercises with weights.
Water also gives the immersed parts of the body sensory input, which is very beneficial for the feedback to the brain in terms of body awareness.
Hydrotherapy can be used for fitness in people with no medical conditions. And it has a multitude of uses in the learning or relearning of functional movement in people with physical conditions.