Do you suffer from osteoarthritis? Does it take all you have to make it to the gym to workout because your joints hurt? Did you know that there is another type of exercise that decreases the amount of stress on your joints, but can still give you the same strengthening and cardiovascular endurance benefits that traditional gym workouts can give you?
There are many benefits to aquatic therapy, including decreasing swelling, increasing circulation and dynamic strengthening. The water buoyancy and decreased weight that is put on joints that are forced to otherwise bear weight on land, are able to move freely and can be put under greater stress sooner for earlier mobilization (1).
Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis. According to one study, the lifetime prevalence of knee OA is 44.7% and the lifetime prevalence of hip OA is close behind, with 25.3%2. Common symptoms of OA include sore or stiff joints that go away after movement or activity, limited range of motion, clicking or cracking sound when the joint bends, mild swelling around the joint and pain that is worse first thing in the morning or towards the end of the day. You may notice that the pain is in multiple joints or in joints that you have had injuries to. For example, both knees or both hips or in joints that you have injuries or were operated on. The pain typically will get progressively worse as you age, but there are things that you can do to stay active, such as aquatic therapy!
In one study conducted by Tapani et. al that looked at the effects of static and dynamic strengthening exercises on knee flexors and extensors in both water and on land, the researchers found that aquatic therapy was a good alternative for strengthening for those patients that were otherwise limited in their abilities to strengthen on land (3). They found that patients had increased muscle activity and gained lean muscle mass in both their quadriceps and their hamstring muscles.
Another study conducted by Uthman et. al performed a systematic review of various treatment options for osteoarthritis, many in combination with each other. They also looked at the two most common types of osteoarthritis to compare what treatments would be the most beneficial for hip and knee OA. They found that strengthening/flexibility in conjunction with aquatic therapy and aerobic exercise was the best way to treat OA, all of which can be gained while in the pool.
Aquatic therapy, while it is a great treatment option for people with osteoarthritis, it is also a fun way to stay in shape and help to decrease your joint pain. Most YMCAs have water aerobic classes that you can participate in or you can find resources on the internet as well. The Arthritis Foundation has a section dedicated to aquatics and pool therapy (4). There are also examples of exercises online to get you started in the pool. So what are you waiting for? Grab your suit and give it a try!
1. Silva LE, Valim V, Pessanha APC, Oliveira LM, Myamoto S, Jones A, Natour J (2008) Hydrotherapy versus conventional land-based exercise for the management of patients with osteoarthritis of the knee: a randomized clinical trial. Phys Ther 88:12–21
2. Uthman OA, van der Windt DA, Jordan JL, et al. Exercise for lower limb osteoarthritis: systematic review incorporating trial sequential analysis and network meta-analysis. BMJ2013;347:f5555.
3. Tapani P, Kari LK, Heikki K, et al. Neuromuscular function during therapeutic knee exercise under water and on dry land. Arch Phys Med Rehabil . 2001; 82 : 1146– 1152.
Content provided by Lindsay Davis, SPT (Rockhurst University)
