Hydrotherapy and Arthritic Pain by Senior Physiotherapist Daniel Browne

A 2 minute read – Hydrotherapy and Arthritic Pain

Who May Benefit From Hydrotherapy?

• Those with varying types of arthritis – OA, RA and JA
• Those who are experiencing symptoms in their feet, knees, hips and back
• As preparation and recovery for hip and knee replacements
• For those who find on-land exercises challenging or painful

How Does Hydrotherapy Help Arthritis?

• The temperature of the water allows your muscles to relax and in turn eases the pain in your joints allowing freer, less painful movement
• The water supports your weight, which helps to reduce compressive pain as well as increase your functional joint range of motion
• The water can be used to provide both resistance to build strength and endurance, as well as challenge your balance, improving your safety and capacity for your activities of daily living.
• By finding a way to exercise relatively pain free, not only will your strength and confidence improve, but you will be able to better manage your weight through a structured and progressive program
• Exercise can be completed in a group for those who want a social experience, or solo for those who would like to tackle pool independently.

Here at Select Physiotherapy and Pilates we can write you a personalised hydrotherapy exercises program fit for your individual needs and goals to help moderate your arthritic pain.

Note: For Safety reasons (e.g. Unstable BP or a history of heat sensitivity) patients may require a GP’s medical clearance prior to completing hydrotherapy based exercises.

For more information, please see Arthritis Australia’s summary on the positive effects of hydrotherapy.

Link: https://arthritisaustralia.com.au/managing-arthritis/living-with-arthritis/physical-activity-and-exercise/water-exercise/