Water physical therapy is an injury treatment technique you can find near you in El Paso, Texas. This therapy method is also called aquatic therapy, and it can be used to treat many types of injuries. Here are three examples of water physical therapy exercises used in your area:
1. Water walking
Water walking is an aquatic therapy exercise that can help patients who have sports injuries, and it’s particularly effective for treating pain in the ankles or feet. This effectiveness comes from the natural buoyancy that water has, and this attribute helps because it helps reduce strain on the body while you’re walking.
To begin this exercise, you’ll get into a heated pool and move to an area of the pool where the water is up to your hips. Then, take 10 to 15 steps forward and 10 to 15 steps backward. Continue walking forward and backward for about five minutes in total, but make sure you let your therapist know if you’re getting tired before that. To increase the difficulty of this exercise, you can try the movements in water up to your shoulders, or you can increase the speed of your steps.
2. Hip kickers
Another water therapy exercise you’ll find near you is hip kickers, and this exercise can be helpful for hip pain. This means hip kickers can help people with hip arthritis or with car accident injuries to the hip.
Starting the hip kicker exercise will involve moving to the side of the pool. Then, place your hand on the side of the pool to help maintain your balance. While balancing on one leg, move your leg forward in a kicking motion and then let it swing back behind you. You’ll feel resistance from the water as you move your leg, and this resistance is what makes this exercise so effective. Do this motion eight to 10 times to complete one set, and then switch to the other leg. In total, your therapist will likely have you try to complete three to five sets of hip kickers on each leg.
3. Underwater arm curls
Elbow pain is another issue that can be treated with water physical therapy, and people with tennis or golfer’s elbow might want to look into who offers water therapy in the El Paso area. One aquatic therapy exercise that can help treat elbow injuries and pain is underwater arm curls.
This exercise is most effective when performed in water that’s about shoulder height. Once you’ve moved to where the water is at this level, position your arms straight down by your sides. You’ll also want to rotate them so that your palms are facing forward. From this starting position, slowly curl your forearm upward until your elbow is at a 90-degree angle. Hold this position for three to five seconds, and then slowly lower your forearm back to the start position. Repeat this movement about five times, and then rest before repeating. In all, try to do four or five sets of underwater arm curls.
Border Therapy Services offers water physical therapy near you in El Paso, TX
If you’re looking for aquatic therapy in El Paso, Border Therapy Services can help. Our team is highly experienced with this water-based therapy method, and we’ve used it to help people with many different injuries and medical conditions. When we include aquatic therapy in a patient’s personalized therapy plan, we do it because this technique can provide benefits like:
- Reduced pain
- Improve joint mobility
- Increased muscle strength
- Improved ability to do normal daily activities
Take the next step to get our help with your injury or medical condition. Contact our team today for more information or to schedule an initial appointment.