The Benefits of Water Exercise for Chronic Pain
Isn’t water wonderful?! Whether you’re a competitive swimmer or just enjoy lounging on a floating chair, there is something naturally appealing about being in or on the water.
Not only is water a great setting for sport and leisure, it also happens to be one of the most beneficial ways to keep your body fit and healthy. Just two and a half hours per week of aerobic physical activity can decrease the risk of chronic illnesses. Swimming and other water-based exercises have long been considered one of the best ways to get this important dose of activity.
But what’s so great about working out in the water? We will go over many of the amazing health benefits of water exercise, including how it can help people suffering from chronic pain.
Water exercise is a low impact activity
Traditional exercise, or exercise performed in a “dry” environment, can be taxing due to the impact gravity pulling the body toward the ground. But plunge into water and the influence of gravity almost disappears. Due to water’s buoyancy, the human body tends to float, or at least almost. Think of it as similar to how you would expect your body to behave while walking on the moon.
This means that exercises performed in the water place less stress on your bones, joints, and muscles compared to the same exercises when performed on land. This allows you to remain active for longer, maximizing the benefit of your workout while minimizing aches and pain.
Water exercise improves joint function
Water-based exercises have shown to relieve pressure on the joints. Joints have a tendency to wear down, usually because of a certain medical condition or simply the natural wear and tear of time. This can cause painful bone on bone contact and decreased joint mobility. Mild exercise can help prevent or delay this outcome, but that’s easier said than done when it hurts to move.
That’s why water is such a great choices for managing joint issues. The bouancy of water reduces pressure on the joints, allowing them to move more freely and with less effort. This can allow for sufficient exercise to help reduce pain and improve function in the joints.
Water exercise builds muscular strength and flexibility
Water is much heavier and denser than air, which means it offers a greater natural resistance to movement. In fact, due to water’s fluidity and tendency to move in all kinds of different and unpredictable ways, resistance can range from four to 42 times greater in water than air.
All this resistance makes each individual movement more difficult in water, requiring more muscular effort to complete various exercises. But since water exercise helps minimize joint pain and fatigue, the body is generally able to continue the activity for longer, ensuring the muscles get a solid workout.
As an added bonus, the natural resistance of water has also shown to increase flexibility along with muscle strength. As the body adjusts to the resistance of water, range of motion naturally increases.
A study conducted in 2007 found that after 12 weeks of regular aquatic aerobic exercise, participants had made significant gains in strength, flexibility, and agility.
Greater strength and flexibility allow the body to cope with daily activities and stressors more effectively, which can help reduce the impact of chronic pain.
Water exercise is great for your heart
Swimming and water aerobics are a fantastic way to get some good cardio activity. We have already touched on why. The resistance of water requires extra exertion to complete movements, while the low-impact nature of water exercise allows you to continue your workout for longer intervals. All this prolonged effort really gets your heart pumping!
Regular cardio exercise is not only good for heart health, but it can also help you swiftly burn calories and lose weight. Losing weight reduces the daily stress placed on your bones and joints, which can help alleviate chronic pain.
Additionally, water exercise is believed to be good for blood flow. Studies have shown that immersion in water can help blood flow more effectively through the body. The oxygen and nutrients that blood carries are key to the body’s natural healing abilities. As a result, water exercise that promotes healthy blood flow allows your body to heal more efficiently, which can help reduce the impact of chronic pain.
Suit up and take the plunge
Water exercise is a great way to stay fit and healthy and it is an especially beneficial option for chronic pain patients. Getting regular exercise is usually a key part of managing pain. But the symptoms of chronic pain can also make many types of exercise difficult to perform.
Water exercise helps solve this problem by presenting a low-impact solution. This reduces stress on the body, making it easier to get a good workout while keeping detrimental pain at bay.
The contents of this article are intended for informational and educational purposes only and are not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always consult with a physician or other qualified healthcare provider before engaging in any action or decision-making based on the content of this article. Never disregard or delay seeking professional medical advice or treatment because of the content of this article or any other content on the Twin Cities Pain Clinic website. Reliance on any information conveyed on the Twin Cities Pain Clinic website without direct consultation with a healthcare professional is solely at your own risk.
Sources
- Carter, Howard H., et al. “Cardiovascular Responses to Water Immersion in Humans: Impact on Cerebral Perfusion.” American Journal of Physiology-Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology, vol. 306, no. 9, 1 May 2014, pp. R636–R640, 10.1152/ajpregu.00516.2013. Accessed 17 Dec. 2020.
- Health Benefits of Water-Based Exercise. 2019, www.cdc.gov/healthywater/swimming/swimmers/health_benefits_water_exercise.html.
- Helmer, Jodi. “Water Aerobics.” WebMD, WebMD, 18 July 2014, www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/a-z/water-aerobics.
- Revolution, Health Fitness. “Top 10 Health Benefits of Water Aerobics.” Health Fitness Revolution, 20 May 2015, www.healthfitnessrevolution.com/top-10-health-benefits-water-aerobics/.
- “Slide Show: Aquatic Exercises.” Mayo Clinic, www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/multimedia/aquatic-exercise/sls-20076730.
