Aquatic Therapy Isn’t Just for Older People

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More About Physical Therapy

Closeup young female leg touch blue water in swimming pool.

Aquatic therapy is often an overlooked form of rehabilitation when it comes to individuals with sports related injuries. In today’s world, we all want results faster and quicker, especially competitive athletes who routinely excel in their sport.  But an injury setback can be extremely frustrating, especially when it happens mid-season.  Immediate access to care is essential, but even then, typical rehab on land may be slow and difficult to see progression, especially for injuries which are weight-bearing or involve damage to muscles, tendons or ligaments.

Water can be a crucial component to the recovery process because it allows athletes to gain confidence in their performance, while also recovering in a safe manner.  Due to the unique properties of water, athletes will be able to perform key movements far sooner than they would on land, making it an ideal medium for beginning rehab. Buoyancy, or the ability to float in water, reduces weight bearing on all joints, allowing athletes to perform sport specific movements while reducing the impact. For example:

  • Basketball players can work on jump shots
  • Baseball players on swinging
  • Soccer players can work on kicking

The water also provides resistance to athletes in all planes, which improves both cardiovascular and muscular endurance.

If you are suffering from a sports related injury and want to add diversity to your rehabilitation program in a safe and fun environment, get in the water!

HARTZ Physical Therapy has aquatic therapy  in Lititz, Lancaster-East and Mount Joy.