In current physical therapy practice, the modality of aquatic therapy is used to treat a variety of musculoskeletal issues. Among the primary uses for it, however, is helping people deal with back pain. This is for a multitude of reasons: For example, the back naturally bears a lot of weight during day-to-day activities, so techniques to reduce the effect of that weight can help the spine and surrounding muscles heal. Aquatic therapy is also notably low-impact, which is helpful for the various back conditions that carry a significant risk of reinjury.
JAG Physical Therapy is the New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania area’s most trusted source for aquatic therapy and other forms of PT care. Our skilled therapy team will work with you to create the most effective spinal rehabilitation plan, incorporating aquatic therapy and other specialized methods as needed. Book an appointment today to get started or see more below on how aquatic therapy is used to treat musculoskeletal conditions of the back.
What Is Aquatic Therapy and How Does It Work?
Aquatic therapy is physical therapy that is performed with the patient submerged in water. While your physical therapist may direct you to do familiar exercises if you are using aquatic therapy, the actual experience of movement will be quite different than it is on the ground. You will move more slowly and gradually, against more resistance but feeling less weight. This is all due to the physical properties of water, including buoyancy and hydrostatic pressure.
The supportive and cushioning effects of being in water are important tools for a physical therapy program aimed at long-term back pain relief. The spine is under immense pressure due to our body weight – the center of mass is located around the sacral vertebrae, in fact. Under normal circumstances this can impede healing progress, but aquatic physical therapy allows for the muscles and bones of the back to safely be put in motion again without having to bear nearly as much weight.
While the techniques your PT uses in aquatic therapy will depend on your exact physical condition, some basic ones are common to most programs. Underwater walking is a great way to ease back into everyday, ground-based mobility. Stretching exercises can be undertaken with water allowing for greater range of motion. And water pressure creates a mild push against which to do resistance exercises.
What Are the Benefits of Aquatic Therapy for Back Pain?
Common contributors to back pain include pressure on intervertebral discs, general stress on the joints of the spine, muscle inflammation, and poor flexibility or posture. Aquatic therapy can heal back pain by targeting all of these causes. Over time, an aquatic physical therapy regimen can help you apply corrections and joint and muscle strengthening to your movements on dry land.
Floating in warm water has great benefits in terms of pain relief in general but also muscle relaxation. Having less tense muscles in your back means that your physical therapist can more easily correct your spinal alignment and give you better long-term results in your posture habits.
Who Can Benefit from Aquatic Therapy?
People of all ages and from all walks of life, regardless of physical fitness level, may be able to get great pain relief results from aquatic therapy. Because it is gentle on the body and uses many fundamental physical therapy techniques, aquatic therapy is especially suitable for people with a wide variety of back health issues. These include herniated discs, sciatica, scoliosis, arthritis, spinal stenosis, and others. Furthermore, people recovering from a back surgery can potentially get back to normal faster if they use aquatic therapy.
How Can JAG Physical Therapy Help with Aquatic Rehabilitation?
At JAG Physical Therapy, many of our empathetic PT team members have specialized training in modalities such as aquatic therapy. When you are a patient at JAG PT, you’ll always get a personalized treatment plan that’s meant for your health issues and your lifestyle. When that includes aquatic therapy, you’ll get the benefits of our state-of-the-art facilities and the experience and skill of our therapists.
Get Back to Living Pain-Free with JAG Physical Therapy
If you’re living with chronic musculoskeletal pain or the effects of an injury, especially in your back, aquatic therapy could be the treatment you need for both immediate relief and healing in the long term. JAG PT is the name that New Yorkers, New Jerseyan, and Pennsylvanians turn to for non-invasive treatments for chronic back pain, including aquatic therapy. Find your nearest location or schedule an appointment now to get started on the road to a healthier, pain-free back.
