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Water Resist: Hydrotherapy and aquatic equipment for health aging, injury management, rehabilitation, illness or disability.

Underwater treadmill for mobility, balance and fall prevention

As healthcare professionals, we continually explore innovative ways to enhance rehabilitation, improve mobility, and reduce the risk of falls for our clients. The underwater treadmill is an increasingly popular tool in aged care facilities, rehabilitation clinics, and hospitals. This advanced piece of equipment combines the therapeutic benefits of water with structured exercise, offering an effective means to improve balance, strength, and mobility while significantly reducing the risk of falls.


How underwater treadmills work

Underwater treadmills are designed to be submerged in water, allowing patients to walk or run with the resistance and buoyancy of water supporting their bodies. This makes movement more accessible and safer for individuals who may struggle with traditional land-based exercises due to pain, weakness, or instability.


The unique properties of water, specifically buoyancy, create a low-impact environment that takes the load off the joints while providing enough resistance to strengthen muscles. This can be especially beneficial for recovering from injuries, surgeries or chronic conditions like arthritis.


Enhancing mobility

For individuals with limited mobility due to injury, surgery, or aging, underwater treadmills offer a supportive environment for rehabilitation. One of the primary advantages is that water reduces the body's effective weight by 75-90 per cent, meaning that individuals can engage in walking or running exercises without bearing the total weight of their body. This creates an ideal environment for retraining proper gait patterns and rebuilding strength in the lower extremities.


Water also naturally provides resistance in all directions. This resistance works the muscles more effectively than walking on land, improving overall muscular endurance. The combination of resistance with the support of buoyancy helps to gradually increase mobility in a safe, controlled environment, offering a comprehensive approach to rehabilitation.


Improving balance

Balance training is a core component of many rehabilitation programs, especially for older adults or those recovering from neurological conditions that affect coordination. Balance exercises in water provide a safer way to challenge the body's stability systems because of the reduced risk of falling. Even if someone stumbles while exercising in the water, the buoyant force minimises the risk of injury, giving patients and clinicians peace of mind.


The constant resistance from the water helps stimulate the proprioceptive system, which is critical for maintaining balance. Proprioception refers to the body's ability to sense its position in space, and it is often diminished in individuals recovering from injury or those with neurological conditions. By using an underwater treadmill, patients can improve their proprioception in a more dynamic and less dangerous environment than traditional land-based balance exercises.


Reducing the risk of falls

Falls are a leading cause of injury among older adults and individuals with certain health

conditions. Preventing falls requires a multifaceted approach that includes strength training, balance improvement, and mobility enhancement—all areas where underwater treadmills excel.


Research has shown that the combination of reduced weight-bearing and increased resistance helps improve lower body strength, which is crucial for stability. Improved muscle strength, especially in the legs and core, significantly reduces the likelihood of falls. Additionally, working in water improves coordination and reflexes, essential for avoiding falls. Furthermore, the psychological aspect of fall prevention should not be underestimated. Many individuals who have experienced falls develop a fear of walking, which can lead to sedentary behaviour, reduced physical activity, and increased frailty, and it can have a spiral effect. The underwater treadmill provides a safe environment for these individuals to regain their confidence, knowing that the water will support them even if they lose their balance.


Ideal for a wide range of patients

One of the great strengths of underwater treadmills is their versatility. They can be used by individuals of all ages and fitness levels, from older adults looking to maintain their independence to athletes recovering from injuries. People with conditions like arthritis, multiple sclerosis, stroke, or Parkinson's disease can also benefit significantly from the use of an underwater treadmill as part of their rehabilitation. Whether for post-surgery rehabilitation, chronic condition management, or simply improving fitness in a low-impact way, the underwater treadmill offers a valuable tool that supports a wide range of therapeutic goals.


To learn more about how underwater treadmills and other aquatic equipment can support your patients, visit Water Resist.


Aquatic cycling for healthy aging and rehabilitation

As we age, maintaining mobility, strength, and cardiovascular fitness becomes increasingly crucial for living a healthy and independent life. However, traditional high impact exercises can be too demanding as we age or recover from illness or injuries, leading to discomfort or re-injury. Aquatic bikes provide a low-impact and highly effective solution for promoting healthy aging and supporting rehabilitation.


What is an aquatic bike?

An aquatic bike, or a Hydrorider, is a rust-resistant stationary exercise bike designed for cycling underwater. The buoyancy provided by the water reduces the stress on joints and muscles, making exercise more accessible and safer, especially for older adults or those recovering from surgery or injury. The natural resistance of the water also provides an effective workout, helping to strengthen muscles, improve cardiovascular health, and enhance balance, all without the post-exercise soreness.


Benefits of aquatic cycling for healthy aging

One of the primary advantages of an aquatic bike is its ability to provide a low-impact workout. For those who struggle with joint pain or osteoarthritis, cycling underwater reduces the strain on knees, hips, back and ankles. This allows them to maintain or improve their cardiovascular fitness and muscle strength without injury.


Water resistance adds another layer of benefit. The consistent pressure of water surrounding the body during exercise works all the major muscle groups simultaneously, helping to build strength and improve endurance.


Aquatic cycling for arthritis management

Aquatic cycling also offers significant benefits for individuals with arthritis. Water Resist highlights the therapeutic advantages of water-based exercise for arthritis management. The buoyancy of water relieves the stress on swollen joints, allowing for smoother movements and a greater range of motion. This reduces pain, stiffness and discomfort while delivering an effective cardiovascular workout. By strengthening the muscles surrounding the joints (knees, hips and ankles), aquatic cycling helps lessen the load on affected areas, providing relief and long-term support for individuals managing arthritis.


Aquatic cycling for musculoskeletal disorders, injury, rehabilitation

Aquatic cycling offers significant benefits for musculoskeletal health and provides a safe and controlled way to rebuild strength and mobility for individuals recovering from lower-body injuries or surgery. The buoyancy of water supports the body, reducing the risk of re-injury by eliminating the full weight-bearing demands typical of land-based exercises. Patients can gradually increase the intensity of their workouts as their strength and endurance improve, offering a customisable rehabilitation process.


Aquatic cycling is particularly effective for post-surgical rehabilitation, where

careful weight management and muscle strengthening are essential for recovery. As the body heals, the progressive resistance of water allows individuals to safely regain mobility and functional capacity without the risk of overexertion.


To learn more about how underwater treadmills, aquatic bikes and other aquatic equipment can support your patients, visit Water Resist.


0452 062 412


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