Understanding Hydrotherapy

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Water is a wonderful thing. As well as keeping us alive, it gives us more energy, helps us stay alert and focused, improves our skin, aids digestion, and lots of other great things. And water can even be used as a kind of therapy to treat or manage a range of conditions of health problems, both physical and mental.

Using water as a kind of therapy is known as hydrotherapy, or sometimes just known as water therapy or aquatic therapy. Let’s dive into the topic of hydrotherapy to learn more about it.

What is hydrotherapy?

Hydrotherapy is a catch-all term for any kind of therapy that uses water, which may be used as a complementary treatment. A variety of facilities may be used depending on the type of therapy and the condition being treated, such as swimming pools, saunas, whirlpools, baths, and physical therapy tanks. And depending on the type of equipment being used, the water may be either hot or cold, and various levels of water pressure or stream types may be used.

For example, one kind of hydrotherapy may simply involve floating in temperate water to enjoy the relaxation benefits or the soothing effects of the water on your joints or skin, for example, while another may involve more rigorous exercises to strengthen the muscles or joints after an injury. 

What is hydrotherapy used for?

Depending on the type of water therapy being used, this kind of treatment can be used for joint or muscle pain, skin conditions, chronic pain conditions, recovery from an injury or surgery, and even mental health issues and neurological conditions. Athletes may even use hydrotherapy to recover after a training session or competition.

What are the benefits of hydrotherapy?

Compared to exercises like running, water-based activity is extremely low impact when it comes to your joints. This means you can use it to stay active or strengthen your body without putting too much strain on your joints, or to relieve symptoms of arthritis. Warm water can also be effective at relieving pain, and it increases blood flow, which is another benefit when it comes to recovery.

In terms of your mental health, hydrotherapy can be extremely relaxing, helping to reduce stress levels and anxiety, even helping to manage some symptoms of depression. This relaxation effect can improve quality of sleep, too, which is important for anyone recovering from an injury or dealing with chronic pain, as well as those managing their mental health.

At Mountain Park Spring Water, we deliver fresh spring water to your home or office to help look after your physical and mental wellbeing. Get in touch to find out more about our services, accessories, or the quality and source of our water, with bottled water delivery across Virginia and North Carolina.