How wonderful it is to float! We only weigh a few kilos in the water, because the buoyancy of the water supports us. For the same reason, running or gymnastics in water is gentler than on dry land. Physiotherapy lecturer Ben Waller emphasizes that you can still do an effective workout in the water. The faster we move in the water, the more the water resists movement and the harder we have to work. This strengthens the muscles and improves fitness.
– Many people think that water exercise is lighter than exercise on dry land. This just shows that people don’t know how effective it is to exercise in the water, says Waller.
Water sports are also fun. Being in the water has been proven to lower stress levels. Water calms the nervous system, relaxes the body and creates a good mood.
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Breaks the cycle of pain
Water exercise is suitable for everyone, but it is especially useful if movement is difficult, for example due to diseases of the musculoskeletal system, long-term pain, overweight or injuries.
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– When a person is in pain, he often drifts into a cycle where movement decreases. Exercise is feared to cause harm, although the situation is the opposite: joints and muscles need movement to feel well. Water enables movement even for many of those who otherwise would not exercise much.
– Water gives people the freedom to train at their own level and in a way they enjoy. A 70-year-old water diver and an elite ice hockey player can perform the same movements in water, only varying the intensity.
The water pressure boosts blood circulation throughout the body. With each beat, the heart pumps significantly more blood in water than on dry land, which strengthens its function. The heart rate in the water is 10–15 beats per minute lower than usual.
Full, without fear
Waller himself investigated the benefits of intensive water resistance training in the treatment of osteoarthritis in his dissertation. A group of women aged 60–68 who had been diagnosed with mild osteoarthritis of the knee participated in the study. They worked out in the pool under guidance for an hour three times a week, using weights attached to their legs.
– It was hard training, but they loved it. They felt that they could move fully, without fear that the pain would get worse.
Over the course of three months, the fat mass of the participants decreased by an average of 1.2 kilograms. Walking speed increased, aerobic fitness improved and the quality of the knee joint cartilage improved.
– The effect on walking speed was still visible a year later. This shows that the participants were no longer afraid of moving, Waller reflects.◆
Expert Ben Waller, doctor of health science, lecturer in physiotherapy.
This article has appeared in Hyvä tervey magazine. As a subscriber, you can read all issues free of charge from the digilehdet.fi service.
Source: www.hyvaterveys.fi
