Richard Haynes PTA: Why Swimming Is Perfect For Your ...

There are a many reasons why swimming and water-based exercise may be the best choice for?rehabilitation after a knee or hip replacement or any other type of orthopedic injury for that matter.?Water based exercises are second only to walking in lowest rates for injuries. They are commonly used for physical therapy modes for those recovering from major surgery.

Water also provides more options for those who are lacking in general fitness or have a prior injury that makes land based activity difficult. ?Finally, water based activities work the entire body, serving as a form of both strength training even as aerobic training takes place. I prescribe aquatic therapy for all my patients after their home health physical therapy has ended to further their progress and advance their strength, muscle endurance, and balance.

Swimming utilizes nearly all major muscle groups simultaneously, imparting a total body work out. Because of the inherent resistance of the water, swimming develops both muscle strength and endurance, as well as helps flexibility. Water also helps with pain management during exercise.

Because of its?multiple effects, swimming provides almost all of the aerobic benefits of running even as it yields many of the benefits of resistance training thrown in. Because swimming does not put the strain on connective tissues that running, aerobics and some weight-training regimens do, swimming is the kind of low-impact work out that is perfect for?my patients and clients?seeking to regain or maintain their fitness.

This is a sport especially gentle to those who are physically challenged. The buoyancy factor of water makes swimming the most injury-free exercise available. So it is specifically interesting to?older adults?especially those with any type of joint issues. In water, a person?s body weight is reduced by 90% as compared to its weight on land. For example, a 220 pound man will weigh about 22 pounds if he is standing in chin deep water.

Exercises in water can also be done more often because of the low incidence of injuries and it is more effective for exercising the entire body as any movement in water has?12 times greater resistance than movement in air.
For older adults, water fitness is safe, fills the need for exercise, increases a body's range of motion and is a low-impact exercise.

Aquatic therapy also helps the knee or hip replacement patient with pain relief and, helps in reducing the swelling. You have to be sure however that you do not over work yourself in those first few sessions. It is easy to over do things due to the low impact of water. Start out slowly and build from each session. Be sure before you start that you have clearance from your surgeon or physical therapist before going in. Be sure your incision or incisions are healed completely to avoid chances of infection.

Generally you can go?into?your pool a week after the staples have been removed or 10 days to two weeks if you plan on going into a community pool. Of course this will depend on your surgeons?exercise protocol and the overall condition of your incision.

Richard Haynes PTA,CPT
Total Joint Fitness LLC
Punta Gorda, Florida.
http://www.richardhaynes.com
http://www.totaljointfitness.com
http://www.orthopedicweightloss.com
http://www.musculardevelopment56.com

" Where Fitness and Reahbilitation Never Ends"

Source: http://www.richardhaynespta.com/2012/11/why-swimming-is-perfect-for-your.html

tyler perry whitney houston r kelly r. kelly macular degeneration whitney houston funeral judi dench alicia keys