Running and walking in water is an excellent form of physical therapy for people rehabilitating from hip, knee and back injuries and surgeries. It’s also an easy-on-the joints form of exercise for seniors and others who suffer from arthritis, and a recent study shows it can speed recovery from stroke faster than using a traditional treadmill.
It’s just an all-around good aerobic conditioner for athletes, too, sports medicine expert Dr. Naresh Rao, told CBS News. Rao is the Olympic Team USA Water Polo Physician for the 2016 Summer Games.
“We’ve been using hydrotherapy to help decrease any sort of gravity that can affect joint function,” said Rao, who is also with the department of family medicine at Plainview Hospital in Plainview, New York. “I personally prescribe it for knee issues and low back issues.”
Hydrotherapy uses a water-friendly treadmill that can be placed in a pool. Another method involves a specially designed treadmill tank.
Matt Johnson, a physical therapist at St. Luke’s Hospital in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, told CBS News that the tank is basically a freestanding tub, about six feet long by three feet wide, with a motorized belt. The water height can be adjusted to the patient’s abilities. The buoyancy of the water helps someone who’s been injured to walk and run a little sooner than they’d be able to do on dry ground, he explained.