The Benefit of Aquatic Therapy for Fibromyalgia By: Kait Miller, PTA

Do you suffer from ongoing Fibromyalgia pain? Have you ever tried Aquatic Therapy? In this blog I am going to tell you some of the benefits Aquatic Therapy would do for you!

The buoyancy of the water decreases the stress of the joints and the warm water helps relax stiffness on the muscles. This will help reduce muscle spasms increasing range of motion and flexibility, which tends to be more difficult with land based therapy. While in the pool your body will be supported by the water, reducing the chance of balance loss. 

Our pool is warmer than your standard swimming pool ranging from 94-96 degrees.  All exercises are typically performed in a standing position which does not make it necessary to know how to swim for our session. We like to start out therapy sessions with some light walking on our underwater treadmill easing into stretching and exercises as tolerated. Floatation devices and ankle weights can be used throughout the session to change the amount of buoyancy.

 At Advanced Rehabilitation we also use a technique called Watsu. The patient is supported the entire time by a flotation device and therapist. During this time they are cradled, rocked and stretched.  The water relaxes the muscles and supports the spine, allowing the joints and muscles to be manipulated throughout the water which we are unable to do on land. The effects include a very gentle, but deep stretch releasing joint restrictions and also relaxing the patient which relieves stress and tension that may be making the muscle stiff. 

Swimming can be a relaxing form of exercise, but you are still getting a good workout in.  Here at Advanced Rehabilitation we like to increase your therapy program gradually and monitor your results very closely, especially with fibromyalgia. 

Our pool is located at our “West” office, 3347 West 12th Street, call us today to set up an appointment at 814-324-0770!