Maintaining a healthy diet, staying socially engaged, and getting enough exercise are three of the most important factors that can help us maintain our physical and mental well-being. This is especially crucial for older adults who are experiencing a decline in their health as they age. If you are looking for suitable health and wellness programs that fit your capacity, find out more about the different benefits of aquatic therapy for older adults.
Benefits of Aquatic Therapy
Any form of exercise can help us to maintain a healthy weight and cardiovascular system. However, there are distinct benefits of undergoing aquatic therapy that are highly specific. One reason is that aquatic exercises are generally safer. As our body starts to age and our vision begins to deteriorate, we are more likely to suffer risks like an injury that may have serious implications to our wellbeing. The likelihood of falling is increased when we perform exercises like running or weight lifting.
However, participating in aquatic exercises lets us maintain our balance while improving it. If an older adult does happen to make a misstep in the water, they can recover much more easily to catch themselves and stay balanced again. Aquatic exercise is also a form of strength training. It can also improve endurance as water provides a resistance factor. Moving the legs and arms in the water against resistance is an effective way to maintain and build muscle without the use of heavy weights.
Improve Arthritis
Water-based exercises can also be effective for older adults that are currently suffering from medical conditions like arthritis. There has been increasing evidence that shows aqua therapy increases mobility and fitness in older adults with rheumatoid arthritis without exerting their current symptoms.
Aquatic therapy also increases buoyancy which enables individuals with arthritis to enjoy the full benefits of aerobic exercise without straining their tender joints. Some evidence has also shown that water exercises are less likely to cause exercise-induced asthma like how other forms of physical activity might.
Effectiveness of Aquatic Therapy
There is also one question pointing to aquatic therapy and that is how effective the activity truly is. There really is no point in participating in an activity that does not offer results. There is actually concrete evidence that shows participating in water exercises does have a positive impact on our health to improve our quality of life. Aquatic exercises can also help us in improving our fitness habits.
According to a study, aquatic therapy was shown to be effective in body fat maintenance to help us maintain an ideal weight. The study found that participants who took part in aquatic exercises saw a significant reduction in body fat mass while also increasing their balance, flexibility, power, strength, and agility. These are the factors that help older adults who have higher risks of falls to help them prevent injuries. They can expect to see progress in their lower body strength, balance, and overall power to help them maintain good well-being. Aquatic exercises also have a positive effect on the bone status of older women.
