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AQUATIC REHABILITATION

Aquatics have endless benefits to aid rehabilitation since it provides an environment for safe exercise.   Water has properties (buoyancy and hydrostatic pressure to name two) that allow us to do more than is possible on land. Exercising in water aids in restoring range of motion, flexibility, balance and strength, improves sport specific performance and helps alleviate pain and inflammation.

If you are injured, whether from a work place incident, car accident or sports related mishap, getting into the pool allows you to move more freely without pain while speeding up the recovery process. It's also pool time if you're plagued by nagging injuries and pains, such as arthritis or tendonitis, or getting ready to return to athletic activity after an injury.

An aquatic exercise program can be tailored to fit personal needs and goals for effective rehabilitation from youth to old age and from office employee to professional athlete.  

Aquatics can even add a new dimension to your exercise and rehabilitation regimen.

Talk with your doctor to determine whether water exercise is appropriate for you.

If you wish to read more about exercising in water, there are many water exercise books, such as Hydrorobics, which contain a host of good ideas for working out in water.

Some aquacize tips to consider before putting your toe in the water:

Protect your feet. Wear something that will protect your tootsies from rough pool floors and provide traction in the pool and on the deck.

Keep warm. If you're sensitive to cold or have  Raynaud's phenomenon , wear a pair of disposable latex surgical gloves.

Be careful. If the pool doesn't have steps and it is difficult for you to climb up and down a ladder, try positioning a three-step kitchen stool in the pool by the ladder rails.

Add more buoyancy. If needed, wear a flotation belt or life vest to add buoyancy and take weight off your hips, knees and feet. This makes exercising more comfortable for these joints.

Regulate exercise intensity. You can regulate how hard you work in water by how you move. To make work easier, slow down. To make it harder, speed up.

FIT TIP #3:

HELP WITH HAMSTRINGS

By Sue Ambrosio RN (NP)

Certified Personal Trainer,

Supervisor of Fitness and Pilates Instructors

Three muscles make up our hamstrings. Their upper ends are located on the back of the thigh and originate mostly from the base of the pelvis.   Their lower ends are attached below the knee joint making them a two-joint muscle group. They are involved in extension of the hip joint and are our major knee flexors. Taking care of this group is essential to preventing injuries.

The Problem . A typical imbalance of the hamstrings occurs when they become short and tight. This tightness is not strength. The hamstrings can become quite weak, especially if strong front thigh muscles cause imbalances. Shortened hamstrings frequently contribute to back pain. This alone is reason enough to have a regular hamstring stretch and strength routine.

Runners are particularly prone to painful   hams. Their enthusiasm for running can lead to severely shortened hamstrings which can eventually cause injury and immobility.

A Solution. Try this effective hamstring stretch:

Lay on back, knees bent and feet placed on floor. To stretch the right hamstring group: Use a cloth strap to loop around right foot. Straighten right leg, heel pressing to ceiling and toes pointed towards you.   Adjust strap so that it is taut.

Do not lock your knee (i.e. hyperextend).

Keep chin a fist width from chest - if chin points to the ceiling raise head with a pillow to alleviate any stress to the neck.

Keep back and pelvis flat on the floor.

Keep shoulders down from ears and keep shoulder blades connected to the floor.

Don't reach for the right foot - place your hands further down on the strap so that shoulders are not straining.   Take slow deep breaths. Wait until tension leaves the back of right leg. Slowly straighten the left leg by sliding left heel along the floor, toes up, away from the hip - only go to the point where you are able to keep the right leg straight.   Again, breathe slowly until tension releases.

To finish, bend right knee, pull gently towards chest and then straighten out both legs. Repeat with the left leg.

Our technological (sometimes "ill logical") world can put us in a constant state of physical and psychological stress. A steady stream of stimuli day in/day out punctuated by intermittent acute situations puts our "Fight or Flight" sympathetic nervous systems into overdrive. Result: chronic stress.

All stress - chronic or acute - has physical, as well as psychological, components. Hormones, including cortisol and adrenalin, are released, providing needed bursts of energy and strength to deal with the threat. In days of yore, it was endless encounters of the closest kind with a saber-tooth tiger or a cave bear. Today, it's angry bosses, computer glitches and such. This chronic impetus means elevated cortisol levels which, over time, contribute to health issues, including:

• High Blood Pressure
• Decreased Bone Density leading to Osteoporosis
• Increased Abdominal Fat correlated with Cardiovascular Disease
• Depression
• Social Anxiety Disorder
• Increased Inflammation affecting all joints and organs negatively
• Increased Insulin Resistance causing blood sugar imbalances

There's no quick fix when dealing with stress, but there are a number of treatments. The key is turning down the sympathetic nervous system and activating the parasympathetic nervous system. This activates a relaxation response which helps counteract these negative effects.

One of the easiest ways to do this is by controlling the rate and depth of breathing.

Here's one of my favorite "chill out" breathing techniques:

Sit or lie with eyes closed. Take a slow breath in through your nose, than let the breath back out through your nose. Silently think "I" on the inhale and "Am" on the exhale. Focus on the connection of these two words with your breath. As your breathing settles, let the exhale portion of the breath lengthen. "I" on the inhale. "Am-m-m" on the exhale. Continue to lengthen the exhale until you feel relaxed and free of tension. Your body will thank you.

Where to get Help

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