Hydrotherapy for Athletes
Jonny Clifford explains the benefits of hydrotherapy for athletes.
Hydrotherapy is a well-known and researched therapy that can benefit athletes looking to aid their recovery. Most professional athletes will have heard of hydrotherapy and experienced it at some stage. However, it is a tool that is still not used to its full potential when supporting athletic performance.
Studies have recognised the benefits of contrast water immersion (CWI) as "a valid and effective means of accelerating recovery from high-intensity exercise in both males and females." The reports also detail the benefits caused by faster blood lactate clearance, which results in a reduction in muscle tightness accompanied by a feeling of mental freshness.
The balance between training and appropriate rest is a delicate line to traverse, and therapies like hydrotherapy can help athletes remain in excellent condition to recover better if and when an injury occurs. If athletes use hydrotherapy soon after a competitive performance, they are more likely to sustain fewer long-term injuries that stop them from entering future competitions.
Benefits of Hydrotherapy For Athletes
The benefits of hydrotherapy are far-reaching. If used correctly, it can be a powerful tool in rehabilitation and recovery from training and performing. Many conditions can be supported and even resolved with hydrotherapy, making it an ideal choice for athletes who need to recover.
Some of the main benefits of hydrotherapy include:
- Reduce muscle spasms that can cause significant discomfort and reduce the ability to perform well in training and competitions.
- Relieving pain caused by training or injury gives the body an environment in which it can begin to heal correctly.
- Helping to strengthen muscles that have become weak through injury, building them gradually until they are back in good condition.
- Improving the range of motion in joints by allowing gradual improvements as part of water therapy.
- The temperature of the water helps improve poor circulation. Heat causes blood vessels to expand, and cold restricts them and pushes the blood straight back to the organs.
- Educating muscles that have been paralysed as the water means that an athlete can exercise without the pressure that gravity gives when training on land.
- Working on balance and coordination skills impaired after injury or illness.
When Athletes Should Use Hydrotherapy
Hydrotherapy is not suitable for all injuries or all athletes. It needs to be monitored carefully so that each athlete gets the most from it. When hydrotherapy is used, it should form part of a wider programme.
Hydrotherapy can help with conditions such as frozen shoulders and sprains. It is also a great therapy to undergo after knee surgery and head injuries, as it is gentle and yields results quickly.
Hydrotherapy is also a good tool for helping with recovery after training. It can be incorporated into a regular recovery plan to help the body recover from stresses and strains in a gentle and supportive way. This can either be conducted in a specialist hydrotherapy pool or within a hot tub or swim spa. If a specialist pool is not accessible, using a hot tub regularly has a wide range of benefits.
Hydrotherapy can also support exercises that may be too difficult to undertake when out of the water. The majority of exercises can be adjusted to suit water and made more comfortable or more complicated, depending on the athlete's condition when they start. This exercise generates outstanding results and can distinguish between an athlete performing well and smashing a personal best!
Conditioning is also a valuable training tool. By using moving water in hydrotherapy, athletes can build muscle and increase the difficulty of an exercise without the risk of injury. Conditioning then becomes a powerful tool, and athletes can push themselves forward without being concerned about sustaining injuries.
When Hydrotherapy Should Not Be Used
Some injuries and conditions are not helped by hydrotherapy. In these situations, you should avoid using hydrotherapy as a tool until a full recovery has been made.
Some circumstances in which athletes need to avoid hydrotherapy include when they have experienced injuries that are still inflamed. If an area is hot or red, then it is not suitable to use hydrotherapy. All swelling must be under control before an athlete can use a hydrotherapy pool to complete their recovery journey.
Other conditions that preclude athletes from using hydrotherapy include hypertension, any heart condition, or if they are running a fever, as the heat of the pool can hurt the body and put them at risk of more complicated illnesses and injuries.
If an athlete typically uses hydrotherapy as part of a recovery plan, this must be suspended if any of the above conditions are present. As with any injury, a doctor and physio should be consulted to ensure that athletes do not get into a hydrotherapy pool before they are well enough.
Conclusion
Hydrotherapy can be powerful when used consistently and in the right conditions. It aids in recovery from injury, can help with conditioning, and provides a different way of exercising to challenge muscles to improve wherever possible continually.
Much research has been done on the use of hydrotherapy, and it is clear that it is of great benefit in specific injuries as part of an ongoing treatment plan.
By using hydrotherapy only after an injury has occurred, athletes will not get the full benefit it provides. It is advised that they use it regularly as a recovery tool so that injuries are easier to deal with and their bodies are always in optimum condition. Athletes who use hydrotherapy consistently enjoy better results than those who only use it after injuries have already been sustained; therefore, it is an ideal choice for athletes and coaches to include in training plans.
Page Reference
If you quote information from this page in your work, then the reference for this page is:
- CLIFFORD, J. (2019) Hydrotherapy Benefits for Athletes [WWW] Available from: https://www.brianmac.co.uk/articles/article526.htm [Accessed
About the Author
Jonny Clifford is a specialist health and lifestyle writer. He is also a former coach and athlete regionally in the UK.