Stop Running From Injuries

Posted by Jane Diack on

I am sure we have all suffered from, or know someone who has suffered from the frustration of an illness or injury holding us back. 

A recent One News article revealed that The Global Burden of Disease Study found that 95% of the worlds population had an ailment in 2013, while one person in three (a total of 2.3bn people) have 5 ailments or more. 

Some of the most common ailments reported in New Zealand included lower back pain, neck pain, musculoskeletal problems and depression or anxiety. Whilst the severity of these cases vary from person to person, there are many cases where ailments such as these can be prevented, and also many cases where recovery can be fast-tracked through physical therapy. 

Despite what people tend to believe, injuries don't necessarily need to hold us back or prevent us from exercising. Instead, people need to listen to their body and perhaps consider changing their exercise regime to cater for their condition. 

Train like an Athlete

Exercising in the water is becoming increasingly popular and it is no wonder why. Take a look at many of the successful athletes and sports teams that are now putting a huge emphasis on aquatic training and boasting about the results they are seeing. Aquatic exercise significantly reduces the stress on your joints, bones, and muscles because of waters unloading property of buoyancy. This is a very safe and effective way to exercise and allows people with injuries to start exercising much sooner with less discomfort. People who suffer from back-pain, neck pain or just want to cross train to reduce the pounding of land based exercise should be taking note from the professionals and turning to the water. 

Build Strong Bones

There is a common misconception that water cannot help people build bone density, however that is not at all true. The waters resistance places a demand on the musculoskeletal system which causes an increased load on the bones resulting in them becoming stronger and denser. In addition to the waters resistance, gentle plyometric type exercises can be performed in the water to increase the added stress to improve bone strength.

Psychological Wellbeing

Like any regular exercise, pool workouts are great stress relievers. The exercise stimulates the brain to release chemicals that make the body feel good. When performing aquatic exercises, the movement of water against and over the body results in both massage and relaxation. This calming effect can decrease, or eliminate the pain resulting from a workout.The waters hydrostatic pressure helps to provide pain and stress relief by providing sensory stimulation throughout the entire body.
 
So before you let an injury or ailment land you on the couch, consult your healthcare professional to see if Aquatic exercise could help get you moving sooner. 
Aquastrength draws on cutting-edge research to deliver world class functional fitness programs that focus on improving balance, mobility, strength, sports performance and injury recovery for all ages and abilities. 

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