Hydrotherapy
Hydrotherapy is the use of water in the treatment of disease. The healing properties of hydrotherapy are based on its mechanical and/or thermal effects. It makes use of the body’s reaction to hot and cold stimuli, to the protracted application of heat, to the pressure exerted by the water, and to the sensation of the water itself. Nerves carry what is felt by the skin deeper into the body, where it is then vital in stimulating the immune system, influencing the production of stress hormones, improving circulation and digestion, encouraging the flow of blood, and lessening the body’s sensitivity to pain.
When submerged in a body of water such as a bath or a pool, there is a kind of weightlessness, as the water relieves your body of much of the effects of gravity. Water also has a hydro-static effect and has a massage-like feeling as the water gently kneads your body. Water, when it is moving, stimulates the touch receptors on the skin, increasing blood circulation and releasing tight muscles.
During a hydrotherapy consultation with a physiotherapist, you may also use kick-boards, dumbbells, noodles and paddles that when coupled with the buoyancy and resistance of the water, can assist in strengthening certain muscles.
The benefits of hydrotherapy include:
- Dramatically increasing the elimination of waste, thus assisting detoxification
- Loosening tense, tight muscles and encouraging relaxation
- Increasing the metabolic rate and digestive activity
- Hydrating the cells, improving skin and muscle tone
- Boosting the immune system, allowing it to function more efficiently
- Improving the function of the internal organs by stimulating their blood supply
Patients of ExL Physiotherapy & Sports Rehab are able to use the hydrotherapy pool located on site before 8am and after 6.15pm.