Research reveals water-based exercises can be beneficial to people with disabilities or for those with mobility impairments. Cold water therapy is a recognised treatment for individuals with various conditions, from autism and learning disabilities to arthritis and injuries.
There are many new aquatic therapies that are not only safe, but they also don’t require participants to be at a medical facility.
What is water therapy?
Water therapy is a treatment that’s accessible to everyone, as it’s something you can do at a public swimming pool. For people who use a wheelchair, it offers a welcome break to relax in the water without the chair. As well as the physical benefits, it also provides social opportunities and mental wellbeing improvements for participants.
A low-impact and gentle form of exercise, water therapy provides buoyancy, with the water reducing the impact on muscles and joints. This makes it extremely beneficial for people who are recuperating from injuries, or those with limited mobility.
How does water help people with disabilities?
The resistance of water challenges people to use their muscles differently compared with exercises on land. This helps improve endurance, strength and overall fitness. Immersion in water has a calming effect on the body and mind, enhancing mental wellbeing, offering stress relief, promoting relaxation and boosting mood and self-esteem.
For people with muscle weakness or those recovering from paralysis, it can be particularly beneficial, as it also promotes joint mobility and flexibility, encouraging a wide range of movements. The buoyancy of being in water can aid pain management for people with conditions including fibromyalgia, arthritis and chronic back pain, improving the overall comfort level.
A swimming pool is also an inclusive environment where people with a disability can take part with everyone else. The social interaction can create new connections, start friendships and promote a sense of community.
Autism calming techniques
Cold water therapy can also help highly sensitive people, making it ideal for children with autism, who are naturally drawn to water - it can help soothe inner stress and improve focus.
Autism calming techniques involving water therapy can have two useful effects: they can combat the feelings that lead to a possible meltdown or can energise those children with ASD who tend to shut down.
Ideal for treating the sensory processing issues that children with autism experience, including sensory overwhelming; water-based exercises help, as the hydrostatic pressure of being in a swimming pool provides a calm environment.
People with autism are drawn to water because it has a positive effect on their mental wellbeing. They have described it as being on a par with “meditation” and feeling an “absolute connection” with the water.
Cold water therapy health benefits
Cold water therapy has other health benefits such as reducing our blood pressure and heart rate, which can reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular disease, according to research.
A study of subjects who immersed themselves in water at 14°C in a controlled environment found their blood pressure reduced by 8% and their heart rate by 5%. The levels of the stress hormone cortisol also decreased. In addition, the subjects experienced a 250% increase in dopamine - a chemical which gives us feelings of satisfaction, pleasure and motivation by acting on specific areas of the brain
A separate study by researchers at Cambridge University suggested swimming in the sea could help prevent the progress of dementia and other degenerative brain diseases. Laboratory tests on blood samples from regular winter sea swimmers showed they contained a “cold shock” protein that can slow dementia progress and potentially repair existing damage from the condition.
Best exercises in water
Water-based activities for learning disabilities adults should be enjoyable and safe. They can benefit both care workers and patients, positively impacting the overall wellbeing of individuals with disabilities.
Water-based gentle exercise can improve flexibility, muscle strength and balance, or cardio workouts. For people who find it extremely challenging to walk, exercising in water supports their body weight and relieves joint stress, so they can enjoy greatly increased mobility in a pool.
There are a few relatively new aquatic therapies, such as Au Chi, which is practiced in shoulder-deep water and combines progressive resistance training with breathing techniques. Aimed at strengthening and relaxing the body, it has been developed using elements of Tai Chi Chuan and Qigong. People who are continually in pain have reported positive results, including those with MS, who have experienced less spasms.
Another new therapy, Water Shiatsu, otherwise known as Watsu, combines Shiatsu massage with the treatment of acupressure points and gentle stretching exercises. The body feels lighter when in water and the exercise techniques rotate joints, free the spine and stretch muscles.
As a carer, always use the highest quality care supplies from a trusted supplier to keep your patient safe and comfortable.
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