Metairie, LA  504-313-6502
Blue Wave Physical Therapy
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  • Home
  • About
  • What we treat
    • Back Pain
    • Knee Pain
    • Neck & Shoulder Pain
    • Aquatic Therapy
  • Wellness
    • Aquatic Fitness
    • Massage Therapy
    • Small Group Fitness
    • Essential Oils and CBD
    • Juice Plus+
    • Newsletters
  • Blog
  • Contact
    • Talk to a PT
    • Free Consultation
    • Availability and Cost
  • Hiring

How Does Water Therapy Help Me Get Started on Recovery?

3/23/2021

 
There is always a lot of curiosity about our pool and people are drawn to the option of pool exercise, but no one is really sure why or how it can help.   I think humans in general are drawn to water for a sense of peace and relaxation as well as fun and recreation. That's why we all want a beach house, right? But there are also scientific reasons why being in the water is a first step for movement, in spite of pain, weakness or balance problems. 
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The first principle of water is buoyancy.  The definition is the amount of upward force equal to the amount of water displaced.   It's the same reason boats float. Because of buoyancy we feel unweighted in the water.   The deeper you are in the water, the more water is displaced, and the more lift you feel in the water.  Frequently, clients tell me,  my legs (or my body) just FEEL SO HEAVY.  That's where water becomes a solution.  Those heavy legs are unweighted, allowing for free movement.  We have people who can run in our pool who wouldn't be able to jog 10 ft without the assist of buoyancy.  Not only does it feel the unweighting relieve a lot of pain, but the movement builds confidence and feelings of achievement that are sometimes hard to get in the gym.  

The next principle of water is viscosity, which is technically "a measure of its resistance to deformation at a given rate".  Basically, how thick is the fluid.   It would be a lot harder to move through syrup than water because it's so thick.  But the cool thing about about water viscosity is that it allows you to control the amount of resistance in each movement. The faster you move in the water, the more resistance you will feel.  Each person can easily control the amount of resistance in each movement by controlling their speed. Liftng weights or using a machine can seem intimidating, plus, lifting weights only works your muscles in one direction. In the water, you get resistance in every diagonal or circular move you make. The water allows you to strengthen you bodies in movement patterns that you use everyday such as lifting, carrying, steeping, or climbing.  One client practices the movement pulling up her pants while in the water.  The movements don't matter how big or small.  

My favorite reason for water exercise or therapy is the positive emotional and relaxation state that being in and around water provides.  In his book, A Blue Mind: The Surprising Science That Shows How Being Near, In, On, or Under Water Can Make You Happier, Healthier, More Connected, and Better at What You Do, Wallace J Nichols talks about research shows the brain's reaction around water.  The research proves that water can put us in a mildly meditative state, decreases our stress hormones, and increases our ability to focus.  That state of mind is very difficult for those dealing with chronic pain, which makes getting in the pool, the perfect place to start a journey to recovery.

Knee Arthritis Doesn’t Mean the End Of An Active Lifestyle, It Means You HAVE to Stay Active

3/16/2021

 

Knee pain is one of the most common diagnoses that I see in the clinic and more often than not it is due to arthritis.  One source states that up to 2 million of the 14 million people with knee pain from arthritis are UNDER the age 45 when diagnosed.  But getting that diagnosis doesn’t mean you have to stop walking, running, or living an active life, it means you have to be active to take care of your knee joints.  You have a lot of years of road life left on the knees and taking care of them now can prolong or avoid any future disability or discussion of surgery.  

So what exactly is Osteoarthritis (OA)? It is a progressive disease caused by inflammation and degeneration of the knee joint that worsens over time.  The inflammatory process affects the entire joint: bone, cartilage, and ligaments and muscles.  Progression of arthritis is affected by many factors: body weight, bone structure, genetics, previous injuries, muscle strength, and activity level.  I highlight the last two on the list because that’s how you (with the help of your friendly neighborhood physical therapist) can best manage the symptoms and progression of OA.  Weakness and inactivity only speed the progression of the joint degeneration and lead to more pain. 

Obviously, each person experiences pain differently, but there are a few common themes that I hear from our clients.  Pain is usually triggered with standing or walking for long periods of time,  stiffness after sitting in a chair or in the car for a prolonged period, or frequent popping or cracking when moving the knee.  Because the knee is a weight bearing joint, the pain is usually worse when going up or down stairs or standing on hard surfaces (think tile floor in the kitchen without shoes).  

Knee OA is diagnosed by imaging: X-ray or MRI, but a physical therapist or physician can identify the symptoms with a clinical exam and by asking about medical history, looking at your strength, flexibility, swelling, and performance of activities.  

So back to what you can do… strength is super important to manage the symptoms of OA.  Strengthening the muscles around the knee gives you better stability and less joint forces going through the arthritic areas.  Less joint pressure usually means less pain and more activity.  Many clients tell me “My knees are strong, they just hurt”, but when I test them I usually find weak hips, tight hamstrings, and tight ankles.  All those joints are essential to good movement mechanics and decreasing joint forces that can further progress OA.

The biggest challenge is getting started.  If your knee hurts, the last thing you feel like doing is exercising it, right?  That’s where a physical therapist can help.  We find the balance of exercises and activity duration that will begin to lubricate the joint, restore muscle activation around the joint, and improve muscle balance for more efficient movement without irritation and additional inflammation.    

We have many tools in our bag besides exercise to get you started without irritating the knee. We frequently use Kinesiotape to provide some extra support until your own muscles kick in.  We also use manual techniques, stretching, and all natural topical pain relievers to manage pain symptoms until tolerating strengthening exercises.  My favorite tool of course is the pool, where we can take away up to 90% your body weight off the knee and hip joints in order to allow for pain free walking and exercise.  

If you want more information about effects of OA, the basic exercises to start managing knee pain, and how to become active again, give us a call!
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    We help active adults get back to exercising, feeling fit, and participating in the activities they love without medications, injections, or surgery.

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    Catherine Courtney, PT

    Specialist Physical Therapist

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