Water, a life-giving, renewing, and trickling solvent has made its way in mysterious yet confirming ways due to its healing properties since ages. India is witnessing a surge in hydrotherapy or aqua therapy due to its startling properties. It provides symptomatic relief to people with Osteoarthritis, Fibromyalgia, Parkinson’s disease, Neuropathy, Cerebral palsy etc. “Hydrotherapy can also help people with post-burn injuries,” says Dr. Aijaaz Ashai, a Graduate of Physiotherapy from the National Institute for Orthopedics (Kolkata) and an expert in the field of Advanced Physiotherapy and Fitness. He says, “Aqua therapy is primarily used to relieve symptoms temporarily like pain, stiffness, swelling, muscle pain, weight loss, and post-menstrual pain.” It helps strengthen the muscles without causing damage to the joints or straining the ligaments. The water has an analgesic effect that allows the release of soreness and stiffness, thus increasing elasticity and agility.
H2O Healing
It is a known fact that aqua therapy is mostly used for children with neuromotor disorders. However, there is no age restraint for aqua therapy. The aquatic environment helps provide a series of ‘hydrostatic and hydrodynamic characteristics’ which indeed makes exercise feasible enough.
The aquatic setting helps patients to also improve their balance as there is no fear of falling or injury. Dr Aijaaz explains how aqua therapy could be used by children suffering from cerebral palsy as well as by the elderly suffering from conditions like arthritis. The therapy can be used in cases of degenerative changes in the elderly. “We can make them do simple exercises in the water which helps in improving their condition,” Dr Aijaaz says.
Real Conditions
Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, a rare muscle disorder but one of the most frequent genetic conditions affects 1 in every 3,500 male births worldwide. It popped its head in Disha Shah’s family in Jamnagar. Her son was diagnosed with DMD. Disha talks of how her son started taking sessions from the center of physiotherapy, where the introduction of aqua therapy was relatively nascent. “Before my son was diagnosed with DMD, he went swimming daily. For him, it just meant ‘pool time’ + some exercises.” She further shares how during these aqua therapy sessions, the body works in sync with the limbs, pelvic, and lungs all three working together, which produces results while at the same time requiring less effort on the part of the doer. However, she adds that many aqua therapy centres charge a lot for a single session. Disha and her father take her son to a nearby pool for aqua therapy sessions which have proved beneficial in her son’s progress.
Awareness & Myth
Dr GM Khan, M.S (General Surgery), D. Orth, M.Ch. (Neurosurgery) from Mumbai says the awareness of aqua therapy is growing, but it is still not as widespread as traditional land-based therapies. He further explains how people are unaware of the benefits that water therapy can offer, pertaining primarily to neurological conditions. Awareness will spread when people share their success stories. Dr Khan adds, “The buoyancy of water reduces the impacts on joints and muscles, making it easier to perform exercises without any pain or risk of injury.” It is beneficial for individuals with arthritis, healing fractures or even those who tend to be overweight. “The resistance of water provides a different type of muscle strengthening, as it allows for a full range of motion and engages multiple muscle groups simultaneously,” Dr Khan explains.
Land & Water
The sessions in aqua therapy include walking or jogging in water, stretching, strength training, and balance exercises. The water temperature too, is usually warm which helps relax muscles and improve circulation. He adds, “The therapist will tailor exercises to the individual’s needs and abilities, ensuring they are safe and effective.” Dr. Aijaaz shares how exercises performed on the ground such as a treadmill, squats or stair climbing puts pressure directly on the knees and spines. However, in water due to its buoyancy, there is less strain on the joints and chances of injury are minimal. Also, the muscular strength improves. With multiple hospitals and clinics opting for aqua therapy nowadays, India is headed towards better conditions for physical therapy. The healing properties of aqua therapy cannot be overlooked. However, its progress with land-based techniques would only be a telling factor in the years to come.
Awareness of aqua therapy is growing, but it is still not as widespread as traditional land-based therapies — Dr G M Khan, M.S (General Surgery), D. Orth, M.Ch. (Neurosurgery), Mumbai
“Before my son was diagnosed with DMD, he went swimming daily. For him it just meant ‘pool time’ + some exercises” Disha Shah, homemaker from Jamnagar
“India can flourish if aqua therapy is practiced on a larger scale.” — Dr Aijaaz Aishai, M.P.T (Sports), HOD- Adams Wylie Physio Rehab Centre
