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Offload your spine: Aquatic exercise for spinal resilience!

We all likely know someone who has experienced an episode of low back pain – and just as likely, we may have experienced one ourselves. Whether it is an isolated incident or a persistent issue, low back pain has become an increasingly present condition for many. In fact, globally, low back pain is one of the greatest contributors to lost productivity yearly.

So what are some of the main causes of low back pain?

Often, there is no one specific cause – rather, a combination of the following can put you at greater risk of developing low back pain:

  • Prior history of back pain – a first episode often leads to recurrence in time
  • Age
  • Obesity
  • Sedentary lifestyle
  • Heavy or frequent lifting
  • Greater time in loaded flexed spinal positions (sitting, for example)

How can LiquidGym help?

Here at LiquidGym, we harness some unique features of water to help you deal with low back pain – whether it is a new acute episode or long-standing chronic back pain.

Buoyancy

    • The weightlessness provided by an aquatic environment reduces compression of the spine, helping reduce pain, reduce swelling, allowing for freer spinal movement, and helps reduce compounding degenerative changes over time

Viscosity, surface tension, and drag

    • Making use of water resistance increases the challenge of motion in all planes of movement simultaneously, helping to prevent muscular imbalance and promote greater core stability surrounding the spine

By making use of these features of aquatic exercise, we can assist in improving the mobility, stability, and resilience of your spine.

Here are a few select examples of core exercises in the water:

Finally, is training in the water right for you?

Before starting, it is highly recommended that you discuss with your family doctor or one of our therapists and kinesiologists to determine if aquatic therapy is appropriate for you. Safety is paramount.

If you have any of the following conditions, please confirm with a medical professional before starting a new therapy program:

  • Pre-existing heart conditions
  • Balance difficulties making safe entry and exit from a pool challenging
  • Multiple sclerosis (potential for overheating)
  • Unhealed wounds or active infections.

If you have any concerns, it’s always best to consult a medical professional for clearance prior to starting a water-based program.

Who can help?

A physiotherapist, kinesiologist or athletic therapist can help guide you through the rehabilitation of your low back pain.

Call LiquidGym today to book with one of our health professionals
to get you back to feeling great again!

613-820-8228

References:

  1. Brody, Lori Thein, and Paula Richley Geigle, editors. Aquatic Exercise for Rehabilitation and Training. Human Kinetics, 2009.
  2. Layne, Melissa. Water Exercise. Human Kinetics, 2015. Vos, Theo, et al. “Global, Regional, and National Incidence, Prevalence, and Years Lived with Disability for 328 Diseases and Injuries for 195 Countries, 1990–2016: A Systematic Analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2016.” The Lancet, vol. 390, no. 10100, 2017, pp. 1211–1259., https://doi.org/10.1016/s0140-6736(17)32154-2.

Author:
Gavin Parsons
Physiotherapist

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