Water Exercise Series: Recover, Rehab, or Relax?

Guess what regulates both the temperature of the Human Body and the Earth?

WATER

And water can help your Body with Recovery, Rehab, or Relaxation depending on its temperature.

For Recovery (cold plunges/ice baths), you want the temperature between 46.4-59°F (8-15° C).

For Rehab (aquatic therapy), water temp needs to be greater than 89°F with the sweet spot typically around 96°F (33-38° C).

For Aquatic Exercise (swimming or aerobics), it can be cooler 83-86°F (28-30° C).

RECOVERY

You may wonder why ice baths are so popular right now.

There has definitely been a progression from using them post workout for speeding up muscle recovery to using them on a regular basis for the other health benefits.

Benefits of ice baths: increased fat burning, immunity, & resilience (toning the vagus nerve to handle stress better).

They can also help improve sleep, reduce inflammation & migraines, and be good for your skin.

You’re wanting it cold enough to elicit a shiver which switches your body into burning fat for fuel.

Note that new research shows women may not need to get as “cold” for the ice baths due to having a more sensitive vascular response to cold than men.

Caution with ice baths: you need to build up slowly if you’re doing it on your own and new to it. Unless you are training heavily every day in a particular sport, full body ice baths aren’t something you typically do more than a few times a week or max of 11 minutes total per week.

**None of the extremes temp wise are safe for those with cardiac issues unless cleared by a physician. Those with Raynaud’s phenomenon should avoid extreme cold temps.
 
REHAB

We use aquatic therapy for both ortho and neuro patients. It’s wonderful for pain relief from arthritis to spasticity. 

It’s fabulous for working on flexibility, balance, core strengthening, and pre-gait activities. 

You can unload joints and decompress the spine depending on the depth of the water.

At waist deep, you unload your body weight by 50%.

At chest deep, by 75%.

At neck deep, by 90%.

You can change the depth, the position (supine, prone, sideways, kneeling, standing, one leg), and balance in or on the water using mats/noodles/boards.

In fact, I used to work on balancing in the pool using therapy mats way before I did SUP on lakes/oceans.

We have a ton of pool tools we can use to challenge patients.

Remember water can assist or resist you as you move.

You can work on walking all directions or jogging at all depths.

As you can imagine, pedi patients love it. 

It brings out playfulness in adults too and gives them so much freedom of movement and pain relief. So good for mental health especially for those dealing with chronic pain.

Insurance will cover it under outpatient physical therapy or occupational therapy if you have a medical diagnosis and the therapist has aquatic certification. 
 
RELAX

Floating in water is probably the most relaxing way to enjoy it.

One of my favorite Relaxation Bodywork in water is called Watsu.

Watsu is a form of Shiatsu (bodywork) in the water that involves a therapist moving you through different positions to stretch & massage for relaxation, pain relief, and improved mobility. 

You’re floating & moving slowly through the water. 

Imagine that calming sensation you get swinging in a hammock, resting on the front of a catamaran or enjoying a piece of chocolate melting in your mouth.

Ah, feels so good!

BTW Ender is great at this technique.

*Hot Tub Temps are great for Recovery & Relaxation- can really help with spasms and pain. 

*Contrast baths where you alternate cold and hot temps on an injured body part. Helps with swelling, injuries, inflammation and pain.

OVER TO YOU

Water has so many therapeutic benefits.

Match the temperature to what you need it for- recovery, rehab, or relaxation.

Find some ways to add it to your Rest Toolbox and remember it if you get injured or are dealing with some chronic pain issues. 

You can resume exercise and movement a lot earlier in water than you can on land.

And don’t forget there is aquatic therapy for your pets too, if they have arthritis or need some rehab from an injury.

*If you have diabetes or cardiac conditions like uncontrolled hypertension, you'll need clearance from your physician to exercise safely in water.

P.S. Can’t get in the water or it’s not time for a vacation yet? Use the 12 Days of Bliss Challenge- ONE simple REST Move in just 5-10 minutes a day to help you Recharge & anytime you need a Reset. Download the FREE Challenge here.