What are the Types of Aquatic Therapy Equipment?

Aquatic therapy has gained popularity among people in recent years. It has become popular mainly because it reduces body weight by nearly 80% and helps seniors and injured athletes perform cardiovascular activities, decrease joints on their joints, etc. As you may already know, there are different types of exercises for aquatic therapy programs. However, for several more advanced exercises, patients need some types of aquatic therapy equipment like underwater treadmills.

In this article, we will inform you about different types of aquatic therapy equipment that physical trainers use to help patients improve their health in aquatic therapies.

Types of Aquatic Therapy Equipment

Aquatic therapy equipment pieces and accessories are necessary for public pools and aqua therapy facilities. For example, rehabilitation centers can easily help patients go through therapy to make disabled or injured individuals, the elderly, or seniors improve their health easier.

Various types of aquatic therapy equipment and accessories that physical therapists use are:

• Underwater treadmills
• Stationary bicycles
• Flotation rings
• Buoyant belt
• Dumbbells or Barbells
• Ankle weights
• Wrist weights
• Short-tipped fins and flippers
• Resistance bands and tubing
• Resistance handbells and paddles
• Resistance gloves
• Kickboards
• Noodles
• Aquatic paddles
• Foam collars
• Obstacle course
• Water current
• Jets
• Stairs and steps

Underwater treadmills

Although running is an excellent cardiovascular workout, unfortunately, it can result in joint damage, especially in the knee area. However, using an underwater treadmill will possibly add joy to all the benefits of running and let you avoid the harmful impacts.

Underwater treadmills can be for different types of users. Athletes can use them to recover from injuries. In addition, athletes utilize these treadmills to regain their full-body motion after surgery and injuries. Finally, an athlete or patient who cannot fully bear weight may benefit from this technique. With the highly equipped fitness pool models, athletes and patients can adjust the speed and resistance jets to gradually increase the intensity.

Stationary bicycles

Stationary bicycles are used to perform aqua cycling. This newly emerged type of cycling mixes pool aerobics and exercises with stationary cycling. Participants ride stationary bicycles that are set and attached to the bottom of the pool. The bike saddle and handlebars are placed just on top of the water.

Flotation rings

Some children and adults need assistance with walking when they are in a pool. These people can use the aqua ring floats to support themselves in upright positions. The flotation ring has various sizes. Aqua ring floats feature polyethylene foam around all four sides, ensuring optimal flotation. In addition, the material used in flotation rings is considered a fast-drying mesh.

Buoyant belt

A buoyancy belt, also known as a water aerobics belt, is an accessory that patients can wear while they are in the water. This belt allows patients to float in deeper water so they can walk in water easily and be hands-free (they do not need to hold the belt). In addition, having a foam belt helps the patients stay balanced in the water while they practice resistance training so they can do more exercises in the pool.

Dumbbells or Barbells

Dumbbell weights are great tools for doing exercises in the pool. Dumbbells made for water are designed for resistance training, so you can easily exercise in a pool and still burn calories.

These dumbbells are made out of foam because foam floats easily on the water. It will be harder to keep them underwater if they are submerged in water, which means they will be more resistant to your muscles.

Ankle weights

These ankle weights are made to be strapped around the ankles. Wearing these ankle weights is a great way to make running in water more challenging. These weights must be strapped above the ankle and fastened so they will not slip off when the patient is jogging through the water.

Wrist weights

Lifting dumbbells out of water can be made even more challenging with the addition of wrist weights. Wearing wrist weights while exercising can be beneficial since you can perform exercises. However, when wrist weights are being used, the dumbbells will be heavier while trying to stay down in the water and be more challenging to bring down.

Short-tipped fins and flippers

Short-tipped swim fins and flippers are famous for setting you in motion through the water and adding speed to the workout. In addition to adding endurance, fins and flippers can help increase upper body strength.

Resistance bands and tubing

Resistance bands and tubing are really cheap and durable, although they can offer a full-body workout. In addition, these bands and tubes decrease the risk of injuries because they do not need any weights.

Resistance bands and tubes are proper fore can be used for just about any motion you can think of and can also be used to mimic the movements you make in the pool.

By using these bands and tubes, you can perform strength-training exercises by forcing your muscles to work against a force. Your muscles will contract in a different way as a result of this action, which will stimulate both bone and muscle growth.

Learn about common methods in Aquatic Therapy for healing. 

Resistance bells and paddles

Resistance belts use “the principle of fluid Omni-directional drag resistance” in water. Drag, in fluid dynamics, refers to the forces acting on solid objects in the direction of the relative flow velocity. This means patients are able to work out with a muscle group equally in any direction.

Using resistance bells in the water gives the experience of a workout at a higher intensity, without the pain. This method is pain-free because the user can create and control the level of resistance at which you work.

These resistance paddles have adjustable blades to vary resistance. Resistance paddles help patients build their upper body strength and conditioning. Paddles have a vented flow-through design which allows the users to adjust the resistance from easy to difficult with a simple twist.

Resistance gloves

All resistance gloves have the same feature of webbed fingers. Some of these resistance gloves feature closed fingers or open tips. These features relieve the user because they allow the water to pass through and not collect.

Users can wear gloves and use the webbed fingers to create more drag during training to increase water resistance. This extra resistance makes the users work the upper body more, giving their shoulders, arms, chest, and back an intense workout.

Is Aquatic therapy good for seniors? You can find the answer in our article.

Kickboards

Using kickboards allows users to rest and keep their heartbeat up without using their arms. Kickboards are great tools to improve the strength and efficiency of your kick, especially for swimmers. Because kickboards do not need arms, you will quickly determine how much your kick affects your speed. Therapists use kickboards in aquatic therapy. Patients perform side steps on them in the pool to strengthen their knee joints and leg muscles.

Noodles

The pool noodles are great floatation aids to help beginner swimmers and aquatic therapy patients to learn how to balance themselves in the water. The noodles are ideal for water running because they give the patients enough buoyancy and balance to keep their heads above the water level. The noodles are also great for developing upper body strength in the water by emphasizing the upper body portion of treading water. As patients paddle back and forth with the pool noodle, they remove their legs from the equation and can focus on executing the back-and-forth sculling movement properly. This will enable patients to tread water efficiently.

Aquatic paddles

Water paddles, like barbells, can be classified as items of equipment that can be utilized for a real aquatic workout. The paddles are designed to tone the body while improving the upper muscle groups. They may also be depended on even when doing the most demanding underwater activities. For example, a set of paddles will assist you in cross-training in the water.

Foam collars

You may always buy foam collars if you find that water running belts aren’t keeping you in position during deep water activities. These items will assist you in keeping your head above water. These are far superior to inflatables since they may be precisely combined with the weighted equipment items used during traction water workouts.

Obstacle course

An extremely tough underwater obstacle circuit may be made using an underwater or aquatic obstacle course, and people can be taught reactive and proactive balance management abilities. The underwater or aquatic obstacle course includes various elements such as balancing beams, underwater hurdles, a wiggle board, and a reaching pole to simulate many events that may arise in daily life.

What are the benefits of Aquatic Therapy for children? Read our article to find out.

Water current

Based on the aims of the therapy session, most hydro therapeutic pools include a changeable water current that may be employed as a mechanical benefit. This tool can help patients advance by enhancing neuromuscular education, optimal walking mechanics, active and passive range of movement, and open and closed chain strengthening.

Jets

A pool can be strategically fitted with hydrotherapy jets, similar to those in the hot tub, to massage and loosen the muscles.

Stairs and steps

All hydrotherapy pools feature stairs or steps that may be used to access the pool. They are an excellent tool for patients to exercise appropriate mechanics while holding less weight and based on the depth. In addition, they may be utilized to strengthen both the lower and upper extremities.

What are the Benefits of Aquatic Equipment?

Many of us find engaging in physical activities, including cycling or lengthy walks, difficult. Consider overweight people who wish to be in shape; ladies and men of a particular age who need to maintain joint flexibility and muscular elasticity; or anyone who needs rehabilitation therapy after an injury.

Aquatic exercise equipment lowers stress levels

People who return to physical exercise after a lengthy absence can regain lost muscle tone owing to water fitness, lowering the risk of heart attacks and stress levels.

Exercising with aquatic exercise equipment encourages the heart to pump more blood each beat. At the same time, the water pressure on the legs and lower body helps the return of blood to the heart, lowering the frequency and cardiac stress.

Aquatic exercise equipment is less risky for our joints

Water fitness activities allow us to work out without putting harmful strain on our joints and reduce the detrimental effects of weight on our bodies.

With the development of effective training programs, it is possible to “relieve” the joints of the weight of those who are plus size, pregnant, elderly, veterans and recovering from injuries. As a result, they can assume and maintain positions that would otherwise be impossible in a physical environment.

Exercising with Aquatic exercise equipment is a serious workout

Working out in water is less dangerous from an articular standpoint, but it is also incredibly beneficial for the muscles!

In reality, because water resists movement, whatever you make with pool training equipment during aquatic fitness sessions is a full-body workout of the musculoskeletal system, with an average caloric burn of 450-550 kcal per class.

As a result, aquatic fitness activities are ideal for adults who wish to lose weight and get back into good shape and athletes who require particular sports training programs.

What are the benefits of Aqua Therapy in rehabilitation? Read our article to find out.

Aquatic Therapy near me in Las Vegas

If you are in need of Aquatic Therapy in Las Vegas or you want to work with aquatic equipment like kickboards, Health & Care Professional Network is at your service. Our facility has been providing in-home care services and aquatic therapy in Las Vegas for 15+ years.

Give us a call at (702) 871-9917 for more information.

You can get information about other Home Health Services.