How to Do Aquatic Therapy Exercises

Aquatic therapy exercises, sometimes called aerobic water exercise, is a method of exercising in the water. When done correctly, this type of training is complementary to other training methods, can reduce injury risks and often offers good physical therapy for serious injuries.

Instructions

  1. Exercises in the Water

    • 1

      Determine your goals for the aquatic therapy exercises. Use the right exercise to stimulate the results you want. You can increase muscle flexibility, improve your range of motion, improve coordination, improve strength, burn calories, or improve heart rates.

    • 2

      Consider aquatic therapy exercises like water running. This is simply the action of running in the water, which will work to strengthen the muscles (as they push against the resistance of the water) and it will help burn calories. There are fewer risks of injury in the water than running on the street.

    • 3

      Do water Pilates. If you love Pilates in standard form, doing many of the same movements under water can improve your overall coordination, flexibility, and it works to improve spine alignment. It can strengthen your abdominal muscles and helps you to get resistance training done. As an aquatic therapy exercise, you can improve a range of muscle groups.

    • 4

      Perform leg circles and exercises in water therapy. Sit in an imaginary chair in the water so that your thighs are parallel to the pool's bottom. Pick up one foot at a time so the leg is straight, then rotate it in the hip socket. Complete five circles then place it back down and repeat with the second leg.

    • 5

      Enjoy all of your favorite exercises in the water. One unique aspect of aquatic therapy exercises is that any exercise can be done under the water, with benefits like improving resistance in the motion, getting aerobic exercise and helping to burn calories.