Moving in the water can be a true respite from your day-to-day activities.
Whether swimming laps, participating in aquatic therapy, or just spending some leisurely time in the water, it all has a good chance of bringing some peace along with it.
And who doesn’t want a little peace with their movement?
How Water Supports Your Joints
Water’s buoyancy lightens the load on your joints by supporting your body weight, while still strengthening your muscles through providing resistance.
Its hydrostatic pressure also allows for blood to flow more efficiently in the body.These qualities allow for a workout that’s easier on the body while still being very effective.
The other great thing about aquatic exercise is how many different forms it can come in, and they can all be mixed and matched depending on your preference.
Maybe you really enjoy swimming laps at your own pace and then like to just float for a while. Maybe you don’t want to commit to a class yet, so you look up some aquatic exercise movements and try them out on your own.
Focusing on movements that positively impact arthritis symptoms by starting aquatic therapy with a physical therapist may be the way to go.
Otherwise, what feels best could just be getting in the water and moving however you feel like it in the moment, embodying your childlike sense of play!
There are plenty of options and most are easily available as long as you have access to a pool, which could be found at a YMCA, community center, university, hotel, swim center, or public pool.
The Benefits Of Aquatic Therapy For Arthritis
Aquatic therapy can be particularly beneficial for arthritis. Along with water’s buoyancy supporting your weight, helping to relieve pain and increasing your range of motion, warm water also helps your muscles relax.
Being able to ease some of the pain in your joints and relax your muscles plays a big part in making exercise more impactful because for the most part, the more movement, the better. The resistance that water provides helps build up muscle strength as well.
Overall, physical exercise is shown to decrease arthritis pain and increase mobility, function, and mood.
Aquatic therapy is a great way to make getting physical exercise a little easier and more enjoyable!
Finding An Arthritis Friendly Swimsuit
Yet, what if aquatic therapy sounds like something you want to try but the struggle of getting a swimsuit on and off is your main roadblock?
Look for swimsuits that have been designed for accessibility with zipper fronts, or easy on/off straps.
Ease In2 makes a swimsuit that is easy to get in and out of, even when wet. It has a vertical, two-sided design, where one side slips easily on top of the other with no twisting or straining.
This swimsuit has actually been tested by women with varying degrees of arthritis - including our very own Grace & Able Founder Sarah - and the suit received the highest possible overall subjective rating for ease of use.
So, don’t let regular suits keep you out of the water, let Ease In2’s swimsuit help you get back in and experience the benefits of aquatic exercise!