Falls are the leading cause of hospitalisation due to injury – a staggering 43% of the total number of yearly injury hospitalisation. Come wintertime, it’s harder to stay steady on your feet when the weather turns colder, and slippery conditions set in. As the mercury dips, the risk of falls increases, making balance maintenance a top priority. If the prospect of hitting the gym and finding yourself training in a cold, indoor environment sounds daunting, fret not as there’s a great alternative: hydrotherapy.
Hydrotherapy, performed in a warm water pool, offers a supportive environment for gentle yet effective workouts. The buoyancy, resistance, and soothing warmth of the water enhance physical strength, flexibility, and balance, providing numerous benefits:
The buoyant properties of water reduce the impact on joints and muscles, making it easier to perform exercises without the risk of injury. This low-impact environment allows you to practice balance and coordination with greater confidence and safety. Hydrotherapy exercises target core and lower body muscles, essential for maintaining balance. Strengthening these muscles improves stability and reduces the likelihood of falls. The water’s resistance adds an extra challenge, enhancing muscle strength more effectively than traditional land exercises.
Water-based exercises often require coordinated movements, enhancing neuromuscular function. Better coordination means quicker reflexes and an improved ability to correct balance when faced with unstable surfaces. The warm water relaxes muscles and increases joint flexibility, allowing for a greater range of motion. Improved flexibility contributes to better balance and reduces the risk of falls caused by stiff or unresponsive muscles.
Make balance training your priority this winter through Hydrotherapy in our warm water pool at Healthstin in Moss Vale. Call us via 1300 090 931 or click this link now. We accept funding from different schemes including the NDIS, workers compensation, Aged Care, Medicare, private health funds, and the Department of Veterans’ Affairs.
