Benefits of Using an Underwater Treadmill
Whether you’re trying to lose weight, reduce chronic pain or invigorate yourself for the day ahead, our underwater treadmill lets you achieve all your wellness goals without the pounding that comes with land-based exercise.
Longer exercise durations combined with the heightened resistance of water creates greater cardiovascular endurance that boosts your on-ground physical stamina.
Improved Muscle Strength
The buoyancy of the water reduces body weight by up to 90%, which minimizes joint stress and strain. This reduces pain and helps you exercise longer, improving your endurance.
When walking on a regular treadmill, your body is exposed to a lot of impact that can hurt your knees and hips as you get older. Using a treadmill underwater, on the other hand, can help you strengthen your muscles while reducing the impact on your joints and lower back.
Studies have shown that exercising on a swimming treadmill improves your balance and coordination. It also builds up your triceps brachii and other muscles that aid in propulsive movement. This leads to improved balance, strength, and cardiovascular stamina on land. This is a great way to prevent falls and maintain your independence as you age.
Greater Cardiovascular Endurance
Your cardiovascular system will need to work hard to power your body through the water’s resistance. This type of endurance exercise is great for building a strong and healthy heart, while improving overall health.
The underwater treadmills in an Endless Pools Swim Machine offer a range of settings to create the perfect workout for your clients, from a gentle walk to an invigorating run. Running in water uses the same muscles as running on land but can help reduce joint stress for a more comfortable workout.
Running in the water also increases your aerobic capacity and endurance, so you can exercise for longer periods of time. Incorporating aquatic treadmill workouts into your client’s routine will build cardiovascular stamina and increase endurance on a physical level.
Relieves Joint Stress
The buoyancy of water reduces the body’s swimming treadmill weight and eliminates joint-stressing impact that is found with other types of exercise. With a water treadmill, patients are able to perform longer exercises and build endurance without the muscle soreness that follows traditional land-based workouts.
Athletes that use a water treadmill benefit from increased cardiovascular endurance and greater strength and flexibility. One study comparing underwater treadmill physical therapy to on-land strength training found that the former resulted in more lean muscle mass gains.
Unlike a land-based treadmill, the water’s resistance promotes flexing of the joints and helps to improve balance. This can be beneficial for patients with osteoarthritis and those who have a fall risk due to weak balance and muscles.
Increased Flexibility
Using an underwater treadmill increases your endurance. This occurs because the resistance of water makes you work harder than on a traditional treadmill. It’s no wonder that elite coaches like Runner’s World coach Budd Coates encourage his athletes to run on an aquatic treadmill as well as on the road.
Additionally, walking on an underwater treadmill increases your flexibility as the sensory effects of the water relax the joints and muscles. This flexibility is further boosted by the various movements and cardiovascular exercises you perform in a treadmill pool.
Many patients with osteoarthritis, who are prone to falls and injuries, are fearful of exercise because they are afraid they will fall over. However, the lower impact of running on a swimming treadmill and the gait training it provides eliminates this fear and allows patients to walk and exercise without any pain.
Prevents ACL Injuries
The buoyancy of the water reduces the amount of pressure put on joints, making it a good workout for people with joint pain or injuries. Running or walking on an underwater treadmill can even help prevent runner’s knee, a condition characterized by the painful development of shin splints in the knees.
TAMU researchers found that athletes who alternated aquatic treadmill training with on-land strength training saw greater improvements in lean body mass than those who did non-aquatic exercise only. This is because using an underwater treadmill burns calories while helping to strengthen the leg muscles and core, which supports the knees and other joints.
Running or walking on an swimming treadmill underwater treadmill at a modest incline can also help prevent shin splints by taking pressure off of the knees. However, it is important to avoid pushing yourself too hard on the treadmill or playing through knee pain.
Reduces the Risk of Falling
While many people are hesitant to exercise on land due to the risk of falls, the buoyant factors in water provide an opportunity for safe and effective weight-bearing exercises. Studies have shown that walking or running on an aquatic treadmill increases balance more than training on a regular land treadmill (Carroll et al, 2022).
Running on an underwater treadmill allows you to lower your bodyweight by as much as 90% which decreases your fall risk drastically. It also helps you to recover more quickly by reducing the impact on your bones and joints.
A HydroWorx swimming pool is a popular feature in elite sports medicine facilities, physical therapy clinics and senior-living communities. It is an ideal workout environment for those with high fall risk and offers transformative benefits like hydrostatic pressure, speeding up muscle recovery.
Enhances Recovery
Incorporating underwater treadmill physical therapy into your recovery routine can help you achieve more success in the rehabilitation process. This is because the natural hydrostatic pressure of water reduces swelling, soothes joints, and boosts strength.
A recent study on aging patients found that those who exercised on an aquatic treadmill experienced improved muscle strength and balance, which also reduced their risk of falling. Moreover, a TAMU study found that if you perform cardiovascular workouts on the underwater treadmill and follow it with regular strength training sessions, your results will be even more noticeable.
Professional athletes also use this device to increase their mileage without adding too much stress to their joints and bones. In addition, they can easily adjust the water height to match their individual needs and fitness goals.