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Water Exercise: Pools, Spas and Arthritis

Introduction

Nearly 43 million Americans have some form of arthritis or a related condition. Although there are over 100 different kinds of arthritis, most forms are characterized by swelling, warmth, redness, pain and stiffness of joints that can lead to loss of joint motion or function. However, with proper diagnosis and treatment, the signs and symptoms of arthritis can be controlled, joint damage can be limited or prevented, and joint motion and flexibility can be improved.

Because there are many effective and safe ways to minimize pain and loss of motion from arthritis, you need to work with your doctor and other appropriate health professionals to develop an effective, individualized treatment program. Your specific program will depend on many things such as the type of arthritis you have, how it affects you, the severity of the disease, and the joints affected. Your age, occupation, and leisure and everyday activities also influence which treatment program is appropriate for you. Your treatment will probably include a combination of:

rest and relaxation
exercise
use of heat and warm water
use of cold
joint protection
self-help aids
appropriate medications

Why Water Exercise?

Pain in your joints may make you want to hold them very still and avoid activity. However, limiting use of your joints will, over time, cause the joints, ligaments and muscles to lose range of motion and weaken. Muscles may also shorten and tighten up, causing you to feel more pain and stiffness and be less able to do the things you want to do.

Regular exercise helps keep joints moving, restores and preserves flexibility and strength, and protects joints against further damage. Exercise can also improve your coordination, endurance and ability to perform daily tasks (such as walking or writing), increase energy and reduce fatigue, and lead to an improved sense of self-esteem and accomplishment.

The soothing warmth and buoyancy of warm water make it a safe, ideal environment for relieving arthritis pain and stiffness and improving the range of movement of joints affected by arthritis. Exercising in a warm-water pool or hot tub is one method of hydrotherapy, or using water to help treat a condition. Immersing in warm water raises your body temperature, causing your blood vessels to dilate and increasing circulation. Water exercise is a gentle way to exercise joints and muscles. Water supports joints and lessens stress on them to encourage free movement, and may also act as resistance to help build muscle strength. Using a spa adds a third component to the therapy - massage. Jet nozzles release a mixture of warm water and air, massaging your body and helping you relax tight muscles. Talk with your doctor to determine whether water exercise is appropriate for you.

The Arthritis Foundation Aquatics Program (AFAP) is a water exercise program designed for people with arthritis and related conditions. Classes are usually conducted 2 to 3 times per week at local indoor pools for 45 to 60 minutes. Instructors have completed an Arthritis Foundation-approved training program. Although AFAP is a nonclinical program (one that will not replace a prescribed regimen of therapeutic exercises), participants do report physical benefits such as decreased pain and stiffness after taking part in the classes. Joining a water exercise class gives you the opportunity to exercise in warm water, with guidance from a trained instructor. For more information about AFAP and other arthritis exercise programs, contact your local office of the Arthritis Foundation.

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