Water Treadmills For Dogs

Unlike swimming, where the dog is completely submerged, water treadmill exercise allows for longer sessions and enables dogs to get back to regular physical activity sooner. Your veterinarian can advise when an underwater treadmill would be a good choice.

Longer exercise durations and the heightened resistance of water generate greater cardiovascular endurance, which boosts on-ground physical stamina. It also helps strengthen muscles and joints and reduces stress on the body.

Low-Impact Cardiovascular Exercise

Whether you are looking to improve your cardiovascular endurance, tone muscles, or get an effective workout without straining joints and muscles, you’ll find an underwater treadmill is the perfect fit. This is especially true for the 67 million Americans with high blood pressure. According to a study conducted by TAMU, aquatic treadmill workouts were more effective than land-based exercise at lowering both resting and exercise systolic blood pressure (BP).

A water treadmill offers adjustable buoyancy, reduced impact and enhanced control, allowing you to mimic the movement of running on a traditional treadmill while also increasing your resistance. The adjustable speed and water temperature allow you to tailor your workout to your specific needs. Many professional athletes use this equipment to stay on track with their training regimens, especially when they are injured.

Another important benefit of using an underwater treadmill is that it helps you regain your balance and gait. This is especially beneficial for those recovering from falls, strokes or other traumatic injuries. The increased stability and strength gained through treadmill training in water can help you regain confidence and mobility, enabling you to lead a pain-free life.

Most runners are reluctant to start rehabilitation for a leg or back injury until they are fully healed and can run at full capacity again. This can be a long, difficult process because many of the exercises done in physical therapy require your body to be weight-bearing. However, a water treadmill can offer water treadmills runners the chance to get back on track much sooner by providing them with an alternative form of cardio exercise that will not put too much stress on their joints and muscles.

Low-Impact Therapy

In addition to easing pain, water treadmills also help with promoting joint flexibility and strengthening postural muscles. This is because the conveyor belt is submerged in a pool, creating resistance that depends on the water depth and the amount of equipment added to the unit. For example, a Puli will experience more drag than a Chihuahua when walking on the same underwater treadmill as their size and hair length will affect how much resistance they experience.

In fact, the buoyancy of the water reduces the pressure put on joints by up to four-fifths of a patient’s body weight. This allows patients to use the treadmills even after surgery or an injury. It is also a safe and gentle way to increase activity for those with joint problems, or for seniors who may not be able to keep up with a rigorous workout routine on land.

Many of our equine clients use the system for conditioning, to improve athletic performance and for rehabilitation of injuries and illnesses. Our machines can be adjusted to the individual horse and training/rehabilitation goals, by adjusting the frequency, duration of exercise, water depth and speed of the treadmill belt. Our newest models also have the ability to incorporate an incline, increasing the activity of major muscle groups and improving range of motion and movement quality.

Joint and Muscle Pain Relief

Using a water treadmill, you can mimic walking or running exercises on land but without the impact to your joints and muscles. Depending on the water level, you can bear up to 80 percent less of your body weight which significantly reduces joint stress. This can help you start your recovery sooner and get back to normal activities faster.

Water treadmills are also great for increasing flexibility in your knees and legs. While on a traditional land-based treadmill, you have to bear up to 100 percent of your body weight. By comparison, while you are on a water treadmill only 20 percent of your body weight is in contact with the belt, which greatly reduces joint stress. In addition, the movements and cardiovascular activity you engage in while on a water treadmill can increase your flexibility as well.

After an injury or surgery, many patients are told to avoid any weight-bearing activity, but with the use of a HydroWorx pool, you can begin exercising and strengthening your muscles much sooner than you would on land. This can help you feel more confident throughout the healing process and will give you a positive outlook on your recovery.

A recent study by Texas A&M found that when you combine alternating water treadmill workouts with strength training, you see a significant improvement in your lean body mass. So, if you have an injury or want to maintain your fitness goals, talk with your physical therapist about incorporating underwater treadmill therapy into your treatment plan.

Stress Reduction

The buoyancy of water reduces stress on joints, allowing muscles to move more freely. This relieves pain and allows horses to exercise more effectively, helping them feel better faster. The warmth of the water increases circulation and aids healing, and the calming atmosphere helps reduce anxiety. Many athletes rely on this type of treadmill for rehabilitation and cross training. Lance Walker, Global Director of Performance at Michael Johnson Performance, praises the pool at his facility for making tissue more responsive and enabling him to keep workout frequencies high while reducing joint stress that would otherwise accumulate with high-intensity regimens on land.

The group members were researchers, academics and veterinary clinicians and practitioners with a range of experience in the use of water treadmills for the water treadmills training and rehabilitation of sporting horses. These include dressage, eventing, western disciplines and polo.

Most users experienced that horses quickly habituate to the exercise and reached a relaxed rhythmic gait within a few short sessions (up to 15 min). This was most pronounced for those who routinely gave their horse a light amount of sedation before initial exposure to the treadmill. This is a sensible option, and should be carried out with a veterinary consultation.

The working group recognised that the incorrect use of a water treadmill could directly oppose the goals of an overland, ridden training programme or even increase injury risk. This is especially true if the speed of belt and/or water depth is not carefully adjusted to meet the horse’s specific requirements.