Aquamaxx Underwater Treadmill
Enjoy all the benefits of exercise and the healing power of water with our one-of-a-kind underwater treadmill. The natural buoyancy and hydrostatic pressure of warm water relieves joint pain and reduces the impact on your joints.
Variable speed and resistance options let you walk, jog, or run at your pace. The optional water current helps you challenge your muscles and intensify your workout.
Reduces Joint Pain
In many cases, individuals experience pain and discomfort after a lower body surgery or injury. Water’s buoyancy reduces impact on joints, providing a low-impact workout for people who are not ready to go back to full-out weight bearing exercise. With an underwater treadmill, therapists can safely perform gait training for patients without exacerbating joint pain and facilitating a speedy recovery.
These large, cushioned swimming pool fitness equipments allow users to correctly simulate walking, running and sports-specific exercises on land but with less pressure on the knees and other joints. They provide an effective full-body, fat-burning aerobic workout and challenge balance and coordination.
For aging adults, the aquatic treadmill provides an essential rehabilitation tool that can help to alleviate falling risks. Statistically, falls account for the majority of injuries for people over age 65. By strengthening leg muscles through aquatic treadmill workouts, people can improve balance and agility, which significantly decrease the risk of falling. In fact, according to a TAMU study, aquamaxx underwater treadmill alternating aquatic treadmill workouts with on-land strength training led to greater improvements in lean body mass than either exercise alone.
Increases Flexibility
A physical therapist can incorporate an underwater treadmill into the treatment plan for patients who are experiencing neck or back pain, joint pain in the shoulders, hips, knees or ankles. The aquatic treadmill allows for a workout that is 3 to 5 times harder than walking on land because of the hydrostatic pressure, buoyancy and stability of the water. This helps decrease edema and improves circulation.
Studies have shown that using an underwater treadmill increases flexibility compared to walking on a regular treadmill. The reason is that the movement of running in water causes a more intense muscle contraction than on land and it allows for a greater range of motion.
The underwater treadmills allow the therapist to vary the depth and speed of the treadmill which can be adjusted according to the patient’s condition. This enables a gradual progression of exercise and weight bearing which can help reduce swelling, edema or other conditions associated with limb injury.
An underwater treadmill is also beneficial for runners who are injured because it allows them to maintain their cardiovascular fitness without overworking their muscles. This type of rehab activity can prevent a runner from getting discouraged about their injury and can keep them moving throughout the healing process.
Strengthens Muscles
The buoyancy of water reduces the weight on joints and bones, allowing for aquamaxx underwater treadmill greater flexibility in ranges of motion while strengthening muscles. The hydrostatic pressure and water depth can be adjusted to customize a program that suits each patient’s needs.
For athletes or people recovering from injury, the ability to continue their fitness routine during recovery is key. A physical therapist can work with you to create workouts that incorporate an underwater treadmill for maximum effectiveness and speed of healing.
Using the water to perform a cardiovascular workout strengthens muscle groups that are often weak due to injury or surgery. One study by TAMU found that participants who alternated aquatic treadmill workouts with on-land strength training experienced greater hip, leg and foot strength improvements than those who did resistance training alone. The warmth of the water encourages flexibility, decreases fatigue and supports pain management. This helps you maintain a higher level of activity for longer periods which will build your stamina and endurance. This will allow you to return to your normal activities sooner and feel confident in your recovery.
Increases Cardiovascular Health
Water treadmills offer the same cardiovascular training as walking or running on land with a more intense workout. They also provide a better balance between the forces that are put on the joints and muscles, allowing you to work out longer and harder without hurting your body.
Studies have shown that patients experience an improved range of motion and a faster recovery time when working out on the aquatic treadmill. This allows you to start your physical therapy sooner and return to your normal life activities with greater ease.
The unique properties of warm water allow your heart rate and respiratory system to increase with exercise, making it a great cardiovascular workout. It’s no wonder that professional and collegiate athletes use water treadmills for a substantial part of their physical training.
In a recent study, the underwater treadmill was used to improve gait training for patients with a knee or hip injury. After eight weeks of underwater treadmill therapy, the researchers found that the gait speed of the patients was significantly higher than when walking on a land-based treadmill. They also saw that the patients experienced an increase in hip flexion and abduction.
Reduces Risk of Falling
With buoyancy and the natural resistance of water, the aquatic treadmill reduces physical forces on the joints. This decreases the risk of fall and can also help strengthen core muscles, which helps improve balance.
In addition, the padded surface of the underwater treadmill is ideal for patients with bone and muscle problems, making it easy to exercise without experiencing pain or discomfort. This is especially beneficial for people with arthritis, joint pain, and other conditions that can cause painful movements.
Before a patient or athlete can use the underwater treadmill, they must be comfortable in it for two sessions. The first sessions will require an assistant to be in the treadmill with them, as it can be a bit overwhelming for them at first. Then the therapist can adjust the speed and resistance of the treadmill to meet their needs. The therapist can also increase or decrease the water level as needed. During the session, they can perform exercises like walking, retro-walking, sprinting, shuffling and back-pedaling. The therapist can even monitor the heart rate and blood pressure of the person or athlete.