Benefits of an Underwater Treadmill

An underwater treadmill allows injured runners to maintain their running fitness level without putting additional strain on their joints. It can even help a healthy dog build strength, endurance and flexibility.

Waist-height water reduces body weight by about 50 percent. Chest-height water creates close to a 75 percent reduction in load on the joints.

Reduced Impact

While many collegiate and professional athletes use an underwater treadmill in addition to their regular training routine, you don’t have to be a runner to reap the benefits of this unique rehabilitation tool. The water treadmill allows for a correct, yet exaggerated gait pattern that improves joint flexion and to a lesser extent, extension.

The buoyancy of the water reduces body weight by up to 75 percent, meaning even a debilitated patient can begin therapy sessions sooner than on land, without aggravating an injury. The resistance of the water underwater treadmill also enables patients to build muscle strength while exercising, promoting faster recovery.

Injured athletes, as well as those with arthritis and other joint and muscle issues, may have difficulty exercising on a traditional treadmill. With an underwater treadmill, runners can get the workout they need to maintain their cardiovascular fitness and prevent re-injury without putting excessive stress on the joints or spine.

In fact, a recent study in the journal Spinal Cord Medicine found that individuals with incomplete spinal cord injuries (iSCI) who alternated aquatic training with land-based exercises experienced greater improvements in leg strength, balance and walking ability than those who did not exercise in the water. The water treadmill is also an ideal option for obese pets seeking to lose weight by increasing their activity level while burning calories.

Relieves Pain

Using an underwater treadmill relieves the pressure on joints and painful muscles. It also helps to increase muscle strength and decreases joint stiffness by using buoyancy and the principles of relative density, hydrostatic pressure, surface tension, viscosity and resistance to achieve therapeutic results in a hospitable environment. This low-impact exercise helps people with chronic pain conditions, like osteoarthritis, to walk or run more freely without feeling the pain associated with on-land exercises. It helps them increase their level of fitness and can be used in conjunction with on-land exercises prescribed by a physical therapist.

Professional athletes, like runner Galen Rupp, use the underwater treadmill to increase their training without increasing the amount of pain they feel from their weekly mileage and to help them recover more quickly after hard workouts. Even if you aren’t injured, an underwater treadmill can help you get back into shape with less pain by increasing your cardiovascular endurance and burning calories.

Walking or running on an underwater treadmill increases your cardiovascular stamina due to the increased exertion required because of water’s heightened resistance and the fact that your body isn’t supporting as much weight. It also improves your flexibility. For example, if you have limited stifle or hock flexion due to surgery to repair an ACL injury, an underwater treadmill will allow you to perform a correct but exaggerated gait pattern to increase this flexibility.

Improves Flexibility

If you’re an athlete who wants to add mileage without the stress on joints, use an underwater treadmill. Many elite coaches have their athletes use an aquatic treadmill to supplement their road work and recover faster after hard training sessions.

Underwater treadmills allow patients to walk and run while varying their buoyancy so that they only bear underwater treadmill about 20% of their body weight. That removes joint stress and enables patients to perform walking, running or sports-specific exercises on the treadmill that they might not be able to do on land.

A patient using an underwater treadmill can also improve flexibility and gain muscle strength by performing specific exercises prescribed by a physical therapist. This includes stretching, ROM, balance and strengthening exercises that build functional movement skills and promote mobility and good posture.

In addition to these functional benefits, patients often feel better emotionally as well. They feel energized and motivated by the ability to exercise without pain, and they enjoy the feeling of getting back in shape. This boosts their self-confidence and can help them maintain healthy lifestyle habits after a physical injury or surgery.

Although some patients are fearful of using an underwater treadmill, they quickly adjust to the experience with a little guidance and motivation from a physical therapist. Adding rewards like treats placed on the ramp and tread, a frozen cup smeared with peanut butter or a special walker can motivate reluctant patients to start exercising in the water.

Burns Calories

An underwater treadmill allows clients to run, walk and perform other exercises without the body impact experienced on land. This allows users to engage in walking, retro-walking, sprinting and even shuffling or back-pedaling on a large, cushioned underwater treadmill surface. Unlike a conventional treadmill, the aquatic version uses water jets to provide resistance. The jets can be adjusted to create an exercise level that mimics running on a standard treadmill.

In addition to reducing impact, an underwater treadmill burns calories at a greater rate than jogging on land. A runner on an underwater treadmill can expect to burn 8 to 11 calories per minute. This is partially due to buoyancy. A 150-pound runner submerged in water weighs up to 90% less than a runner on land.

Running through water also requires muscles to work harder than running through air. Studies conducted at Texas A&M University found that individuals who used an underwater treadmill and alternated with on-land strength training gained more lean mass and lost more body fat than those who only ran on a regular treadmill.

In addition to the physical benefits, working out on an underwater treadmill is mentally satisfying. The warm water stimulates the brain to release endorphins, which are designed to appeal to positive emotions about accomplishing goals. This can help your clients stay motivated as they work toward their rehabilitation and fitness goals.