One of the new types of technology that physical therapist are starting to use are underwater treadmills. The first underwater treadmill wasn't actually used on humans. The first time it was used was in June 1982 for animal rehabilitation. But don't worry, the first human to try it was just a few years away in March 1989. They looked at the correlation between walking speeds and heart rates when using this new machine. As time went on with different studies using these special treadmills, they noticed how beneficial it really was, especially for people recovering from strokes and people who are recovering from serious injuries.
These are definitely some of the coolest things that I have ever seen. In this video specifically, it shows how this new machine can help older people stay strong and fit without pushing them way past their limits. There are so many videos on YouTube that show underwater treadmills and the different people it can help. However, I found this video the most useful because it told you (well, you read) what exactly it does and why it's so helpful that physical therapist are starting to use it more often.
Some of the benefits of this is it removes 90% of your body weight. It also has adjustable water depths. This is good for multiple reasons, for example, If you are just starting you can lower the depth so you have more control of your upper body and not so worried about maybe looking down and swallowing a mouthful of water. Also, if you want to add some dumbbells and do arm exercises, it gives you the chance to raise the water level so you get better resistance. It also has an adjustable resistance jet, which we already talked about why this is a good thing to have. (Having more resistance means that you have to work harder and then therefore gain more strength!) Then finally, some of the extra additions that a lot of people might enjoy is it has the capability of giving a back or a deep tissue massage. A lot of people find this helpful especially if you have been seriously injured and you're just starting therapy. By having the deep tissue capability, it can release toxins which then release blood and oxygen that can finally circulate throughout your body.
So, all in all, these underwater treadmills are pretty spectacular in all of the different things it can do. Not only can it help people who have been through a serious injury and elderly people stay active, it can also help people recover after having a stroke because they can relearn some of the skills they lost and be in control of their own pace. But do also note, while these machines do a lot of things well, you should not take it as you should only use this as your main type of exercise! This is for rehabilitation, not for people who are already active!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8dyUk_rdufQ
These are definitely some of the coolest things that I have ever seen. In this video specifically, it shows how this new machine can help older people stay strong and fit without pushing them way past their limits. There are so many videos on YouTube that show underwater treadmills and the different people it can help. However, I found this video the most useful because it told you (well, you read) what exactly it does and why it's so helpful that physical therapist are starting to use it more often.
Some of the benefits of this is it removes 90% of your body weight. It also has adjustable water depths. This is good for multiple reasons, for example, If you are just starting you can lower the depth so you have more control of your upper body and not so worried about maybe looking down and swallowing a mouthful of water. Also, if you want to add some dumbbells and do arm exercises, it gives you the chance to raise the water level so you get better resistance. It also has an adjustable resistance jet, which we already talked about why this is a good thing to have. (Having more resistance means that you have to work harder and then therefore gain more strength!) Then finally, some of the extra additions that a lot of people might enjoy is it has the capability of giving a back or a deep tissue massage. A lot of people find this helpful especially if you have been seriously injured and you're just starting therapy. By having the deep tissue capability, it can release toxins which then release blood and oxygen that can finally circulate throughout your body.
So, all in all, these underwater treadmills are pretty spectacular in all of the different things it can do. Not only can it help people who have been through a serious injury and elderly people stay active, it can also help people recover after having a stroke because they can relearn some of the skills they lost and be in control of their own pace. But do also note, while these machines do a lot of things well, you should not take it as you should only use this as your main type of exercise! This is for rehabilitation, not for people who are already active!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8dyUk_rdufQ