Injuries are inevitable. How athletic programs plan for the health and safety of their athletes’ injury recovery can determine the success of any given sports season.
The most common musculoskeletal injury in sports is the chronic lateral ankle sprain, and the resulting ankle instability can cause as high as an 80 percent injury recurrence rate. Implementing a training plan along with a strong rehab protocol that incorporates aquatic therapy equipment can reduce the risk of ankle sprains, allow for a quicker recovery with decreased risk for reinjury and offer a more successful return to play if injury does occur. Having the right equipment for your program is essential for keeping athletes in the game.
Keeping athletes at peak performance, avoiding injury and rehabilitating athletes safely and quickly can best be done in the water. The natural properties of water (warmth, buoyancy, viscosity and hydrostatic pressure) can be utilized from the acute phase of treatment through return to play, providing benefits in each phase that result in quicker recovery than land-based therapy alone. Adding an underwater treadmill system enhances the benefits of exercising in water, allowing form and technique to be critiqued and specific muscles to be targeted for strengthening and/or rehabilitation.
- Warmth: The effects of warm water diminish muscle guarding and reduce pain. Joint mobility improves as muscles relax.
- Buoyancy: Stresses on muscles and joints decrease with aquatic therapy/exercises, allowing for a safer return to activity and gait training as early as the acute phase of injury.
- With a more severe sprain, water’s buoyancy allows for treatment and exercise without the use of an assistive device, which can cause abnormal gait or compensations to develop with continued use. With buoyancy, an athlete can focus on utilizing a normal, natural gait pattern.
- As treatment progresses, more advanced exercises can be done earlier in water and include aquatic jogging, running and plyometrics to focus on proper form and technique in a safe environment with decreased risk of falls and reinjury.
- Viscosity: With 360 degrees of equal resistance throughout the range of motion, the injury site and surrounding structures are simultaneously strengthened, not only resulting in injury recovery but also increased stability to prevent chronic ankle instability that could cause future sprains.
- Hydrostatic Pressure: Increased pressure from the water reduces swelling and excess fluid, helping to decrease pain and increase range of motion.
- Hydrostatic pressure provides proprioceptive feedback allowing for initiation of righting reactions.
Athletic departments looking for equipment that is customizable to space and budget can expect to achieve individual and measureable results. Look for equipment designed to reduce energy costs and maintenance requirements, along with safety features for both the athlete and trainer. Adding aquatic rehab/conditioning to your facility is easier than ever.
Hudson manufactures the AquaFit stand-alone underwater treadmill system, custom performance pools and plunge pools, and the AquaGaiter underwater treadmill designed to drop into an existing pool. All equipment features high-efficiency software to reduce energy costs, provides a smaller installation footprint to accommodate any size facility, and allows for completely customizable workouts to tailor treatments to each athlete’s specific needs.
Hudson’s AquaFit is a self-contained exercise chamber with a treadmill and water storage system, and a complete recirculation system including filters and sanitization (the water pumps back and forth from the storage tank to the exercise chamber). It fits into a 12-by-12-foot space while still offering a large enough running surface for athletes of all sizes and heights to comfortably walk, jog and run at full stride. The treadmill is controlled by an HMI interface with variable treadmill speeds, and the belt runs in forward and reverse. Water height can be adjusted from just above the treadmill belt to 48 inches.
All equipment manufactured by Hudson is quality, commercial grade. To give your athletes the best treatment while avoiding equipment downtime, Hudson offers 24/7 service support, a water quality expert on staff, and replacement parts readily available for shipment. Rest assured, Hudson Aquatic Systems are the experts, with products made in the USA.
To learn more about how aquatic therapy and conditioning can change the game for your athletes and athletic program, and for more information on Hudson’s products, visit www.hudsonaquatic.com.