The following post is an article written by Jackie Halbin, Living Well Manager, CPT, Certified FallProof™ Instructor and Naoky Sato, MSPT, GCS (board certified), CPT, Certified FallProof™ Instructor published for the ICAA.
You’ve heard the statistics about falls in the older population, such as one in three 65-year-olds will fall annually or that the chance of falling rises proportionally, reaching a significant 50 percent by age 80.
Falls are a serious concern, especially among retirement communities.
It’s critical to consider all the factors that lead to falls (e.g., biological factors, behavior risk factors, environmental factors, socioeconomic factors) as we create plans to help mature individuals live life independently as safe as possible. After all, there seems to be a pervasive myth that senior adults aren’t ready for intensive exercise or fall prevention programs, that they can’t handle challenging workouts.
Nothing could be further from the truth!
In our combined years working at Lakeview Village, Lenexa, Kansas, we’ve found that many people over 62 are very fit; however, they may have had an incident, which caused an imbalance, or weakness over time and has led to balance/fall issues. We know it is important to have the proper programs and assessment tools in place to provide our participants with the best plan of action.
That’s where our HydroWorx 1200 series pool and FallProof™ H2O programs entered the picture.
Aquatic therapy is ratcheted up a notch with the warm-water HydroWorx pool when we’re training our community members on preventing and reducing falls. Thanks to the underwater treadmill, video camera/monitor and resistance jets, we’re able to offer our FallProof H2O program with the plan of stopping major incidents from happening. HydroWorx is the staging ground for FallProof H2O, incredible opportunities for personal achievements abound! And the versatility of the programs keeps clients coming back; in fact, we’ve had zero “no shows”!
At Lakeview Village, we use the FallProof H2O program in combination with the HydoWorx 1200 for clientele who are transitioning from therapy services into our Living Well program. The therapy pool has a generous footprint, which easily accommodates two exercisers plus a leader, and is much easier for the client to assume different positions and postures in the water. It’s meant the difference for many members of our population who otherwise might not be able to safely move on land.
FallProof H20 provides an array of positive outcomes for participants, including center of gravity control training, multisensory training, postural strategy training, gait pattern enhancement training, strength and endurance building, and flexibility training. Just as importantly, FallProof H20 gives our participants psychological benefits, as they feel more “in control” of their daily lives.
Who wouldn’t feel better when able to constantly see improvements that transfer from water to land, not to mention afford participants with a way to burn calories, build muscles, become stronger (inside and out!) and even socialize with their peers?
FallProof H2O in the HydroWorx offers a unique aquatic environment for re-learning balance and mobility. The pool allows us to add multiple layers into the program by challenging our clients with speed, resistance (in all directions) and water depth. This rich layering allows the client to advance to higher levels.
For example, a typical client progression might proceed as follows:
- mastering walking with good posture in an aquatic environment;
- mastering walking with good posture in an aquatic environment with speed;
- stopping and starting in a water environment; and
- changing the gait pattern with speed and resistance (e.g., longer, shorter, higher, wider, narrower.)
Throughout the process, the HydroWorx pool’s underwater video camera allows the instructor or therapist to watch the client’s upper body while simultaneously viewing his or her foot strike or lower body. (This type of view is almost impossible in a regular pool, where the view of the lower body is obscured by the water’s refractive properties.)
Consequently, when the underwater video camera is hooked up to a TV monitor, both client and physical therapist can capture changes of gait pattern and posture throughout the entire assessment period. The result? Immediate feedback on any changes in posture, mobility or range of motion. (Clients appreciate being able to see what’s happening underwater, too.)
The HydroWorx pool also affords core stability resistance and strengthening with the built-in, high-powered jets, especially for older adult patients who cannot tolerate land therapy. We use the resistance jets to work against clients, with clients or to the clients’ sides, depending upon the exercise.
By “mixing it up” and utilizing the jets during walking, turning, closed-eyes, using arm levers, pushing, pulling and other activities, individuals can be given multiple challenges. We also utilize the jets for soft tissue mobilization, increasing soft tissue extensibility via the water’s natural warmth and buoyancy. In tandem, the camera and adjustable water pressure jets work together to help the patient take control of his or her pathomechanics of movement.
Finally, with the HydroWorx, we can move from 0-6 feet in terms of water depth. By starting a client at a lower depth, we can slowly introduce him or her to the exercises in an atmosphere that gives them better control of their center of gravity. As they make strides, the depth can move to a shallower level, which gets them ready for stable land-based movement. Our standardized tests (e.g., Tinetti, M-CTSIB, Dynamic Gait Index, Fullerton Advance Balance Scale) help to determine specific problem areas. For clients with joint pain, weight-bearing, range-of-motion activities are made comfortable in deeper water.
Darrell’s HydroWorx Story
Using the HydroWorx for fitness and therapy.
A terrific example of a HydroWorx and FallProof H20 success story has been Darrell, who started the program through an incident which led to therapy/rehab. Upon completing therapy, Naoky, his therapist referred him into FallProof H2O.
Darrell’s first assessment (which is always done on land) showed he needed specific work on lower body strength, center of gravity control and lower body flexibility. Upon completing his assessment, he joined the FallProof H20 program. He has been participating in the sessions twice a week and is showing incredible improvement. In fact, he just told me the other day that he has started using a cane instead of his walker.
Darrell’s last assessment (also land-based) showed marked improvements across the board, however, most impressive was his lower body strength increased by 33%, center of gravity control improved by 60%. There’s no doubt that this proves just how beneficial being in the HydroWorx pool has been for his overall wellbeing and future wellness success.
All-in-all, our HydroWorx pool has afforded Lakeview Village with endless possibilities. We’ve seen amazing breakthroughs and look forward to offering our population further aquatic activities using our series 1200 unit. And nothing is better than witnessing the pride of our participants as they grow stronger and enjoy life.
The latest additions to the wonderful HydroWorx Underwater Run to London site are insider videos from the Oregon Project team!
The first video is an insider look at Mo Farah and Galen Rupp running on the HydroWorx X80 on location of their training ground in Albuquerque, NM—a garage! Both Olympic hopefuls make use of HydroWorx underwater treadmill after intense training sessions. Using HydroWorx post-workout reduces the risk of injury and allows for an easy recovery. The buoyancy of the water takes the runners weight off, allowing them to run more gracefully and easily underwater. In addition to simply running, they make use of the Hydromassage to eliminate lactic acid build-up and to massage any sore muscles.
Many people ask American marathon winner and Oregon Project coach, Alberto Salazar what his training program is like for the two London hopefuls. Specifically for Mo, he wanted to increase the amount of mileage run on the HydroWorx treadmill.
“In my mind, it’s [running on HydroWorx] the safest and surest way to allow him to improve without any risk of injury; in fact I think it lessens his chance of injury from his outdoor running because it helps you recover better. “- Salazar
The second video is a day in the life of the two runners. You will be along for the ride as they travel to the Albuquerque Convention Center to run on the indoor track and then travel over to the University of New Mexico to get an outdoor sprint workout. In this particular video Salazar has Mo run 1600 meters (approx. a mile) 6 times at a 4:45 mile pace with a 500 meter jog in between each one. A pretty grueling and exhausting workout, but when you have a goal in mind, like these two runners, you’ll do whatever it takes.
All in all, at the end of their tiring days, these two training partners enjoy spending time together, having fun and keeping their mind focused on London 2012. Be sure to watch the latest videos and stay tuned for more!
The following blog post is an advertorial piece written by Mary E. Sanders, PhD, FACSM & Cathy Maloney-Hills, RPT.
Mary E. Sanders, PhD, RCEP, FACSM is a clinical exercise physiologist, Division of Wellness and Weight Management in the School of Medicine, University of Nevada, Reno, Director of WaterFit ®/Golden Waves® and advisory board member for the International Council on Active Aging.
Cathy Maloney-Hills, RPT, is an aquatic physical therapist working for Courage Center at Summit Place Senior Campus, Eden Prairie, MN.
Hydroworx 2000 pool at Summit Place, in Minnesota. They both have fun walking on the underwater treadmill as they work against the integrated resistance jets. They are doing the same exercise, under the same condition, but are they experiencing the same physiological response?Betty, 63 years old, enjoys water walking with her 22-year old daughter Mary in the
EMG Studies
Electromyography (EMG) analysis in water provides new insights into how muscles work during submerged exercise. By understanding how muscles are activated in water, trainers are better equipped to tailor exercises to individual needs. To examine muscle activity in water, Kenji Masumoto, PhD, and colleagues at Kyushu University, Japan conducted a series of experiments to measure the percent of maximal voluntary contraction (%MVC), which is the EMG measure of muscle activation during activity.
What Activity Did The Japanese Researchers Measure?
Participants walked on a variable speed underwater treadmill in a therapy pool. Water depth was adjusted for each participant, at about xiphoid (navel to nipple) depth, so the body was unloaded by about 80%. The temperature was a comfortable 31º C (87º F). Variable speed jets could be added to provide added resistance to movement.
Betty vs. Mary. Does Age Make a Difference?
To answer this question, we’ll review one study conducted by Masumoto and colleagues (2). Participants included six older women (63.5 years) and six young women (22 years), who walked on the underwater treadmill described previously. Investigators measured muscle activity, stride frequency and heart rate response. Both the treadmill & water current were set at the same speed during 3 different conditions.
Pace Speed (treadmill & current)
Slow 1.0 mph
Moderate 1.5 mph
Fast 2.0 mph
After practicing, the women walked forward, arms in the water, for 1 minute followed by a 1-minute rest. They repeated the exercise/rest interval for each pace (slow, moderate, fast).
Compared To The Young Women, Did Older Women Exhibit Any Age-related Differences?
Older women took more steps to keep pace, using smaller steps, at both moderate and fast speeds. The older women also activated more of their quadriceps and hamstrings muscles at all speeds and engaged significantly less of the gastrocnemius (calf) muscle at all speeds.
Were There Any Similarities Between Young And Older Aged Women?
The percent of maximal voluntary contraction (%MVC) or muscle activation, increased for all women as walking speed increased. Compared to the “Slow” speed, muscle activation increased as follows:
Speed % MVC
Moderate 67%
High 150%
Heart rate responses were similar for both groups, except at the fast speed where the older women’s heart rate, beats per minute (bpm) was significantly higher compared to young women (99 bpm for older vs. 92 bpm for younger). Also, heart rate responses for both groups significantly increased as speed increased: Heart rates recorded as beats per minute (bpm), with corresponding estimated percent maximal heart rate (MHR)*:
Speed Young Heart Rate (% MHR) Older Heart Rate (%MHR)
Slow 78 bpm (41%) 81 bpm (50%)
Moderate 83 bpm (43%) 88 bpm (54%)
Fast 92 bpm (48%) 99 bpm (61%)
* Maximal heart rate (MHR): 206.9-(age in years X 0.67) = estimated maximal heart rate (1).
Maximal heart rate for the research groups: young = 192 bpm, older = 164 bpm.
What Do These Findings Mean to Betty & Mary?
Let’s generalize the data to Betty and Mary, and apply some of the lessons learned in the study.
Step size and frequency
Betty may benefit from taking larger steps, at slower speeds. Some intervals could include “giant stepping” or “marching” to increase stride length and target dynamic balance.
Quadriceps & Hamstring Activation
Betty may need to consider spending more time at the slower pace to prevent muscle fatigue or include occasional stops for stretch or other exercises. If the objective is cardiovascular conditioning, they’ll both want to be able to complete about 30 minutes of underwater walking, as recommended by the American College of Sports Medicine (1). Incorporating a deep tissue massage from the resistance jets is also recommended at the end of the workout to ease any muscle soreness or lactic acid build up.
Increased muscle activity of the quadriceps and hamstrings may also be due to older adults using increased hip flexion and hip flexor power as they increase gait range of motion. To prevent Betty’s possible hip flexor overuse, encourage neutral postural alignment with ears, shoulders and hips lined up. Cue core stabilizers and include stretching hip flexors to facilitate upright posture and greater hip extension range of motion.
Gastrocnemius Activation
Reduced plantar flexion function associated with aging may result in less power force from the gastrocnemius during water walking. Betty could benefit from intentionally power pushing off the bottom, through the foot (rolling from heel to toe) to stimulate more of the gastocnemius. Cues such as “toes” up during the heel strike help activate the tibialis anterior and provide full range of motion for propulsion. Betty may also want to include hops or skips to specifically train the plantar flexors.
Speed & Muscle Activation
Betty and Mary need to find their own pace to regulate individual muscular overload. To target individual intensities using the same treadmill speed, Betty and Mary could incorporate interval training. Betty could walk forward on the treadmill (maintaining her position in the pool), while Mary moves at a faster pace by traveling from the back of the treadmill to the front. When she arrives at the front, she stands on 1 leg for balance training as the belt carries her back to the start position. Other moves for Mary could include lateral or backward walking.
Participants with fibromyalgia or neurological conditions such as muscular dystrophy need to prevent muscle overuse and should be cued to work at slower speeds.
Heart Rate Responses
For adults younger than 65 years, The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) recommends 3- 5 days of aerobic exercise, performed at an intensity between approximately 60-90% of maximal heart rate (%MHR), for 150 minutes per week (1).
Betty and Mary may share similar heart rate responses, but based on their age-related maximal heart rate differences (164 bpm for Betty and 192 bpm for Mary), their individual cardiovascular intensity (%MHR) is different. To meet ACSM guidelines, Betty would have to walk at a “fast” pace (2 mph or faster). At that pace, Mary would need to create additional overload perhaps by performing higher intensity, plyometric exercises such as jumping, or by using tethered resistance to increase intensity.
References
- Bushman, B. (Ed). 2011. ACSM, American College of Sports Medicine. Complete Guide to Fitness & Health. Human Kinetics, www.humankinectics.com
- Masumoto, K, et al.2007, Age-related differences in muscle activity, stride frequency and heart rate response during walking in water. Journal of Electromyography and Kinesiology, 17, 596-604.
Exercise Program Resource
The Golden Waves®, Functional Water Exercise for Older Adults course by Mary E. Sanders, PhD & Cathy Maloney-Hills, RPT includes: 90 minute DVD (over 50 exercises), 187 page workbook, continuing education online exam (ACE, AEA, YMCA, & more). Contact Desert Southwest Fitness, 1.800.873.6759, www.DSWFITNESS.COM
This post has been adapted from the full online article from The Patriot-News written on April 27, 2012 by Monica Von Dobeneck titled Middletown Company HydroWorx manufactures underwater treadmills that help wounded veterans.
What a success!
The media event held on Thursday April 26th, at Troegs Brewery promoting the HydroWorx Underwater Marathon is certainly worthy of discussion. A wounded soldier, injured by a shooting while stationed in Afghanistan had the honor of previewing the HydroWorx underwater treadmill device to be used for the underwater marathon.
Special Forces soldier Brad, previews the HydroWorx underwater treadmill at Troeg's Brewery
Wounded warrior, Brad, regularly utilizes the HydroWorx therapy pool due to his leg and hip injuries from his previous tour in Afghanistan. He tells us what an impact it has made on his recovery and on his life.
“For me, it was almost like a breakthrough, I was able to run again even if it was just underwater and just the motivation I got from that helped propel me to the next step.”
HydroWorx’s Underwater Marathon is an event to help raise money for the Eagle Fund. The Eagle Fund began two years ago and has helped 84 wounded soldiers in the past 18 months. The Eagle Fund’s director Alex Lincoln is also the Vice President of Athlete’s Performance, which helps elite athletes perform at their peak with the help of the underwater treadmills and other forms of training. All three organizations, HydroWorx, the Eagle Fund and Athlete’s Performance are coming together for the underwater marathon held at Troeg’s Brewery in September.
Why a Brewery for an Underwater Marathon event?
There are many ways for the public to participate and contribute to the event outside of running the full marathon. On September 9th, there will be 16 treadmills available per heat with numerous options for participation. People can sign up as teams or individuals to run a 5K, 10K, or half marathon. As of right now the first heat is sold out but there is still room in the second heat! Be sure to sign up soon online!!
James R. Andrews, M.D., Athlete’s Performance & HydroWorx join together to raise money for Eagle Fund with the first ever Underwater Marathon on September 9, 2012.
The Eagle Fund, a designated fund within the Andrews Institute Foundation, enables wounded warriors to rehabilitate at the Andrews Institute for Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine and Athletes’
Performance using proven technologies including water therapy and conditioning on a revolutionary HydroWorx 2000 Series pool with adjustable underwater treadmill floor depth.
Athletes’ Performance, the industry leader of integrated performance training for the world’s elite athletes, works hand-in-hand with the Andrews Institute, the leaders in orthopaedics and sports medicine, to create an individualized and comprehensive “Intensive Restoration Therapy” program for each Eagle Fund recipient. The integrated training system incorporates performance training, nutrition, and physical therapy. As one Eagle Fund enrollee noted, “When I thought it was over and didn’t really know what to do, my family at Athletes’ Performance gave me hope to continue to do what I’ve been called to do.”
“The opportunity to support wounded warriors is an honor and an opportunity that we take very seriously,” said Mark Verstegen, founder and president of Athletes’ Performance. “The sacrifice that they have made is immeasurable, and we are dedicated to using all of our specialists, resources, and equipment that we can to support their physical needs and goals through the Eagle Fund.”
“The Eagle Fund provides wounded warriors access to the highest quality of care possible,” notes Alex Lincoln, Founder of the Eagle Fund. “They give their best to protect us; we need to give our best to support them when they need our assistance. Donations raised via the HydroWorx Underwater Marathon will help us achieve our goals and get our men back in action.”
“Forward-thinking events such as this underwater marathon will help garner public support that makes dramatic improvements in the lives of our military,” said Dr. James R. Andrews. “Not only do we feel that it’s our obligation to give our best care to those who have risked everything to protect our freedom, we welcome others to help us in our efforts to make fundamental changes in the treatment of injured military warriors.”
“We are passionate about supporting the Eagle Fund’s mission,” says Anson Flake, CEO and co-founder, HydroWorx. “Offering these men a chance to return to battle or enjoy the highest quality of life at home by raising monies with the Underwater Marathon is a natural fit for our company.”
The HydroWorx Underwater Marathon will be held on Sunday, September 9, 2012, in Hershey, Pa., beginning at 7am at Tröegs Brewery. The marathon will allow individuals and corporate teams to raise monies for the Eagle Fund by running 5K, 10K, half-marathon or marathon distances on HydroWorx X80 underwater treadmills.
To learn more about this event, visit the Underwater Marathon official website at http://www.UnderwaterMarathon.com.
*Join Middletown company HydroWorx, and Eagle Fund Founder, Alex Lincoln, as they host a media event (Tomorrow) Thursday, April 26, from 2-4 p.m. at Tröegs Brewery, Hershey, to announce the first Underwater Marathon to help heal wounded Special Forces soldiers. An operational underwater treadmill, which will be featured during the Underwater Marathon, will be on display and available for test runs.
About Eagle Fund
The Eagle Fund, a designated fund within the Andrews Institute Foundation, was formally developed by the Andrews Institute and Athletes’ Performance—Florida in 2010 to support wounded warriors in their pursuit to return to active duty. The mission of the Eagle Fund is to provide fast access to best-in-class restoration, training and education to participants by removing the financial barriers preventing them from achieving the highest level of performance imaginable. For more information, visit http://www.AthletesPerformance.com/EagleFund.
About Athletes’ Performance
Athletes’ Performance, created by Mark Verstegen in 1999, is the industry leader of integrated performance training, nutrition, and physical therapy for elite athletes with world-class facilities in Phoenix, AZ; The Home Depot Center, near Los Angeles, CA; The Andrews Institute in Gulf Breeze, Florida; and at Fieldhouse USA in Frisco, TX. Athletes’ Performance has trained many of the top champions in sport, including five #1 overall NFL draft picks (2006 – 2010), the German National Soccer Team, and countless champions in baseball, soccer, tennis, golf, basketball, and hockey. For more information, visit http://www.AthletesPerformance.com.
About Andrews Institute
Located minutes from Pensacola, Fla. in Gulf Breeze, the Andrews Institute for Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine provides world-class care and service for the athlete in everyone. More than 40 physicians and medical experts provide top-notch service in specialties ranging from orthopaedics and sports medicine to ophthalmology, joint care and neurology, and is accessible to everyone. It is the world’s only facility offering surgery, diagnostic imaging, rehabilitation, research and athletic performance training all on one campus. The one-of-a-kind center focuses on the prevention, treatment and rehabilitation of musculoskeletal injuries while using the expertise of nationally and internationally renowned orthopaedic surgeon James R. Andrews, M.D. Dr. Andrews is best known as physician to some of sport’s greatest professional athletes. For more information, visit http://www.TheAndrewsInstitute.com.
About HydroWorx
HydroWorx, based in Middletown, Pennsylvania, offers a wide range of underwater treadmill pools, portable underwater treadmills, and peripheral products and services. Over 15,000 athletes and patients a day utilize HydroWorx technology to recover from injuries and health conditions. More information about HydroWorx can be found at http://www.HydroWorx.com.
Alberto Salazar running on the HydroWorx X80
More from Alberto Salazar! Recently Alberto wrote an article in Techniques titled, “Water: A running Coach’s Competitive Edge” where he explains his passion for HydroWorx and the benefits of aquatic training.
Alberto knows, as an Olympic coach and distance runner, the importance of finding that competitive edge, being the best and becoming number one.
For runners who want to reach that next level, the risk of injury often increases. Alberto says it is important as a coach to look in to other methods of cross-training that are just as effective but not as damaging as land-based running.
Many years ago, Alberto began searching for a new method to bring to his runners of the Oregon Project that would help them to achieve new levels of success. His search led him to somewhere unexpected.
Water. More specifically, to HydroWorx underwater treadmills.
Alberto continues to describe the reasons why the HydroWorx X80 has proven to benefit their training program. For starters, a body can be supported up to 90 percent in water depending upon how submerged the runner is. This makes it possible for them to safely run in the water even if they are sore or recovering from land-based running injuries.
Galen Rupp, one of Alberto’s runners, competes in the 5,000 and 10,000 meters, “and often feels rejuvenated” after a run in the pool.
Underwater running allows for the athletes to remain consistent in their training, even with some tweaks and pains. Even if they can’t run on land at the moment, they can run in the water. As Alberto says, ‘it’s a coach’s dream come true.”
Research has shown that athletes running on the underwater treadmill also get an arm and shoulder workout, which decreases their time in the gym. A win, win for sure!
Salazar, the Olympic coach, offers a brief plan and some tips for implementing HydroWorx underwater treadmills into your training program:
- Begin by evaluating your runner’s mechanics, ensuring that their arms are pushing against the water, mimicking the movements for land-based running. Look for your runner’s hands to ‘break’ the water.
- Correctly line up the lower body so that the foot is coming down in a straight line from the hips to the knees to the feet. Using the underwater cameras enables the runner to watch his motion and see where the break down is in order to make the necessary adjustments.
- Finally, once the mechanics have been perfected, prepare a unique training regimen depending upon the level of your athlete. Salazar usually does a 20-60 minute workout, four to five times a week, varying the speeds and resistance during the workout.
Finally, the underwater treadmill serves not only for training, but for recovery and therapy as well. Running underwater allows athletes to heal both physically and psychologically when dealing with minor injuries. In addition, making use of the hydromassage when an athlete is suffering from a minor injury is great way to loosen up the muscles and release any built-up lactic acid.
“In the end, they tell me repeatedly they leave their HydroWorx workouts feeling better…despite the fact that they logged intensely-run miles!”
Stay up to date with the current happenings, training and coaching of Alberto Salazar, coach of elite distance runners, Mo Farah and Galen Rupp, at www.underwaterruntolondon.com! There are less than 100 days until London 2012!
If you are a running enthusiast who likes to stay up to date and learn from the training methods of elite runners like Mo Farah and Galen Rupp, you have to check out our latest creation: http://www.underwaterruntolondon.com/
The Underwater Run to London site was launched to highlight the running journeys of elite distance Coach Alberto Salazar and his Oregon Project Runners, including Galen Rupp and Mo Farah. These London hopefuls are passionate believers and users of HydroWorx pools and underwater treadmills and are changing the way elite runners are training through the use of underwater treadmill technology.
Salazar and the Oregon Project runners rely on water workouts to:
- Supplement outside land training with 30-40 minute water runs 4-5 times/week
- Safely keep training to prevent de-conditioning if injured
- Increase weekly mileage for important competitions without increasing the risk of injury
- Create a constant state of active recovery using water’s unique healing properties during runs
Be sure to check out the site for insider training videos and to learn how these athletes are gaining a competitive advantage by running underwater. With only 100 days until the games in London, check back often for frequent updates regarding the Oregon Project runners.
Elite distance runners are rethinking their training workouts, perhaps you should too! Learn how at www.underwaterurntolondon.com
Kim Eichinger, Executive Director of fitness at Country Meadows Retirement Community, and author of the ADVANCE article, Better Posture Through Aquatics, speaks about the benefits of aquatics for the aging.
For the many aging adults who use walkers or other assistive devices, maintaining proper posture is a huge challenge. But, fortunately with the advancement of technology there are opportunities for adults to exercise proper posture and increase balance.
Using a HydroWorx X80 Portable Underwater Treadmill, residents achieve better results than simply walking in a pool. Some of these results include:
- People have a more upright posture when walking on the treadmill.
- They walk faster and with more of a natural heel-to-toe fashion.
- They walk with a more natural arm swing.
- Participants who use underwater treadmill express confidence, thanks to learning a new skill that has increased their health and fitness level.
According to Kim Eichinger, it’s vital to invest in the best equipment with the most valuable features for your residents to generate the best results. These features include removable handrails, variable-speed jets, adjustable speeds and easy-to-operate buttons.
- The Handrails offer comfort to the concern of falling down. In addition, results showed that ‘pushing down on the handrails not only helped posture, but also strengthened the triceps.’
- Resistance Jets offer numerous benefits including the use of deep tissue massages.
- Adjustable Speeds allow the participants to walk faster as they become more comfortable on the underwater treadmill.
As a trainer or therapist, it is important to have an exercise plan for your patients, which may take some time to create. Here are a few suggestions before beginning your therapy program.
- Practice the simple act of stepping onto and down from the stationary belt to ensure the participant feels comfortable.
- Practice stepping from the belt to the outer sides of the stationary belt, allowing participants to learn to move from a narrow stance to a wide stance.
- Perform posture exercises on the stationary belt, making sure they are looking forward and not down.
- Practice working with the individual to reach from handrails to the control buttons.
- Perform warm-up exercises on the stationary belt.
Then as the individuals become more and more comfortable with the underwater treadmill, slowly add more challenging exercises to increase their fitness, posture and confidence!
To read the full article click here.
The latest from Oregon Project runner and avid HydroWorx user, Galen Rupp.
Galen Rupp speaks openly and honestly about the transition for NCAA runners to the professional running world.
Rupp gives a lot of great advice for college athletes considering a professional career, but he focuses on two main things.
- Make sure if and when you begin your professional career that you surround yourself with good people to help you and support you throughout the ups and downs.
- Be careful not to make decisions based upon finances. This is very tricky for athletes coming out of college, but Rupp states that it is a very dangerous path and one you do not want to go on.
Galen Rupp training on HydroWorx X80 Portable Underwater Treadmill
Keep the focus on running and what is going to lead to the most success in the long run!
Be sure that the experiences you choose are not only beneficial for your running career, but for your personal life as well.
As Coach K says “Courage and confidence are what decision making is all about.”
Watch the whole video here!
