Aquatic spinal stabilization training is in demand and almost any pool can accommodate these patients.
Byline: Andrea Salzman, MS, PT
Late-night television is inundated with products designed to bring buff abdominals to the flabby masses. A potpourri of silly contraptions, including I kid you not what looks like a miniaturized La-Z-Boy recliner, are sold for three easy payments of $29.95 each to the eternally hopeful.
Therapists concur with late-night hosts on one point, at least: The ability to stabilize the pelvis and spine is trainable. It's just hard.
And for patients with back pain, land-based spinal stabilization can be too uncomfortable. On land, gravity rules: compressing spinal disks, loading joints and reinforcing muscular tension. In the water, buoyancy combats gravity and the spine wins.
Spinal stabilization is a natural fit in water. It is possible to make a task easier (assisted by buoyancy) and more challenging (resisted by buoyancy or drag) in the water. It's much easier for patients to achieve pain-free training in the pool than on a mat.
Additionally, to provide efficient spinal stabilization training in the water, you do not need a specialized therapy pool. Almost any water temperature and depth will do in a pinch.
Unlike cardiac conditioning, which often requires cooler waters for heat dispersion, or Watsu, which is best performed in water warmer than 93 degrees Fahrenheit, core muscle strengthening ... Continue Reading Article Here.