The Benefits of a Water Walking Machine
Whether you’re a runner or just want to improve your overall health, walking on an underwater treadmill can help. Often, this type of exercise is better for you than running on land because it reduces the stress on your joints.
Arm swing progressions on the water walker machine include front, side and backwards walking as well as cross-shoulder swings for greater range of motion and caloric burn.
Increasing Flexibility
Unlike land-based treadmills, the water walker creates a weightless environment, reducing pressure on joints and muscles. However, this doesn’t mean you won’t get a great workout. Water-based treadmills feature adjustable speed and resistance settings, allowing you to tailor your exercise to your own fitness level. This flexibility makes them ideal for people of all ages and fitness levels.
In addition to helping you build strength and improve your cardiovascular endurance, walking in the water can increase your flexibility as well. This is because the buoyancy of the water helps to reduce pressure on your joints while at the same time providing a good amount of resistance, which will also strengthen your muscles.
The natural hydrostatic pressure of the water also helps to alleviate swollen joints by enhancing circulation and improving the delivery of nutritive joint fluid. This helps to relax joints and improves flexibility, which can also be beneficial for those with arthritic conditions.
Another benefit of the water-based treadmill is that it can help you strengthen your core, which can help improve your balance and coordination. It can also be helpful for those with joint pain or stiffness because it allows you to perform exercises that may not be possible on a regular treadmill.
Strengthening Muscles
Water walking is a great way to get Water walking machine a cardio workout and build strength without the joint impact of traditional land-based exercise. Because the water is denser than air, it requires more effort to move through it — which means you’re burning more calories and building more muscle as you walk. This makes it an ideal exercise for people with injuries or conditions that prevent high-impact activity, such as arthritis, fibromyalgia, chronic low back pain or balance disorders.
For some patients, returning to exercise following an injury or surgery can be a difficult and discouraging process. However, a water treadmill can help these individuals return to exercise sooner than on land because of the buoyancy and resistance that it offers.
A study published in the American Journal of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation found that stroke survivors who used an underwater treadmill showed better results when compared to those who used a regular treadmill. The researchers discovered that the patients who walked in the water demonstrated improved measures of oxygen consumption and metabolic equivalents, as well as increased electrical activity in the muscles of the spine.
Many gyms offer water treadmills and elliptical trainers, so you can find one at your local fitness center or even at home. You may also be able to purchase a water walker machine for personal use online or at specialty fitness retailers.
Increasing Stamina
A water treadmill workout is very beneficial for increasing your cardiovascular endurance. This happens because longer exercise durations combined with the heightened resistance of the water pump up your physical stamina.
Walking in water can also be used as a weight loss exercise because it can burn more calories than regular jogging. Typically, however, the amount of calories you burn depends on how long you exercise and how vigorously you work out. This is why you need to consult with a healthcare professional before using an underwater treadmill.
Water treadmills can help improve your balance and posture as well. This is because they eliminate the pressures of gravity, making them more suitable for people with injuries or conditions that make high-impact exercises difficult. They can also be used for general fitness and to build strength in many muscle groups.
Water walker treadmill spas often have adjustable levels of resistance and features that allow you to customize your workout. For instance, some may have a smart display that connects to a fitness app so you can monitor your progress and set goals for your exercise regimen. You can also choose from different Water walking machine workout programs and variations, such as hill or interval training, to increase the intensity of your exercise. You can buy water walker treadmills online or at some gyms and fitness centers.
Relieving Pain
When a person is in water, the body’s buoyancy and movement in the water alleviates much of the pressure on joints, which reduces pain. Additionally, the warmth of the water stimulates the skin and enables muscle relaxation. This combination is ideal for treating back and spine pain caused by strain or herniated discs, commonly known as slipped discs.
A person who suffers from chronic pain, especially in the lower back, hips, knees or shoulders, can often avoid physical exercise because they fear the pain will increase. This cycle can lead to the person becoming sedentary, which will in turn cause their muscles to weaken. Water walking machines and aquatic exercise can help break this cycle because the gentle movement in the water allows the patient to exercise and strengthen muscles without causing any pain or discomfort.
The heat of the water also inhibits pain by stimulating the thermo-receptor nerves, a process similar to applying a heating pad to sore muscles. In addition, the water’s viscosity and pressure are believed to interrupt pain signals from reaching the brain.
The temperature and resistance of the water can be adjusted by moving to different depths, which allows a therapist to customize the workout to a person’s injury or level of fitness/rehabilitation. This is an important consideration because if the water is too cold or too deep it can cause stiff movements and a person’s muscle tissue to tense up, which can increase pain and discomfort.