To improve health and lifestyle, engaging in safe activities and aquatic exercises are recommended. Engaging in aquatic practices benefits older adults in multiple ways. It can increase motivation and strength, enhances balance, and reduces the risk of osteoporosis and falls.
Hydroworx is an organization that provides aquatic therapy pools. Aquatic exercise and therapy for older adults is a less painful form of exercise because it is in warm water rather than on land. The article shares, “Water provides low-impact, low weight-bearing exercise that allows the synovial fluid (joint fluid) to bring nutrients to the joint surfaces and minimizes the risk of injury or undue stress on the joints.” Moreover, Hydrowox explains how statistics have proven that adults in their mid-sixties have reported falls to be of a significant concern. One in three adults aged 65-years-old have reported at least one fall annually.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shared that swimming is an excellent way to get regular aerobic physical activity, and it is the fourth most popular activity in the United States. The CDC shared that older adults should exercise at least two and a half hours (2.5) per week. This means about 30 minutes daily of aerobic physical activity that can include swimming, bicycling, or brisk walking. According to the CDC, water-based exercise can benefit older adults by helping to improve their quality of life and decrease the risk of chronic illnesses and disabilities. Here are just some of the benefits for health as a result of exercise.
Benefits on Health
- Boosts immunity
- Enhances balance & mobility
- Maintains bone strength
- Reduces joint pain and stiffness, particularly in arthritic individuals
- Improves respiration by exercising the lungs
- Reduces risk of injury
- Lowers risk of osteoporosis
- Improves flexibility
- Weight loss and metabolism, e.g., burns calories
- Stress & depression relief
- Reduces the risk of falls
Osteoporosis Patients
As reported by MedlinePlus, osteoporosis is a disease that affects the bones by weakening and thinning. It results in fractures and causes bones to be more fragile. Older adults, specifically women, are more prone to osteoporosis affecting their hip, spine, and wrist due to the calcium levels decreasing, as well as estrogen levels in women. Water-based exercise can make improvements and maintain the bone health of post-menopausal women.
According to Hydrowox, 10 million adults suffer from osteoporosis, and 34 million are at risk. Many individuals avoid exercise because they fear injuring themselves. Engaging in aquatic activity is a significant way to improve bone density and remove the fear of falling. Aquatic exercise is a safe way to achieve functional physical activity for older adults who experience pain and have difficulty balancing. In the following, you can recognize the great benefits of incorporating aquatic exercise in patients with osteoporosis.
Benefits of Aquatic Exercise for Osteoporosis Patients
- Mastering walking with good posture
- Walk mechanically correct at high speed on an underwater treadmill
- Control over walk pattern with speed and resistance
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By: Gissell Salazar
Senior Care Advising Intern at WellPath Partners
Health Science Student at California State University Long Beach
