Can the New Wave of Watery Workouts Help Your Arthritis?
Water exercise can be beneficial to many people -- young and old.
Who Can Benefit From Water Exercise? continued...
Also not at issue is the ability to swim: Most water workouts consist of
exercise done in a vertical position (with the bonus of keeping your hair
Water's buoyancy accommodates both the fit and unfit. Water cushions stiff
and painful joints or fragile bones that might be injured by the impact of land
exercises. When immersed to the waist, your body bears just 50% of its weight;
immersed to the chest, it's 25%-35%; and to the neck, 10%. In addition, says
See, the lower gravity promotes the return of blood to the heart from the
While water significantly reduces exercise's impact to the back and joints,
running and other vertical shallow-water exercises do cause some impact. That's
one reason experts advise wearing shoes. "Initially, any type of shoe will
work," says See. "You don't want to invest a lot of money when you
start an exercise program." For starters, she suggests lightweight sneakers
such as Keds. "Once you get hooked on water, which usually takes a couple
of weeks, invest in a better shoe."
Water provides at least 12 times greater resistance than air, and in every
direction. "No matter which way you move, it challenges you," says
Katz. "You don't need equipment, you don't need an Olympic-sized pool. All
you need is your body."
Water cools your body and prevents overheating. See points out that even in
80- to 85-degree water, the recommended temperature for exercise, you should
warm up in the water before your workout to prevent injury. Just as with a land
workout, you will sweat during water exercises, so it's important to drink
Intimidation may not be the first thing you think of when you consider the
differences between land and water exercise. But it's important, because
concern about appearance or proper technique prevents many people from being
"Water is democratic," says See. "Once you're in the pool, we're
all the same. There's less intimidation than walking into an aerobics studio
surrounded by mirrors. You don't have to wear a swimsuit. If you're more
comfortable, wear Lycra pants and a T-shirt. And it doesn't matter if you're on
the wrong foot. As long as you're moving, you're getting the benefit."