03/05/2025
So why do we recommend water-based exercise for those with chronic musculo-skeletal disorders (including but not limited to osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, back pain, tendonitis, bursitis, and fractures)?
It has been shown to improve physical function, quality of life and reduce pain for those with these conditions.
But don't just take my word for it, in this meta-analysis conducted with data from 32 different trials, and observing over 2200 participants Aquatic Exercise (AE) was compared with no exercise (NE) and light exercise (LE):
"This is the first systematic review and meta-analysis to study whether AE could improve chronic musculoskeletal disorders. The evidence suggests that AE benefits pain, physical function, and quality of life in adults with chronic musculoskeletal conditions compared to NE. Furthermore, when compared to LE, AE continues to provide a better improvement in patient pain."
Pubmed database: Efficacy of aquatic exercise in chronic musculoskeletal disorders: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
Tianyue Wang # 1, Jiamin Wang # 2, Yuheng Chen # 3, Yanmin Ruan 3, Senjie Dai 3
J Orthop Surg Res 2023 Dec 8;18(1):942. doi: 10.1186/s13018-023-04417-w.