What is osteoarthritis and what is aquatic exercise?
Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form of arthritis that affects the hips and knees. In OA, the cartilage that protects the ends of the bones breaks down and causes pain and swelling. Aquatic exercise is sometimes known as ‘pool therapy’ or ‘hydrotherapy’. It involves exercises in water that is heated to about 32 to 36 degrees Celsius. Exercises may include aerobic activities, stretching and strengthening, and range of motion. What are the effects of aquatic exercise? In the studies, some people did aquatic exercises for different lengths of time and number of sessions per week, while other people did no exercise or exercises on land. The effects were mainly measured at 3 months.
