How owning a pool can help your arthritis

People who have arthritis can benefit from owning a pool. Water therapy has been associated with treating the aches and pains of the joints, knees, hips and lower backs. If you're thinking about owning a pool or currently do, here's how it could help your arthritis discomfort. 

Easy on the joints
For starters, health experts recommend that people with arthritis stay active. Doctors suggest swimming because it's a great low-impact workout, according to Live Strong. This is important because arthritis causes the joints and bones to rub together and too much pressure on the body can make a workout extremely painful. Performing various exercises in a body of water helps without hurting because it relieves the body of most of its weight. Unlike running or other non-aquatic sports, the body doesn't experience a lot of wear and tear when submerged in water.

Typically, health experts have recommended walking or swimming in the water to help with joint pain, however this doesn't cover all of the areas of the body a person should be working out. Live Strong cited Arthritis Today and pointed out that people with arthritis can benefit to a certain point from exercising in the water. This is because these people also need weight-bearing exercises because it makes the bones strong. Many people haven't found a way to make this work until recently.

Potential medical breakthrough
A group of researchers tested the effectiveness of non-aerobic water exercises and found that several methods work in this case. The Journal of Strength and Condition Research reported that a group of 18 people with knee osteoarthritis performed various strength training exercises over the course of six weeks. The researchers monitored the participants ability to walk, balance, sit and stand.  

Overall, they discovered that aquatic treadmills and interval training were linked to reduced joint pain. If this preliminary research becomes standardized, it could mean that people with arthritis can use swimming pools to get all of the exercise they need. They'd be able to cover cardio and lift weights without concerns over pain. 

How to get your treatment
If you're one of the 27 million Americans who have osteoarthritis, it may be time to consider getting a pool. When remodeling or installing a pool, be sure to get features that will help your arthritis. Fort Worth, San Diego and Phoenix pool service professionals can put in a heating pump, which has also been associated with treating joint and neck pains. The Arthritis Foundation agreed that warm water has been an effective way to ease discomfort from arthritis because it can loosen the joints and make the body feel good. 

If you experience joint, neck and back pain, working out in a pool might be your best bet. Talk to your doctor about water exercises that'll help treat the symptoms associated with arthritis.