Ready for lower back pain relief? Twin Boro Physical Therapy has been in practice since 1980 and has grown to be the largest private physical therapy network in New Jersey. We are a strong community of expert professionals, and we are ready to help you meet your goals. Those who live or work in Newark, New Jersey, should schedule an appointment at our Twin Boro Physical Therapy in Newark location to get started.
With 42 locations across 13 convenient locations, Twin Boro Physical Therapy is dedicated to helping all New Jersey residents find the rehabilitative care they need. We offer wide-ranging services to maximize our patient care offerings. At each of our locations, you can find state-of-the-art services such as:
- Arthritis Rehabilitation
- Geriatric Rehab
- Hand Therapy
- Neurological Rehabilitation
- Physical Therapy
- Spinal Orthopaedic Rehab
- Sports Rehab / Physical Therapy
- TMJ (Temporomandibular Joint Disorder)
- Vestibular Rehabilitation
- Workers’ Compensation
Aquatic therapy for lower back pain
For many people, the daily compression of the spine from our body weight can aggravate the structures and tissues in our back. This leads to lower back pain over time. Physical therapy for the lower back will vary depending on the origin of your discomfort, but aquatic therapy is generally suited for all types of patients.
Aquatic therapy is a great way for patients to perform exercises and stretches with less strain on the lower back. During this type of therapy, the body is typically submerged to chest height. This reduces the body’s weight by nearly 80% and provides relief for many patients. Water is generally heated for maximum comfort and to loosen the muscles and soft tissues. This increases mobility and flexibility while in the water and increases the treatment opportunities.
While aquatic therapy movements will be guided by your physical therapist and be individualized to you, common aquatic movements patients perform include:
- Walking forwards
- Walking backwards
- Walking sideways
- Standing up straight and holding posture
- Standing in a lunge position
- Walking lunges
- Squats
- Trunk rotations
- Arm sweeps
- Lunge rotations
- Kicks
- Wall pushups
- Walking up stairs
- Standing on one foot
Walking in water can massage the soft tissues in the back while producing a traction effect, gently stretching and relaxing the tissues. This is especially important for patients who have trouble standing upright in normal environments. The buoyancy of the water can act as a platform for patients to stretch their muscles and practice improving their posture with less stress on their tissues. This builds muscle memory and muscle strength, helping patients improve their posture on land as well.
In addition to this, aquatic exercise increases blood circulation. This can decrease pain and inflammation in the body and help tissues to heal.
Patients who take part in aquatic therapy can be in varying stages of their healing journey. Movements will vary greatly depending on the end goals and stage of rehabilitation. Your physical therapist will guide you through the right types of movements for you to maximize healing efficiency.
Let’s work together!
Living with lower back pain and discomfort is no fun. At Twin Boro Physical Therapy, we believe every patient has the capacity to maximize their quality of life and improve their movement abilities. To get started at our Newark, NJ, location, residents of Newark should contact our office by calling 973.556.2459 or visiting our website.
