Water Exercise

Name: Sahara Hossain
Activity: Water Exercises
Sources: Anika. (2019, July 11). Learn how to improve your joint health with swimming!
Arthrosurface.
https://www.arthrosurface.com/fitnesshealth/swimming-joint-health/.
Arthritis Today Magazine. (2020, March 19). Hit the Pool to Relieve Joint Pain -
Exercises and Tips. Living With Arthritis.
http://blog.arthritis.org/living-with-arthritis/pool-exercises-joint-pain/.
Dumain, T. (2019, July 10). Water Exercises to Ease Arthritis Pain: 8 Moves You Will
Love Doing. CreakyJoints.
https://creakyjoints.org/diet-exercise/water-exercises-for-arthritis/.
Person. (2019, October 8). Exercises for Arthritis: Why swimming is so good for arthritis.
Just Swim.
https://www.swimming.org/justswim/exercises-for-arthritis/#:~:text=Swimming%2
0reduces%20further%20risk%20of,also%20for%20holding%20off%20arthritis.
Why is swimming good for people with arthritis? Versus Arthritis. (2020, October 6).
https://www.versusarthritis.org/news/2020/october/why-is-swimming-good-for-pe
ople-with-arthritis/#:~:text=Swimming%20can%20be%20a%20good,reduces%20i
mpact%20on%20your%20joints.
Equipment: Swimsuit, towel, and a water bottle

Optional: Swim cap, goggles, and water shoes. Styrofoam noodles/weights, kickboard,
floatation vest, or buoyancy belt.
Description: The objective of this activity is to stimulate blood circulation to reduce

muscle stiffness and ease pain, help maintain and build strength and cardiovascular
fitness, and help make your joints more flexible. The pool can be thought of as a natural
body weight support system. The water supports 90% of your body weight which
reduces pressure on the joints, making it easier to move and overcome painful
movements. This activity can also boost your mood, reduce stress, and improve sleep.
1. Gather a group of participants and have them set their things down at a
designated spot.
2. Start with a warm-up by walking around or through the pool at least once then do
some arm circles:
○ Keep your head above water while lowering the rest of your body into the
water.
○ Extend your arms out to the sides and make small circles with your arms.
○ Gradually increase the size of the circles. Do this for about 30 seconds.
Make sure participants do not raise their arms out of the water.
○ Then go the opposite direction for the same amount of time.
3. For this activity, participants will be doing forwards lunges, jumping jacks, and
hacky sacks. First, we will start off with forward lunges:
○ Stand in waist- or chest-high water.
○ Take an oversized lunge step forward with your right leg, without letting
your right knee go past your toes. Your left leg should be extended behind
you with a slight bend in it.
○ Return to starting position and repeat with your left leg
○ Repeat this entire process three times.
4. Next, have participants do jumping jacks:
○ Stand in chest-high water, with your feet together and arms at your side.
○ Jump your feet out to a straddle and bring your arms up to the surface of
the water level, keeping them in the water.
○ Return to starting position and repeat for about 30 seconds.
○ Encourage participants to do them as quickly as they can while
maintaining their comfort level.
5. Take a water break so participants can rehydrate.
6. Lastly, have participants do some hacky sacks:
○ Stand in chest-high water.
○ Lift your right leg, with your knee bent and hip rotated, and touch the
inside of your right ankle with your left hand.
○ Return to starting position and repeat with the opposite side.
○ Encourage participants to alternate sides as quickly as they can while
maintaining their own comfort level.
○ Do this exercise for about 30 seconds.
7. You may repeat this entire exercise at least three times but remember to take
water breaks in between exercises to ensure no one gets dehydrated.
8. Advise participants to not overdo anything and to stop if anything hurts! They
may need to slow down or take a break.
9. When finished, have participants cool down by walking around the pool again or
simply submerging more of their body underwater.
10. Participants should be encouraged to ice their joints after the activity.
Primary Interaction Pattern: The primary interaction pattern of this activity is aggregate
because actions are directed by a person towards an object while in the company of
others who are also directing actions towards an object but not towards each other.
Interactions among participants are not required.
Adaptation: Arthritis is a condition that affects joints in the hands, knees, hips, and
spine. It affects the smooth cartilage lining in a joint, making it painful, inflamed, and
stiff, which can make movement difficult. Swimming and other water-based activities are
great exercises for arthritis. It can be a low-impact and low-intensity activity that allows
individuals to work at their own level. If one exercise does not work for an individual
there are plenty of other exercises they can try or they can modify the current activity.
Participants with arthritis may find it difficult to move around in the pool or may fear
slipping and hurting themselves. To overcome this, RTs can suggest water shoes, which
can provide extra traction on the pool floor. If participants need extra support during
specific exercises, RTs can have them be near the pool wall so participants can hold
onto something. Styrofoam noodles, a kickboard, and a buoyancy belt can also provide
extra support for participants who have difficulties staying upright and need to be
stabilized. As mentioned above, participants can work at their own level, therefore, if a
participant would like to increase their resistance, they may hold styrofoam water
weights.

Water Exercise

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Water Exercise

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Name: Sahara Hossain

Activity: Water Exercises

Equipment: Swimsuit, towel, and a water bottle

Description: The objective of this activity is to stimulate blood circulation to reduce

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