Who is impacted by back pain?
Anyone can experience back pain, according to the World Health Organization. An article on the organization’s website further explains: “LBP can be experienced at any age, and most people experience LBP at least once in their life. Prevalence increases with age up to 80 years, while the highest number of LBP cases occurs at the age of 50-55 years.” The organization also states that LBP is more prevalent in women and that it is “the single leading cause of disability worldwide and the condition for which the greatest number of people may benefit from rehabilitation.”
The Mayo Clinic states that while anyone, even children and teens, can develop back pain, certain factors can increase your risk, such as:
- Age
- Lack of exercise
- Excess weight
- Diseases
- Smoking
- Improper lifting (use the strength in your legs rather than your back
Psychological conditions—“People prone to depression and anxiety appear to have a greater risk of back pain,” according to the Mayo Clinic.
What does hot water therapy do for back pain?
Hot water therapy, hot tub therapy, and hydrotherapy are similar methods that involve using hot water to address certain ailments. Many people seek these methods to achieve more natural back pain relief. The buoyancy and warmth of the water help bring temporary relief to sore muscles, while hydromassage jets concentrate on the lower back.
Hydrotherapy also gets to the root of recovery through science. The combination of warm water and targeted hydrotherapy delivers heat that relaxes your muscles and increases blood flow. At the same time, the pulsating jets provide a deep tissue massage. This two-pronged approach accelerates the removal of lactic acid and reduces inflammation, leaving your body feeling refreshed, rejuvenated, and restored.
According to research titled, “Effect of aquatic physical therapy on chronic low back pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis” on the National Library of Medicine website, aquatic physical therapy can reduce pain intensity, improve quality of life and disability of patients in the short-term.” The study describes aquatic physical therapy (APT) as a rehabilitation “defined as exercising in water, or using the characteristics of water to relieve pain intensity, relax muscles and promote better exercise, it includes hydrotherapy and aquatic exercise.”
The research summarizes a series of studies on aquatic physical therapy’s effect on ailments associated with chronic low back pain. Highlights of the results include:
“The final results showed that compared with no aquatic physical therapy, aquatic physical therapy:
Significantly reduced the pain intensity of patients with chronic low back pain.
Significantly improved the physical condition of patients with chronic low back pain.
Significantly improved the mental condition of patients with chronic low back pain.
Significantly improved the disability of patients with chronic low back pain.
Significantly improved the physical condition of patients with chronic low back pain.”
Furthermore, the final results showed that compared with no aquatic physical therapy, aquatic physical therapy significantly improved the physical condition, mental condition, disability and physical condition of patients with chronic low back pain.