This article looks at what temperature a hydrotherapy pool should be? We look at the best pool temperature for pool exercise and healing injuries.
With hydrotherapy treatment becoming a more popular form of aquatic therapy, the question remains: what's the difference between hydrotherapy pools and regular swimming pools?
What Is Hydrotherapy?
Hydrotherapy, also called aquatic therapy, involves the submersion into water for muscle strengthening, exercise and relaxation. This gives participants a chance to learn new activities that are otherwise impossible for them on land. In general, it is recommended for those with limited limb movement, arthritis, or other disabilities.
There are many types of hydrotherapy available, and they normally take place in hot tubs, swimming pools, whirlpools, saunas and more.
Mineral content can be added to water to increase overall relaxation and pleasure, but this isn't compulsory.
However, there are some differences between a hydrotherapy pool and a regular swimming pool.
Hydrotherapy Pools vs Regular Swimming Pools
Hydrotherapy pools have been designed as part of rehabilitation centres. These are beneficial in alleviating pain caused by various body conditions. This is done in different ways, and the practice differs from person to person, depending on their affected limbs.
However, ongoing research has shown that water exercises across regular sessions can help with muscle tension, pain relief and be used as an ongoing treatment. People with arthritis, skin ulcers, wounds, muscle disorders and nervous system disorders can benefit from exercising in water. Compared to land exercise, the joints and muscles are at ease when immersed in water.
One of the main differences between swimming and hydrotherapy pools is the pool temperature. Normal swimming pool water will be no hotter than 28°C, whereas hydrotherapy pool temperatures can reach anywhere from 32-38°C.
This range in warm water temperature is what makes the quality of the treatment enjoyable and worthwhile. This doesn't always mean that a hydrotherapy pool must be warmed, and some treatments require a number of different factors, so always check with your healthcare professional before getting involved.
Is Hotter Water Better For Healing Injuries?
Warmer pool temperatures help members with joint pain and muscle tension, as they can improve blood circulation and pain relief in the affected areas. Research suggests the stimulatory receptors and nociceptive impulses that alert our brain we're in pain can be numbed and relaxed with the introduction of warmth.
Contrast water therapy is also used, which is the balance of cold water and hot water. A person that has received a workout-related injury can benefit from this type of hydrotherapy. This is based on the knowledge that cold water will improve blood flow and circulation. Still, a professional must monitor the movement between both temperatures if you choose this routine.
What's The Best Pool Temperature For Pool Exercise?
This depends on the people exercising and what water temperature they can manage. Most people prefer their pool temperatures to have some heat, especially children and older people.
If you are planning on having more movement to your exercise, perhaps a more aerobic class, the conditions must allow you not to overheat. In this instance, cooler water would be preferred. Physical therapy typically requires warmer water, which can help muscle relaxation and make stretching much easier. If you are training for muscle resistance and building muscle strength, you should be able to exercise without the water becoming an issue.
28.3-30°C will be ideal for aerobic water classes, as will be treading water at some depth in most cases. Lower-intensity workouts will raise the temperature slightly, as cold water will cause your muscles to tighten and cause more pain while exercising.
There are great examples of detailed programmes and classes designed for such sessions, which can be effective for increased strength and muscle relaxation.
You can move more freely underwater, giving your joints an easier time overall. In the case of mental health relaxation in saunas and hot baths, the best case is to use warmer water.
In most examples, your physiotherapist will inform you of the best services available to you for your particular requirements.
Managing a Hydrotherapy Pool
Much like traditional swimming pools, a hydrotherapy pool must be cleaned, and water safety is very important. As these pools are commonly in hospitals, healthcare centres and other public places where staff and patients come together, the water must be managed for quality and safety reasons. Here is our advice for managing a hydrotherapy pool:
The patient's underlying medical conditions at the hydrotherapy pool puts them at additional risk of infection, which makes it the responsibility of the owner and team to clean the pool.
The warm water temperatures can carry and allow the growth of dangerous bacteria such as legionella, E.Coli and other parasitic and gastrointestinal infections, which can spread quickly when proper pool management isn't in place. Many hydrotherapy pools are held in a health facility or hospitals, so the water care of these pools is paramount.
Although a rare disease, this infection of the lungs can quickly affect people with weakened immune systems, which will be a large percentage of the people using hydrotherapy pools. This is spread by people inhaling droplets of water that have the contaminated legionella bacteria within, spreading throughout the pool.
You are required by law to complete a water safety risk assessment by the UK's Health and Safety Executive's (HSEs) Code of Practice. All managers, owners and operators of the hydrotherapy pool must manage risks associated and ensure proper service and support has been implemented. The most important actions are carrying out a detailed risk assessment and ensuring regular testing occur.
There are many ways that waterborne pathogens and microorganisms can access the pool water, and they can cause a lot of worry and illness. Whether they get in through water bottles, bathers, organic materials, or pool filters, you should complete routine pool water testing.
Microbiological tests should be carried out weekly (can be different depending on when the risk assessment recommends). If there have been contamination cases or changes to the regular water treatment, tests must happen again.
If you are looking for hydrotherapy pool installation in Edinburgh, Glasgow & Aberdeen area contact us today on Midlothian Indoor Pools to discuss your project.