Rejuvenate, Revitalize, and Relax
You don’t have to be a professional athlete to enjoy the soothing, rejuvenating action of hot water therapy
When you exercise your muscles naturally develop thousands of microscopic tears. Metabolic waste such as lactic acid builds up in each muscle, leading to fatigue and soreness. The cells in the muscles will naturally rebuild and after doind so, each tear becomes slightly stronger muscle tissue. With unusual stress on a muscle, these microscopic tears will be larger and the lactic acid build-up greater. The Mohawk Indians discovered the healing powers of natural hot springs, and gave them the esteemed name of Saratoga, meaning “place of miraculous water in rock”. This can leads to muscle discomfort and pain. Extended rest will help complete the healing process as discussed above but with the help of hot water, we can accelerate this natural healing process. The increased blood flow and dilated blood vessels work to carry lactic acid away from the muscles faster, easing fatigue. As the hot water promotes relaxation of the muscles, pressure is released in the surrounding nerves and blood vessels to bring substantial pain relief.
Similar benefits apply to sore joints. When joints are damaged or inflamed due to injury or arthritis, muscles become buckle up and become more tense in an effort to protect themselves. Hot water immersion can help alleviate joint pain and resulting muscle soreness, as well as muscle pulls and strains. In addition, the buoyancy of water reduces stress on the body’s muscles because they are being asked to support only about one tenth our actual body weight. With underwater movement and light exercise of the ailing areas, pain is alleviated, and the muscles become more limber by providing a level of resistance to assist in re-building muscle strength.
The National Arthritis Foundation is an advocate of hot water therapy. They say: "The soothing warmth and buoyancy of warm water make 
a safe, ideal environment for relieving arthritis pain and stiffness. Water exercise is a gentle way to exercise joints and muscles. Water supports joints to encourage free movement, and may also act as resistance to help build muscle strength. Using a spa adds a component to the therapy – massage. Jet nozzles release warm water and air, massaging your body and helping you relax tight muscles.
Just as you would not try to stretch a rubber band when it was cold, you have probably learned you should not try stretching the muscles in your body when cold. A soak in hot water before a session of stretching or yoga can really loosen your muscles and increase your flexibility. And if you do happen to lunge a little too far forward on that yoga form, the same hot water treatment can work to repair the damage to the muscles. Many find their best sessions happen after a good soak in hot water.
“I’m in for yoga on Tuesday night and Thursday morning and used to have trouble with some soreness on Wednesdays… [but] since I starting soaking in my tub in the evening before bed and outside in the early mornings, I haven’t been sore at all. I feel like I’ve discovered the fountain of youth.” RS, New Hampshire Got a similar story? click here
Lower back pain is one of the top three reasons for doctor visits in the US and as stress levels in our day to day lives increase, the problem is only bound to get worse. Already, four of five Americans suffer from chronic back pain, according to the U.S. National Institutes of Health. Studies have shown that hydrotherapy can work as an anticonvulsant and help alleviate lower back pain by reducing stress and stiffness. The force of the massaging underwater jets of whirlpools and hot tubs direct their attention to problem areas like the lower back to massage and relieve back pain and muscle tightness.
A recent study found in the Journal of Rheumatology, studied the effectiveness of hot water therapy on treating back pain. The control group suffering from lower back pain used only medication for relief while the second group used a combination of medication and hot water treatments. After three weeks of regular hydrotherapy sessions, examinations showed more improvement in the health status (as measured in pain duration, intensity and back flexibility) of the group that used regular hot water treatments than the group that used only medication. After six months, significant improvement progressed in the hydrotherapy group and their use of analgesics and anti-inflammatory drugs had decreased.
The taxing exercise of professional athletes requires trainers and therapists to help athletes recover and rejuvenate their bodies for continuing exercise. These professional trainers and therapists often recommend warm water therapy to aid in recovery and sometimes to limber up an athlete before exercise. You don’t have to be a professional athlete to enjoy the soothing, rejuvenating action of warm water therapy. Weekend athletes, skiers, baseball players and golfers alike can enjoy the benefits of a warm relaxing soak after exercise while the muscles are still warm and in doing so, sometimes eliminate muscle soreness altogether.
Recent studies at the Mayo Clinic found that soaking in a hot water can improve Cardio health. While enjoying the benefits of a healthy increase in heart rate, unlike most forms of exercise where there is an increase in blood pressure, the warm water actually induces a beneficial decrease in blood pressure. While research is still being conducted, there have been studies that demonstrate hydrotherapy’s effectiveness in helping patients rehabilitate from strokes, traumas, and other injuries. Treatments for connective tissue diseases and asthma are also being studied. Be sure to include your doctor in the decision to undergo any hot water treatments.
Hydromassage uses the pressure of underwater jets to pump air and water into your sore muscles just a masseuse uses their hands. This massaging action increases the effectiveness of all things discussed above and brings hot water therapy to a completely new level. There are even some jets, such as the Hot Spring MotoMassage, that uses a spine-like arm to continuously run water pressure up and down the spine. The last section of this site discusses the types of products that allow you to take advantage of these therapeutic benefits at your own home.