According to the Centers for Disease Control, “just two and a half hours per week of aerobic physical activity, such as swimming… can decrease the risk of chronic illnesses.”  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Health Benefits of Water-Based Exercise, Retrieved from www.cdc.gov  

In cases of arthritis, warm water exercise improves affected joints; for those with osteoarthritis, warm water exercise decreases pain as well as improves joints. For people with fibromyalgia, water exercise can decrease anxiety, decrease depression, decrease obesity, and improve mood. In addition there are several skill-related components of fitness that improve everyday life through water exercise:  Balance, Coordination, Speed, Power, Agility and Reaction Time.  Water exercise can benefit almost everyone from the Athlete, Pre-op patients reducing recovery times, Chronic Condition improving daily living, Post-op providing rehabilitation and restoring movement, and overall fitness and wellness.

“Water exercise is easier to perform and more beneficial than the same exercise on land, plus it's gentler on your body.

•       It's non-impact, so it won't jar your muscles and joints.

•       The buoyancy decreases effects of gravity so moving takes less effort.

•       Water provides resistance, which helps you build strength and develop better balance. Immersion in water helps you relax and lowers pain perception.”

Dellwo, A., (2009). Warm-Water Exercise for Fibromyalgia & Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Retrieved from chronicfatigue.about.com