Aquatic Exercise Solution & Hydrotherapy | Underwater Treadmill

When pain and impact are the important obstacles to doing physiotherapy, the Underwater Treadmill is therefore not merely a general piece of water exercise equipment, but an important choice that helps raise the level of restoration with the science of hydrotherapy (Hydrotherapy), by combining "the physical properties of water" with "electric treadmill technology" whose settings can be adjusted with 100% precision, in order to break down every limitation of traditional physiotherapy.

At PYONG Rehabilitation Penthouse we design a programme of treatment specific to the individual (Personalized Treatment) under the care of a team of specialist physicians and a multidisciplinary team, in order to give an experience of restoration with the highest safety, helping patients who have problems of the joints, patients of the nervous system, or athletes who are injured, come back to walking, running, and building strength up to 2 times faster than training on land, without the risk of repeated injury, for a complete return of the capacity of the body in a state without impact and with a genuine reduction of pain.

The mechanism of working

The 4 therapeutic powers from the water environment. The important heart of this innovation is making use of the physical properties of water applied clinically:

• Buoyancy: helps support the body weight up to 80-90%, reducing the burden on the joints, so that movement can be done without pain
• Hydrostatic Pressure: helps reduce the swelling of the limbs, and stimulates the system of circulation of blood back into the heart
• Viscosity: creates a 3-dimensional resistance in every rhythm of the step, helping build up the muscles safely
• Thermodynamics: warm water helps increase the flexibility of the tissue, release the muscles, and reduce the pain immediately

Technical Specifications

1. Adjusting the water level adjustable from 0 - 120 cm, in order to control the weight-bearing precisely
2. The speed of the treadmill 0.3 - 10 km/h, supporting everyone from patients learning to walk through to athletes jogging
3. The resistance system (Jet) Water Jet Resistance, in order to train endurance and balance
4. Adjusting the temperature 10 - 40 degrees Celsius, both in order to release the muscles and to reduce inflammation
5. The safety system 360-degree safety glass, together with handrails and an emergency stop button, for clear gait analysis (Gait Analysis)

Evidence-Based Integration

1. The case of restoration after total knee replacement surgery (TKA): beginning to train walking on the underwater treadmill from day 7 after surgery helps patients recover the degrees of knee flexion significantly more quickly than physiotherapy on land. The water pressure helps reduce the swelling well, and results in the level of pain being clearly reduced, so that patients come back to walking with confidence more quickly
2. The case of restoring patients with cerebrovascular disease (Chronic Stroke): training walking in water continuously for 8 weeks helps patients with paresis control the rhythm of stepping the leg better, reduces the problem of dragging the leg while walking, and increases the ability to balance on land effectively, resulting in the speed of walking increasing and the risk of falling being reduced
3. The case of managing a severely degenerative knee joint (Knee Osteoarthritis): in patients whose pain is such that they cannot exercise on land, using the underwater treadmill at chest level helps reduce the weight pressing on the knee joint by up to 75%, so that they can really exercise to lose weight and build the muscles of the thigh to be stronger, resulting in the pain being reduced and helping postpone the necessity of surgery
4. The case of restoring athletes with an anterior cruciate ligament injury (ACL): the underwater treadmill helps athletes be able to train running even during the period when they cannot yet fully bear weight on hard ground, by helping maintain the capacity of endurance (VO2 Max) and the pattern of working of the muscles as close as possible to normal running, so that the athlete can return to the field of competition (Return to Sport) more quickly and more completely

Who is it suitable for?

Treatment with the underwater treadmill answers the needs of diverse groups of patients:

1. The group managing pain and after surgery: patients with a degenerative knee joint, or after knee/hip replacement surgery, who need to begin walking as quickly as possible in order to reduce stiffness of the joint
2. The group restoring the nervous system: patients with cerebrovascular disease (Stroke) or Parkinson's; it helps them train balance without having to fear falling
3. The group of older people: for cardio exercise that is safe, reducing the tension on the joints and building muscle mass
4. The group of sports medicine: athletes who are injured (such as ACL) can maintain the fitness of the body while waiting for the tissue to heal

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

Q1 : How does it differ from walking in a general swimming pool?

Answer: The underwater treadmill can control the variables more precisely, with a constant speed, a water level that supports the weight as required, and a system of gait analysis that is clearer than looking in a general pool

Q2: How often must it be done to see a result?

Answer: Research states that continuous training (such as 8 weeks in the case of Stroke patients) will help the balance and the speed of walking on land improve clearly

Q3: Can patients who cannot walk at all use it?

Answer: They can use it. The buoyancy of the water helps support the body, and the mass of the water acts like a cushion, helping the patient train stepping with confidence and safety