Comparison of the Effects of Exercise in Water and on Land on the Rehabilitation of Patients With Intra-articular Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstructions

Abstract

Although exercise in water may not be as effective as exercise on land for regaining maximum muscle performance, rehabilitation in water may minimize the amount of joint effusion and lead to greater self-reports of functional improvement in subjects with intra-articular ACL reconstructions.

Return to sport following hip injury

“…Also, open chain exercises initiated in the water will minimize the excessive loading on the joint and safely provide accommodating resistance throughout the motion. Most important, aquatic rehabilitation assists in improving joint mechanics and strengthening, allowing for safe transition to land-based exercises [7].…”

Chest- and Waist-Deep Aquatic Plyometric Training and Average Force, Power, and Vertical-Jump Performance

“…Aquatic settings are beneficial not only for rehabilitation but also for conditioning because of the unique properties of water, specifically, buoyancy and resistance resulting from its viscosity (Gehlsen, Grigsby, & Winant, 1984;Miller et al, 2002;Prins & Cutner, 1999;Tovin, Wolf, Greenfield, & Woodfin, 1994).…”

“…The buoyant force provided by water decreases the patient's weight in relation to the degree of submersion and decreases the amount of force and joint compression during landing (Gehlsen et al, 1984;Prins & Cutner, 1999;Tovin et al, 1994). The buoyant properties of water reduce forces on the musculoskeletal system, thereby decreasing the risk of overuse injuries such as tendinitis and stress fractures (Gehlsen et al; Prins & Cutner; Tovin et al).…”

“…The resistance is equal to the amount of force exerted by the patient and varies by the velocity or speed at which the exercise is performed (Gehlsen et al, 1984;Prins & Cutner, 1999;Tovin et al, 1994). This occurs because of the increased viscosity and density associated with the water environment.…”

“…Previous studies comparing land-based and aquatic plyometric programs have been completed in varying depths of water (Gehlsen et al, 1984;Gregory, 1986;Martel et al, 2005;Miller et al, 2002;Prins & Cutner, 1999;Robinson et al, 2004;Tovin et al, 1994). These studies have shown that both shallow-water and deep-water training have benefits depending on the type and goal of training; however, previous studies have not used a predefined water depth to perform aquatic plyometric programs.…”