When it comes to the career you choose or the job you perform daily, many of us might not think about the physical demands and stress that can be placed on our bodies. Whether you are a construction worker whose job is very physically demanding or you’re an auto mechanic who spends his day twisting, turning, and bending to provide the best auto repair service available, the same thing is true, your body will eventually feel the effects of the strenuous labor you perform day in and day out.

Did you know that there are certain exercises that you can do when in a flotation tank to help deepen your therapy?

That being said, before you start loading up on over-the-counter pain relievers (which don’t get us wrong can help to alleviate pain and soreness) why not try floatation therapy. A type of pain relief that will not just ease the pain for a short time or simply mask it. Floatation therapy offers a great solution to those looking to really take care of their body and make sure that it is performing its very best. In fact, the benefits of floatation therapy also known as sensory deprivation therapy are endless.

Floatation Therapy Exercises

Single-Leg Balance

This easy move can help you to improve your balance and alleviate muscle and joint tension and pain. Keep one leg straight standing on the pool bottom while you raise the knee of your other leg up to hip height. The buoyancy & safety of the water makes this a simple easy move.

Walking & Jogging

Start by walking forward or backward while increasing your speed to continue to challenge yourself. Spend 5 – 10 minutes performing 30 seconds walking/running drills to help build up endurance and get your heart rate up a bit.

Arm Raises

Place your arms in the shape of a T on either side or in front of you. Raise them up and down in the water for 10-15 reps performing 3-5 sets. This is a great way to help with joint pain and motion in your arms and shoulders.

Knee/Leg Lifts

This is a great one to help tone your muscles while also alleviating any pain or tension in your legs, glutes, and lower back. Standing straight raises one knee up like you did in the single-leg balance but this time the bent knee should be extended out straight in front of you bringing it back to the bent position. The other leg stays straight standing on the bottom. Perform 10-12 reps on each leg for a total of 3-5 sets.

When it comes to floatation therapy and hydrotherapy exercises there are so many that you can try depending on the needs of your body and health goals. Adding a few exercises or even a small routine to some of your floatation therapy sessions can help to alleviate tension, pain, and soreness on another level. These exercises can also help to strengthen muscles leading to reduced pain and inflammation.

While it is widely known that heat and submerging yourself in warm water can help alleviate pain and muscle soreness, many don’t know exactly why heat or warm water has that effect. What exactly does heat & warm water do to your body that makes floatation therapy and hydrotherapy so beneficial for so many?

How Does Heat Help Relieve Sore Muscles?

When heat is applied to a sore area or muscles the blood vessels within that area widen. This in turn helps to increase blood flow which then helps to transport lactic acid and many other toxins away. The transport of lactic acid alone helps to alleviate sore and overworked muscles. Allowing for the individual to find some comfort and relaxation. Heat helps to make muscle more elastic or flexible while nerve endings are also stimulated to help block pain signals. But while heat does help a host of muscle aches, pain and soreness it is important to mention that heat is still not meant for all forms of muscle soreness. In fact, a good rule of thumb to live by is that muscle soreness or pain caused by inflamed muscles needs ice rather than heat. Why? Ice helps to contract blood vessels whereas heat widens them. With the contraction of blood vessels, they begin to narrow, reducing blood flow which helps to reduce swelling and inflammation.

Heat helps with mostly non-inflammatory muscle pain

✓ soreness
✓ overexertion
✓ stiffness/pain
✓ lack of sleep
✓ fibromyalgia
✓ Vitamin D Deficiency

It has also been found that heat produces a feeling of reassurance. And heat can actually penetrate up to a few centimeters of tissue. Because of this tissue temperature rises which triggers cells to recover and heal faster. And it has also been found that when you increase body temperature you help to improve circulation. With improved circulation, injured, tired and sore muscles are able to rest and relax. This helps to heal damaged tissue which improves flexibility and can eventually calm flare-ups and chronic muscle pain.

It is highly suggested you speak with your health care professional before trying any new remedy. Medication or supplement. While heat can help to heal tired and sore muscles and improve circulation while helping you to relax. You want to make sure that heat is the right treatment for your alignment or issue.

Check out this quick video on what actually happens when you are in a float tank!

When it comes to floatation therapy it is best to utilize a service controlled by a professional Floatation therapist. But that doesn’t mean you can’t reap similar benefits when practicing a form of hydrotherapy from home. What is Hydrotherapy? Hydrotherapy basically refers to the therapeutic use of water. Floatation therapy is a form of hydrotherapy and utilizes a float tank to introduce zero-gravity effects on your body using sensory deprivation. 

What kind of hydrotherapy can you perform at home? 

Hot tub therapy has been around for decades but may not have gotten all of the recognition it deserves. In fact, hot tub therapy is a creative alternative when it comes to a DIY hydrotherapy method. Hot tubs offer warm water submersion for your entire body. Incorporating the use of the spa jets and different control settings to promote both mental & physical health. Different forms of relief come in the form of:

• Stress Relief
• Improved Sleep
• Pain Relief
• Improved Insulin Sensory
• Muscle Relaxation
• Improved Cardiovascular Health

Another great thing about utilizing hot tub therapy is you can do so in the comfort of your own home when the time is best for you. This in itself also helps promote well-being & stress relief. You are also able to customize your spa settings and ensure you create the best environment for yourself individually when purchasing a hot tub. Hot tubs Fort Collins specialist Rick spoke with us and gave us a little insight into the world of hot tub shopping. Rick mentioned that a lot of people that come to one of his stores looking for hot tubs do so with the idea of utilizing it for some form of individualized hot tub therapy. While high-quality hot tubs that are well maintained and cared for can last for years to come, he also verifies that he has a number of repeat customers. Why are these customers shopping for new spas? Once you get a taste of hot tub therapy as a form of hydrotherapy you are hooked by all of the fantastic benefits that come with it. Your body starts to feel better, you sleep better and you notice a significant amount of stress relief. Customers come back after purchasing their first spa to upgrade to a more modernized or energy-efficient hot tub or simply realize their own individual needs when it comes to soaking in their spa. 

How Does Float Therapy Alleviate Anxiety Symptoms?

Floatation Therapy offers a great way to help relieve many different health ailments. From muscle pain, to stress and more, floatation therapy & sensory deprivation offer a great alternative to medication in some cases. But did you know another thing that floatation therapy is good for? Anxiety! Yep, you heard right, float therapy which incorporates sensory deprivation & magnesium-infused water helps to alleviate anxiety and a lot of the symptoms that come with it. To those suffering from anxiety in any form, this may just be music to your ears. With a lot of anxiety sufferers being prescribed medication to help ease symptoms and lessen the intensity of anxiety attacks, float therapy offers a chemical-free way to help find relief. And with most medications come additional negative side effects. With float therapy, you don’t need to worry about anything at all!

Eliminates Sensory Input

We may think we have mentioned sensory input a lot but the truth is from the moment we open our eyes in the morning until we close them at night, we are bombarded with many different things that can affect our senses. Think light, smells, sounds & sights, which can all begin to overwhelm our senses after a period of time. Many of us often don’t stop to realize how all of these things can overload our senses. With Float Therapy the specialized float tank is designed to remove any form of distraction from your senses.

Natural Relaxant

As we mentioned above many medications prescribed to help anxiety symptoms come packed with chemicals and have numerous additional negative side effects. Oftentimes with anxiety medications, you have to be very careful in not forming a dependency on them. With Float Therapy magnesium is added to the water which when absorbed by the body offers detoxifying and relaxation effects.

Decreases Stress, Rapid Heartbeat & Blood Pressure

Stress and anxiety can greatly affect the body and show themselves in the form of gastronomical issues, headaches, high blood pressure, and heart disease to name a few. Floatation therapy helps to alleviate outside stress on the body which helps to relax the body, regulate heartbeat & blood pressure & reduce overall stress.

These are just a few ways that Float Therapy can help those suffering from anxiety. Regular therapy sessions offer a great stress relief outlet that is healthy, prescription free & has lasting benefits. If you or someone you know suffers from anxiety you might want to check out the nearest Floatation Therapy service near you. While float therapy may not be the ideal solution for everyone it has helped many to conquer health-related issues while promoting both physical & mental health.