The benefits of combining water and land-based therapy

Abstract

As the general population ages and lives longer with chronic disease and related disability, an increasing number of individuals may be pre-cluded from participating and excelling in traditional land-based thera-py or exercise alone, despite its known benefits. This article discusses the benefits of water as an exercise and therapeutic medium, as well as the value of combining both water and land modalities, which en-hance the benefits of exercise synergistically. This combined water and land approach has the potential to help clients achieve greater thera-peutic benefits and clinical outcomes. As an example, described in this article are the rationale and basic framework for one treatment para-digm supported by research literature, the Burdenko Method, which has utilized combined exercise in water and on land for over four de-cades. These perspectives will hopefully foster increased understand-ing and application of exercise principles and programs outside of tra-ditional land-based approaches.