It is relatively common for athletes suffering from lower limb injuries to be advised to rest their painful limb. This is obviously very frustrating. Aqua-jogging (or water running) allows an athlete to remain active and maintain their cardiovascular fitness despite being injured. Running in the pool is the exercise which most closely simulates running. It is used widely by many elite athletes both when they are injured and as a cross-training tool. A number of studies have shown that athletes can maintain their aerobic conditioning for more than eight weeks using this type of regime.
You can aqua-jog in any depth water although we generally recommend that you start suspended in the deep end using a foam belt. This removes most of the effects of gravity on your injured limb and allows you to get exercising. As your injury progresses you may decide to add some weight-bearing. Running in waist deep water removes about half your body weight while running in chest deep water reduces your weight by about 90%
If you are used to monitoring your heart rate during your training sessions you may find that your heart rate is about 10-20 beats slower than you would normally record during your normal land-based sessions. This does not mean that you are not training hard. When the body is suspended in water the venous return (blood flowing back to the heart) is greater and so the heart does not have to pump as hard. The cooling effect of the water also means that your body temperature does not increase as much also limiting the heart rate elevation.
Aqua-jogging can be boring. A training partner is a good idea as is making a clear plan before you head to the pool. Have a good idea of what you are trying to achieve before you head to the pool. Interval sessions generally work best.
The basic idea is to try and simulate your running position in the water. You want to adopt an upright position leaning forwards slightly. Attempt to run as you would on land flexing your ankles, knees and hips as well as driving your elbows. You will not make much forward progress but this is not important. You may try cupping your palms to add more of an upper body workout. You will quickly find a position that will feel comfortable for you.
As with any training regime pain is bad. This is particularly true when you are using aqua-jogging to recover from injury. Always train within the limits of comfort. Aim to build up slowly starting with about 20 minutes of jogging. Once you are confident in the pool build up your intensity and duration of training. Be guided by time rather than distance and try to match the normal effort you would put into a given running session. Remember your heart rate is not a reliable indicator of intensity.
There are a variety of internet resources which illustrate different exercises and techniques which you can use in the pool. In general interval training (mixing slow easy running with periods of fast and hard running) is probably the best method to increase the intensity of your training and to reduce boredom. Click on this link to see some good basic routines.
If you would like more advice about whether aqua jogging would be a suitable part of your injury rehabilitation book an appointment with one of our team.
