NATURAL FIXES: Warm-Water Therapy for Arthritis

This simple but effective treatment could be an elixir for painful, achy joints

- EMILY GOLDMAN

If you've ever been sore after a hard workout and sought relief with a hot bath, you're aware of the healing properties of warm water. Whether suffering from osteoarthritis or general achy joints, a person may find pain relief via physical therapy-related exercises performed in a warm-water pool, says Nicole Needles, P.T., D.P.T., a member of the Arthritis Foundation expert panel, CSM Program cochair at the Academy of Aquatic Physical Therapy, and a clinician at Nemours Children's Hospital in Delaware. Here, she explains how.

What exactly is warm-water exercise?

It's any exercise that addresses areas of joint limitation and is performed in a warm-water pool (with temps between 90°F and 95°F) that the patient can move easily in. Similar to land-based exercises for arthritis, it can target the total body or be joint-specific.