According to the American College of Sports Medicine, ACSM, 60 to 80 percent of the population in North America will suffer from back pain or injuries at some point during their lives, with one out of five people suffering chronic back pain that lasts six months or longer.
ACSM also reports that back pain is the most frequent cause of what it calls “activity limitation” among those under 45. Although 80 to 90 percent of individuals will recover from back pain within three to six days of injury, it says, it’s estimated that an average of $30 million annually is spent on doctor office visits for back pain, but that only three percent of the total cost goes to back pain prevention.
Compared to land, water substantially reduces the weight-bearing effects of gravity on the lower extremities and spine. As a result, back pain can be significantly reduced. With AFS, the pain can be further reduced by the turbulence of water that’s churned up by numerous built-in massage jets. The overall pain cycle is interrupted by offloading the spine and buffeting the body’s soft tissue with moving water.
A study published in the Clinical Journal of Pain byGerhard Strauss-Blasche, PhD, September/October, 200218 (5):302-309, provides evidence for the efficacy of exercise therapy for those suffering from chronic back pain.
