The Central Valley summer heat can turn your local pool into an oasis of relief. If you don’t have a pool of your own, several cities have public swimming pools you can visit to cool off. Swimming pools offer more than just relief from the heat—did you know swimming pools are also good for doing aquatic therapy?
Check out our guide below on aquatic therapy (also known as hydrotherapy) to find exercises you can do in the water. We also have a list of public pools in the Central Valley of California where you can do aquatic therapy or simply go for a swim.
What is Aquatic Therapy + How it Can Help
Aquatic therapy is a type of physical therapy that uses the medium and properties of water to enhance and speed up recovery while improving strength and mobility.
At PRO~PT, several of our clinics that provide aquatic therapy use shallow pools with warm water to provide a better environment for recovery while limiting the pain that comes with physical therapy exercises.
How Aquatic Therapy Works
Here are some of the ways exercising in water can help you recover from injury.
- Water Pressure – reduces swelling, lowers blood pressure
- Water Resistance – provides manageable resistance for all directions of movement, increases flexibility, helps with balance
- Water Warmth – increases blood flow, soothes & relaxes your body
- Water Buoyancy – eases pressure on joints, reduces pain when moving, lowers the risk of a fall
Aquatic Therapy Benefits
Exercising in warm water can benefit you in a number of ways while recovering from pain or injury.
- Improves mobility quicker
- Improves strength without using weights
- Decreases pain while performing exercises
- Improves range of motion and flexibility more effectively
- Allows those with less or no mobility to recover or improve their length
What is Hydrotherapy Used For?
Aquatic therapy is used for a number of physical conditions:
- Arthritis pain
- Lower back pain
- Obesity
- Fibromyalgia
- Stroke, multiple sclerosis, or cerebral palsy
- Joint replacements
- Sports injuries
- Difficulty walking or balancing
- Bone fractures
What to Do Before Active Family Activities + Exercises
We recommend doing warmup activities and any prescribed physical therapy exercises before any active family outing.
Pre-outing exercises have several benefits:
- Maximize the benefits of physical activity by raising body temperature
- Help prevent injuries or re-injuries
- Increase flexibility
- Steady your mind for the activity
- Make the activity more enjoyable
Warmup exercises, especially those that stretch out the muscles and motions you will use during the family activity, help your body prepare for it.
Many of our physical therapy exercises can be used as warmups for activities that use the same targeted muscle groups. You can check them out on our YouTube Channel.
Besides workouts, make sure you bring water and any snacks you may need during the family exercise. If the activity is outdoors, plan for the weather, including bringing sunscreen and bug repellant if desired.
Aquatic Therapy Exercises
Check out the following exercises to do in the water by PRO~PT Tulare at Evolutions Physical Therapist Assistants Joey Ramos and Alicia Buss and PRO~PT Lindsay Physical Therapist Assistant Andrea Canavan.
1. Isometric Abdominals
This exercise helps you build your core muscles, stabilize your back, and lessen your back pain.
Position: Sit on a step in the water and straighten your arms all the way out, resting on a kickboard or pool noodle.
Steps:
- Take a deep breath in.
- Breathe out, like you’re blowing out a candle, while you gently press down on the noodle, so it is 1-3 inches in the water. You should feel your abdominal muscles working.
- Return to the starting position.
2. Long Arc Quads
This exercise helps you improve your quad control and helps you build the strength and stability needed to stand and walk.
Position: Sit on a step in the water.
Steps:
- Activate your thigh muscle as you straighten one knee, extending that leg in front of you.
- Hold this position for 3-5 seconds.
- Slowly return to the starting position.
3. Mini-Squats
This exercise helps you with functional, daily activities such as rising from a chair without help.
Position: Hold onto a ball or the edge of the pool while in the water.
Steps:
- Move your feet hip-width apart and with your knees over your toes.
- Bend your knees and hips like you’re going to sit in a chair. Keep your weight on your heels.
- Activate your glutes as you rise to stand. Use your arms if necessary.
4. Walking in the Pool
This exercise helps improve your cardiovascular endurance while improving joint mobility and decreasing pain.
Position: Stand in the pool.
Steps:
- Using a pool noodle to balance.
- Walk a specific distance in the pool, using the noodle to maintain your balance if necessary.
10 Central Valley Public Pools for Swimming & Aquatic Therapy
Several of our PRO~PT clinics throughout the Central Valley feature pools that are made for aquatic therapy. Your nearest city government likely has options as well.
Whether you’re performing the above exercises to recover from your injury or ailment or if you simply want to cool off from the triple-digit Central Valley summer heat, head over to any of these local, public swimming pools. (Keep in mind that recreational swim and lap swim hours and availability for some of these pools may vary due to the time of the year.)
1. Madera: Centennial Pool Complex
The Centennial Pool Complex at Centennial Park, East 4th Street and Flume Street, includes a wading pool, recreational pool, and diving pool. The general admission fee is $1 per day, with the “Splash Pass” season pass at $40 per pass for ages 12 and under, and $70 per pass for ages 13 and over.
2. Fresno: Frank H. Ball Pool, Mary Ella Brown Pool, Mosqueda Pool
The City of Fresno has three standard community pools: the Frank H. Ball pool at 760 Mayor St., the Mary Ella Brown Pool at 1350 E. Annadale, and the Mosqueda Pool at 4670 E. Butler. The depth on these pools range from 4 feet to 10 feet, and they are open daily for recreational swim in the summer.
3. Sanger: Aquatic Complex
With a main pool that includes a shallow end, deep end, and a 1-meter diving board, along with an Apache water slide and kiddie pool, the City of Sanger’s Aquatic Complex at 730 Recreation Ave. is a great option for your next family outing.
4. Reedley: Reedley High Pool
If you’re a Reedley resident, you can sign up for several water recreational or exercise classes during the summer months at Reedley High School’s pool, 477 Manning Ave.: water aerobics, lap swim, swim lessons, and youth classes.
5. Kingsburg: Crandell Swimming Complex
The Crandell Swim Complex at 1900 18th Ave. in Kingsburg allows public swim from 12 to 4 p.m., Mondays through Fridays, for $2.50 per child under 12 years old, and $3 per adult. If you aren’t swimming, you can enter the complex for $2 each. Monthly passes also are available.
6. Hanford: The Plunge
The Plunge at 415 Ford St. in Hanford is a popular local pool destination. In the latter half of the summer, the pool is open on Saturdays and Sundays from 12 to 4 p.m. Entry is $3 for adult swimmers, $2 for swimmers aged 6 to 17, and $1 for younger swimmers and all non-swimmers.
7. Tulare: Tulare Western Pool
Public swim periods at the City of Tulare’s Western Pool at 824 W. Maple Ave. are Monday through Saturday from 2:30 to 4 p.m. This pool includes instructional swim programs as well as facility rentals. The fee is $3 for adults and $2 for anyone under 18 years old.
8. Exeter: Wading Pool at City Park
While you may not be able to swim laps at the wading pool in Exeter’s City Park across the street from Lincoln Elementary School, you can definitely perform your hydrotherapy exercises outside of your PRO~PT clinic.
9. Lindsay: Aquatic Center
The City of Lindsay’s pool, along with the rest of the city’s Wellness Center at 860 N. Sequoia, aims to promote a healthier community. Lap swim is available to members of the Wellness Center all summer long.
10. Porterville: City Pool
The City of Porterville boasts a 5,590-square-foot pool facility at 97 N. Park Dr. with a lap swim area, dive tank, diving board, and 137-foot water slide. With admission fees of $2 per person and $1 for children 12 and under, it’s a cool option for a hot summer day.
