Hydrotherapy tubs have long been used as a way to treat injury and relieve symptoms of sports injuries, illness, and diseases. Hundreds of years ago, people realized the healing powers of water . We have seen evidence of this in Japan, Pakistan and Rome where it has been noted in history that the culture depended on their bathing routines for not just cleaning but for medicinal and social purposes. Various forms of hydrotherapy were essential part of early Roman, Egyptian and Greek cultures as well as those in China and Japan. The same was true for Europe, where public bathhouses were extremely popular throughout the 17th and 18th centuries, while bathhouses made their first appearance in the U.S. in the mid-1700s.
Water is the most nurturing of all the elements, yet we frequently take its restorative properties for granted. We turn to water when we need comfort. We take a bath to heal our aching bones, mend our weary spirits, or rid ourselves of emotional trauma. A study done by Therapies in Medicine showed that a daily soak in a hot bath for 8 weeks was more effective at easing anxiety than a prescription drug. Other reasons to indulge in a good soak session? Ease sore muscles, aches, and pains. The increased circulation helps elimination the lactic acid build-up in our muscles that occurs from a hard workout.
Today, hydrotherapy is often associated with luxurious indulgences at resorts and day spas or physical therapy during rehabilitation. However, with the wealth of bath products offered today, design professionals can offer their clients the benefits of hydrotherapy right in their own homes. Modern products – including Japanese Soaking Tubs, jetted tubs and custom hot tubs – can soothe the discomfort of everything from acne and arthritis to sleep disorders and tendonitis, while improving circulation, decreasing joint pain and speeding the body’s natural healing process.
