A new study from Concordia University reveals that aquatic therapy not only strengthens muscles around the spine but also helps reduce the psychological challenges often linked to chronic low back pain.
The research involved 34 participants with chronic low back pain, divided randomly into two groups. One group took part in aquatic therapy, while the other followed a standard care program involving land-based exercises. Both groups attended supervised sessions twice a week for 10 weeks.
Participants completed questionnaires assessing pain, disability, quality of life, anxiety, depression, pain-related fears, and sleep quality. Muscle strength tests and MRI scans were also conducted before and after the treatment period.
Results showed that those in the aquatic therapy group experienced significant muscle growth in key spinal muscles like the multifidus and erector spinae in the upper spine. Both groups improved in lumbar strength, but only the aquatic group saw notable psychological benefits. They reported reduced anxiety, less fear of movement related to pain (kinesiophobia), and better sleep quality.
Maryse Fortin, associate professor at Concordia’s Department of Health, Kinesiology and Applied Physiology, explained, “Getting into water makes people feel better right away because it reduces pressure on the spine. This made aquatic therapy an interesting way to study how it affects fear of movement and pain-related worries.”
The study’s findings, published in the journal Scientific Reports, suggest aquatic therapy offers clinically meaningful improvements beyond physical strength. Brent Rosenstein, the study’s lead author, and his colleagues recommend further research to better understand the link between aquatic therapy and psychological health in patients with chronic low back pain.
Co-authors include Chanelle Montpetit, Nicolas Vaillancourt, Geoffrey Dover, Christina Weiss, Lee Ann Papula, and Antonys Melek.
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