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Upright water-based exercise to improve cardiovascular and metabolic health: A qualitative review

2011; Elsevier BV; Volume: 19; Issue: 2 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1016/j.ctim.2011.02.002

1873-6963

Kim Meredith‐Jones, Debra L. Waters, Michael Legge, Lynnette M. Jones,

Dietary Effects on Health

Research regarding the benefits of exercise for cardiovascular and metabolic health is extensive and well-documented. However, weight-bearing exercise may not be suitable for individuals with orthopaedic or musculoskeletal limitations, excess adiposity or other medical conditions. Water-based exercise may provide an attractive alternative to land-based exercise for achieving improved health and fitness in these populations. Although swimming is a popular form of water-based exercise it requires specific skills and is often undertaken at intensities that may not be safely prescribed in patient populations. Therefore upright, water-based exercise has been suggested as a viable water-based alternative. However, surprisingly little is known about the effects of upright water-based exercise on improvements in cardiovascular and metabolic health. Limited evidence from water-based studies indicate that regular deep or shallow water exercise can exert beneficial effects on cardiorespiratory fitness, strength, and body fat distribution. However, the impacts of water-based exercise on lipid profile, bodyweight, and carbohydrate metabolism are still unclear. Further studies are warranted to establish the effects of non-swimming, water-based exercise on cardiometabolic risks in humans.