Hydrotherapy -- external use of water with preventive and medicinal purposes. Hydrotherapy (water) procedures include baths, showers, general and partial douches, rubdowns, and wet wraps. Their actions are determined by the temperature, mechanical and chemical influence of water and depend on the method of implementation.
Water procedures should not be used in cases of hypothermia and fatigue. In this case, you should first warm up (rest), then, after hydrotherapy, also rest, lying or sitting in a chair.
Degree thermal effects water depends on its temperature. According to this indicator, they distinguish:
- cold procedures (below 20 o C);
- cool (20-33 o C);
- indifferent (indifferent) (34-36 o C);
- hot (over 40 o WITH).
Water treatments
Pouring
Pouring can be local or general. For general douches, 2-3 buckets of water are poured out slowly - over 1-2 minutes. so that the water flows evenly over the body, then vigorously rub the patient with a warm sheet and wipe dry.
The procedure is carried out daily for 4-6 weeks, gradually lowering the water temperature from 34-33 o C to 22-20 o C. General dousing increases tone, has a stimulating effect on the central nervous system, and enhances metabolism.
With partial douches, more often cold water(temperature 16-20 o C) only part of the body is poured: the back of the head - in order to improve breathing and blood circulation; arms and legs - with increased sweating, varicose veins Ven, etc.
Rubdowns
The patient is quickly and vigorously rubbed over a damp sheet for 2-3 minutes until a feeling of warmth is felt, then wiped with a dry sheet. Sometimes, after wiping, the patient is doused with 1-2 buckets of water, the temperature of which is 1-2 o C lower than the temperature of the water taken for wiping, then wiped dry (so-called wiping with dousing). The patient can carry out the procedure independently, wiping the entire body with a sponge soaked in water or a special mitten, and then rubbing it dry with a towel.
Weakened patients undergo partial wiping. For a patient lying in bed under a blanket, first one leg is opened, then the other, arm, back, etc., on which a towel moistened with water and wrung out is placed and thoroughly rubbed over it, and then wiped dry and covered with a blanket again.
Table salt, alcohol, and cologne are sometimes added to the water. This rubdown has a refreshing and tonic effect, improves blood circulation and increases metabolic rate.
Wraps
When performing wet wraps or wraps, a large blanket is laid out on the couch and a sheet moistened with water (temperature 30-25 o C, rarely lower) and well wrung out on top. The naked patient is wrapped first in a sheet and then in a blanket. Depending on the duration, the procedure can have an antipyretic (10-15 min), sedative (30-40 min) and diaphoretic (50-60 min or more) effect.
Therapeutic shower
One of the most popular types of hydrotherapy are showers: regular rain and needle, Charcot's shower. Scottish, rain and needle showers have a slight irritating effect; the water in them is supplied under slight pressure, they are prescribed primarily as refreshing and tonic procedures.
During a Charcot shower, a patient standing at a distance of 3-3.5 m from the control panel is first doused with a fan-shaped stream of water from all sides (fan shower), then a compact stream is applied to parts of the body with muscle layers or a bone base (limbs, back, side surfaces chest). It is necessary to avoid getting the jet into the face, head, mammary glands and genitals. The first procedure is carried out at a water temperature of 35-32 o C, daily or every other time it is lowered by 1 o C and by the end of treatment it is brought to 20-15 o C. Charcot's shower is prescribed mainly for functional diseases nervous system, metabolic diseases, especially obesity.
Scottish (contrast) shower
The effect of a Scottish shower is that a stream of hot (37-45 o C) water is alternately directed at the patient for 30-40 seconds, and then cold (20-10 o C) for 15-20 seconds. This is repeated 4-6 times.
How local procedure prescribed for obesity, constipation associated with decreased intestinal tone (on the stomach); with myositis lumbar muscles, lumbosacral radiculosis (lower back).
Circular shower (needle, Swiss)
A circular shower is carried out in a special box, which is equipped with tubes for supplying water in a vertical and horizontal position on all sides of the box. Water is supplied under strong pressure, approximately 1.5 atm, and many thin streams from all sides have a hydromassage effect on the human skin and body.
An ascending perineal shower is used for hemorrhoids, prostatitis, proctitis, etc. The patient sits on a tripod over a ring-shaped seat, under which a rain shower tip is installed, facing upward. Jets of water (temperature 36-25 o C) fall on the perineum.
Circular and upward Perineal showers last for 2-5 minutes, they are carried out daily, a total of 15-20 procedures.
Underwater shower massage
Underwater shower massage is a procedure in which the patient is massaged underwater with a stream of water supplied from a pressurized hose. Temperature and mechanical irritations of the skin cause improved blood and lymph circulation, and thereby tissue nutrition, stimulate metabolism, and promote faster resolution of inflammation.
Indications for prescribing a shower massage are: obesity, gout, consequences of trauma to the musculoskeletal system, diseases of the joints (except tuberculosis), muscles and
tendons. consequences of damage and diseases of the peripheral nervous system, residual effects after previous polio with symptoms of muscle paresis, sluggish healing trophic ulcers(without thrombophlebitis), etc.
In general underwater shower massage The entire body is affected. During local massage, a stream of water from a hose with a tip is directed to a specific area of the body (joint area, lumbar region etc.), the water temperature is 36-38 o C.
With a general underwater shower-massage, the water temperature can be gradually increased to 40 o C, with a local one - up to 42 o C. The course of treatment is 15-20 procedures. General underwater massage cannot be combined with other water and thermal procedures, ultraviolet irradiation etc.
Showers as hydrotherapy procedures are contraindicated for acute inflammatory processes and exacerbation chronic diseases hypertension stages II and III, severe angina, myocardial infarction, cardiac aneurysm, chronic cardiovascular failure, condition after recently suffered a stroke(6-8 months), malignant neoplasms, benign tumors with their tendency to grow, bleeding, tuberculosis in certain phases of the disease, infectious diseases, weeping eczema, pustular diseases skin, etc.
Therapeutic baths
Hydrotherapy procedures also include baths, in which the effect on the body of hot and cool water, steam, etc. is controlled by medical staff.
The most popular are the Russian bath with steam room and the dry-air Finnish sauna. The effect on the body is based on temperature contrast (warming in a thermal chamber - steam room and subsequent cooling in a pool, under a shower or in a cool room), which promotes vascular training.
The importance of this procedure in eliminating disorders associated not only with colds, but also with other diseases, in increasing adaptive forces to changes in air temperature (heat, cold, hypothermia) and the immunological reaction to various types of infections, in enhancing metabolism and excretory function is well known from the body of waste metabolic products it does not need, etc. Baths can be used for medicinal purposes only as prescribed by a doctor and according to the method proposed by him, with periodic medical monitoring of the general condition.
Indications for prescribing baths as a hydrotherapy procedure are nonspecific diseases of the upper respiratory tract, musculoskeletal system (outside the acute stage), initial manifestations hypertension, atherosclerosis, consequences of lower extremity injuries, exudative diathesis etc.
Contraindications to the bath are epilepsy, malignant and benign (growing) tumors, infectious diseases, severe hypertension and atherosclerosis, bleeding, blood diseases.
Baths
They are among the most common hydrotherapy procedures, in which the human body is immersed up to the level of the neck or partially in water for a certain time.
Based on the volume of impact, they are distinguished:
- General (full) baths, when the whole body is immersed in water up to the level of the neck.
- Belt or half baths, in which only the lower half of the body is immersed.
- Local (partial) baths for limbs.
Pine baths prepared by adding powdered (50-70 g) or liquid pine extract (100 ml). The industry also produces pine tablets, which are added to the bath (1-2 tablets each). The aroma of pine needles has a calming effect, which makes these baths indicated for neuroses. Water temperature is 35-37 o C, procedure duration is 10-15 minutes. There are 10-15 procedures per course.
Sage baths prepared by dissolving condensed condensate in water clary sage in an amount of 250-300 ml. These baths have an analgesic and calming effect. Their duration is 8-15 minutes, water temperature is 35-37 o C, 2-3 times a week. There are 12-15 procedures per course. Used for diseases and injuries of the musculoskeletal and nervous systems.
Mustard baths can be local or general. For a bath, use 150-250 g of dry mustard, previously diluted in a small amount of warm water. Water temperature is 37-39 o C. The duration of the general bath is 5-8 minutes, the local bath is 10 minutes. After the bath the patient is washed warm water and wrap for 30-60 minutes. Mustard baths cause irritation and redness of the skin; they are prescribed for acute diseases respiratory organs (ARI, acute bronchitis, pneumonia), especially in children.
Pearl baths -- the acting medium is water with many air bubbles formed by thin metal tubes with holes into which air enters under pressure. This “seething” of water has a mechanical effect on the patient’s skin. Baths are shown when functional disorders nervous system, general fatigue, stage 1 hypertension. The duration of the procedure is 10-15 minutes, daily or every other day. There are 12-15 procedures per course.
Carbon dioxide baths -- the influencing medium is natural or artificially prepared carbon dioxide mineral waters. The body is covered with many small gas bubbles, which have a chemical effect on the nerve receptors of the skin, which causes a reflex response in its blood vessels. They expand and blood circulation improves significantly.
Radon baths -- to prepare them, a concentrated solution of radon is used, which is obtained from a solution of radium salts. Radon baths enhance metabolic processes, have a general calming and analgesic effect, and normalize blood pressure, improve the contractile function of the heart. Their use is indicated for chronic polyarthritis, spinal osteochondrosis, neuroses, diseases of the peripheral nervous system, and gynecological diseases.
Oxygen baths prepared using an apparatus for saturating water with oxygen. The oxygen concentration in the bath does not exceed 50 mg/l. Water temperature 35-36 o C, procedure duration 10-20 minutes daily or every other day. There are 12-15 procedures per course. In addition to the usual sedative effect of fresh, temperature-indifferent water, during this procedure oxygen bubbles have a slight mechanical effect, like air bubbles in a pearl bath.
Hardening and winter swimming
IN lately have become quite popular Epiphany bathing in an ice hole, however, it must be borne in mind that such procedures are not suitable for everyone. Hardening the body with cold water should be done in doses and very gradually. Even walruses with more than 6 years of experience should not stay in very cold water for more than 2.5 minutes.
In most cases, the cause of many diseases is weakened immunity. Perhaps the most effective way to strengthen immune system hardening is considered. We have already talked about hardening with the sun and air. Today we'll talk about hardening with water. Summer is the best time for this favorable period, allowing the use of all types of water procedures, including swimming in open water.
Since ancient times, our ancestors used a bathhouse followed by rubbing with snow or swimming in a river or lake to improve health, regardless of the time of year and weather.
It is known that Pushkin was very fond of taking ice baths in the morning, preferring hardening expensive medications and consultations with the “luminaries” of medicine of that time. And the most famous “walrus” of our country was the great scientist Pavlov, who swam in the Neva in any weather.
Doctors consider hardening a type of physical culture and already advise early childhood accustom children to it, thus preventing the occurrence various diseases, especially common in children preschool age colds.
Constant hardening of the body with cold, in particular cold water, leads to the fact that in case of unexpected hypothermia it is triggered protective reflex, preventing the occurrence of colds and related illnesses serious illnesses. In addition, water is an excellent stimulator of cardiovascular, circulatory and respiratory systems.
You need to start hardening with water with the simplest procedures. First of all, you must accustom yourself to washing your face only with cold water. This seemingly simple and safe procedure has several stages. The water should not be initially icy: your body may not like it. At the first stage of hardening, let the water temperature be no lower than room temperature, that is, approximately 20-22 degrees. Gradually lower the water temperature either by 1 degree every day or by 2 degrees every 2-3 days. As a result, you should get into the habit of washing your face with cold tap water.
The second stage of water hardening is to learn how to gargle with cold water painlessly for your body. Again, start with warm water, gradually lowering its temperature.
The third stage of hardening the body using hydrotherapy is wiping the body with a sponge, mitten or towel moistened with cold water. When wiping, the water temperature should also be reduced gradually. Start with 25 degrees and, daily lowering the water temperature by 1 degree, bring it to cold. After each wipe, wipe the body dry with a terry towel. When performing this procedure, it is very important to follow the order of wiping. First you need to wipe your hands, starting with your palms, then your neck, chest and back, ending with your feet.
The next, fourth stage is hardening the legs. There are several ways to harden your legs with water. Start with the simplest things. Every day before going to bed, immerse your feet in a basin of water for 1 minute. At first, the water should not be very cold. It is best if its temperature is 25 degrees. Daily increase the duration of the procedure by 1 minute, while simultaneously lowering the water temperature by 1 degree. As a result, your feet should be in a basin of water drawn from a tap for 10 minutes without any discomfort. And do not forget to rub your feet with a terry towel after completing this procedure.
This method of hardening your legs with water is no less effective. Pour warm water (about 35 degrees) into one basin, and cool water into the other, but not lower than 15 degrees. Alternately immerse your legs in one or the other basin. It is recommended to begin the procedure by immersing the legs in the pelvis with hot water, and finish by immersing your feet in cold water. At the same time, keep your feet in hot water for about 1 minute, in cold water - no more than 30 seconds.
At first, the total duration of this procedure should be approximately 5 minutes. Gradually increase the temperature difference by lowering the cold water temperature. Lowering it by 1 degree every day should result in you being able to keep your feet in water with a temperature of 5 degrees without any discomfort. At the same time, increase the duration of immersing your feet in cold water to 3 minutes. At the end of the procedure, be sure to dry your feet with a towel.
Only after you have accustomed your feet to the cold can you move on to the fifth stage of hardening with water - dousing the whole body. Start with pouring cool water from the pelvis. This procedure will be as follows. Stand in the bathtub, fill a basin with cool water and quickly pour water from the basin onto yourself, directing the stream to the top of your head. At first, you need to limit yourself to one douche. Over time, the procedure will include everything larger number dousing.
The water you will douse yourself with should not be immediately cold. First accustom your body to dousing with warm water. A temperature of 30 degrees is fine to start with. Lower the water temperature by 1 degree every day, gradually bringing it to 5 degrees. Do not under any circumstances neglect rubbing your body with a soft terry towel after this procedure. Avoid hypothermia in the next hour after the end of the douche. Best time for the procedure - day or late evening.
When your body gets used to regular douches,
You can start hardening by taking a contrast shower. A contrast shower involves alternately pouring warm and cold water over the body. There are several rules, subject to which you can be completely sure that hardening in this way will not harm your body.You need to start taking a contrast shower with warm water, the temperature of which will be equal to your body temperature. Then you have to regulate water tap so that the water temperature drops slightly. After standing under cool water for 10 seconds, switch the tap back to warm water. The time for pouring hot water is not limited. Stand under the hot water until you are warm and feel ready to continue dousing with cold water. End contrast shower you need cool water, after which you need to rub your body dry with a towel.
Every two days, lower the temperature of the cold water by 1-2 degrees, bringing it to a minimum that will not cause discomfort to the body. Gradually increase the time you take a cold shower from 10 seconds to 2 minutes. At the same time, increase both the total duration of the procedure and the time of taking a cold shower, bringing it from 10 seconds to 2 minutes. The total duration of the procedure should also gradually increase from 5 to 20-30 minutes.
Under no circumstances should you rush to lower the water temperature and reach the lowest point within short term while experiencing discomfort. Remember that the main principle of hardening is gradualism. Please also note that a contrast shower can only be taken by a person who does not suffer from at the moment colds. You cannot start hardening if you have a cold: the body, weakened by the disease, will not withstand the additional load, which can aggravate the disease, causing various complications.
A contrast shower has a beneficial effect on human body. However, its impact is not uniform. Firstly, taking a contrast shower relaxes the body, restores the proper functioning of the cardiovascular system, stabilizes the functioning of the nervous system, and strengthens the immune system. All these processes occur due to the effect on the body of alternating cold and warm water. While taking a shower, when the drops fall on the shoulders and back, the effect of a collar massage is created, which is an excellent means of preventing and treating diseases of the cardiovascular system.
Secondly, a shower has the ability to invigorate and lift your spirits. Therefore, it is recommended to take a contrast shower in the morning to get into a working mood after sleep.
Thirdly, this procedure is ideal remedy for treatment and muscle tightening, which is especially important for women.After your body gets used to regularly taking a contrast shower, replace it or supplement it with a cold shower. The technique of taking a cold shower is similar to a contrast shower. Your task is to gradually lower the temperature of the water and increase your stay under its invigorating streams. Start with a water temperature of 30 degrees, lowering it by 1 degree every day and bringing it to 5 degrees. Gradually increase the time you take a cold shower from 20 seconds to 5-7 minutes.
Now you have to master cold baths. The first step in mastering this procedure will be to take a bath with warm water (the kind you take every day). Lower the water temperature by 1 degree every day. There is no point in increasing the bath time, since initially you will choose the amount of time that suits you. After taking a cold bath, you need to rub your body well with a terry towel and wipe it dry.
Don't forget that hot bath cannot be completely replaced by cold. Cold water strengthens the body's immune system, but only hot water can cleanse the body of dirt and bacteria. Therefore, ideally, you should take either a hot bath or a warm shower some time after taking a cold bath.
Once you have mastered the cold bath technique, you can eliminate rubbing, dousing, and foot baths, since these procedures are used only as a means of initial stages hardening with water.
A variation of the hydrotherapy hardening method is barefoot walking. The best time to start it outside the home is, of course, in the summer. Make it a rule to regularly walk barefoot in your summer cottage. Walking barefoot in the morning dew, as well as on the grass after rain, is especially useful. In the city, you can use a square or stadium as a place to walk barefoot.
In cold weather, you can continue walking barefoot at home by making a simple exercise machine. Place small smooth pebbles in a single layer into a wooden box (you can bring sea pebbles from the south), moisten the pebbles with water and trample on them for 10-15 minutes. Perform this procedure morning and evening.
Tempering water procedures also include swimming in an open body of water in the warm season. From the very beginning, the time spent in water should not exceed 3-5 minutes to prevent hypothermia. Gradually, the duration of bathing can be increased by 2 minutes. The maximum recommended time spent in open water should not exceed 25-30 minutes.
After leaving the water, you need to rub your body with a towel and do a few simple physical exercise to keep warm.When hardening, you need to constantly move in the water, otherwise the body will quickly cool down and chills will appear. Best form movement in water is swimming. If you don’t know how to swim, you can jump in the water, play some water games, and do simple gymnastic exercises.
Hardening is very useful sea water. Research has shown that it has greater thermal conductivity and heat capacity than fresh water. This means that when swimming, sea water absorbs much more heat from the body, thereby increasing the cooling effect many times over. Therefore, hardening of this kind is more effective. True, in order to avoid hypothermia and the appearance of chills, the duration of stay in sea water should be less than in running water.
It is recommended to start sea swimming at a water temperature of 20-25 degrees and at an air temperature of at least 20 degrees. It is best to take sea baths in the morning. Swimming in running water, like swimming in a pool, perfectly tones the nervous system, and sea bathing, in addition to everything else, has a mechanical (hydromassage with waves) and chemical (the effect of salts dissolved in sea water) effect.
Try not to stop swimming in open water until late autumn. Hardening procedures performed at home, especially rubdowns and contrast showers, will help you with this. In winter, swimming in open water can be replaced by swimming in a pool. However, having received good training over the summer, you will be able to take up winter swimming.
Winter swimming is one of the the best ways improves immunity, and also prevents premature aging,
Many people ask themselves the question: “Is it possible to protect yourself and your children from colds? "Can!" - answer people who advocate hardening the body with water and who like to swim in ice water. By exposing your body to water procedures, a person gets rid of diseases such as tonsillitis, bronchitis and different shapes ARVI.
The benefits of hardening the body with water
Hardening with water procedures not only serves as a prophylactic against colds and viral diseases, but also helps to restore all impaired body functions, primarily the cardiovascular and central nervous systems, mental state person.
Modern comfortable conditions life contribute to the weakening of a person’s ability to adapt to constantly changing conditions environment, reduce the body’s resistance to weather changes, hypothermia, infections, etc. And as a result, the number of people susceptible to frequent illnesses which often become chronic. Therefore, doctors are increasingly recommending resorting to the most accessible way to strengthen the body. – hardening the body.
The benefits of hardening have been well known since ancient times. And we are all, as a rule, his supporters. But, unfortunately, most often theoretically. But in practice, there is a lack of determination, everyday worries overwhelm, and there seems to be no time for hardening procedures. But hardening the body is one of the most simple ways avoid many ailments, often resulting in serious complications. And you can start it at any age, at any time of the year.
But it should be borne in mind that hardening procedures will only become effective if they are carried out systematically. Without constant reinforcement, the results achieved decrease. Their effectiveness increases when complex application, a combination of general and local influences. You cannot sharply increase the intensity of hardening procedures, this may have the opposite effect – cause hypothermia and cause illness. You should not start hardening the body during an illness and for some period after it. The procedure should not become a forced act; positive emotions are needed to achieve results.
The main principles of hardening the body with water
General cool and cold water procedures contribute to the release of a significant amount of heat from the body, and the loss is greater the colder the water and the longer the procedures. It has been noticed that the greatest heat loss occurs in the very first minutes of hardening, and later this process slows down. Repeated use of cold water creates suitable conditions for the development of reactions that reduce heat transfer and increase heat production in the body, that is, it helps metabolism and promotes the formation of a new portion of internal heat in the body.
The initial water temperature during hardening water procedures should be indifferent, allowing it to be tolerated without irritation. During water procedures, sudden irritations from ice water are avoided to prevent stress.
Methods of water hardening of the body
If you decide to turn to hardening for the first time, then you can start with the simplest – wiping with cold water.
Rubbing usually begins with the hands, upper torso,
and after 2 weeks they begin to wipe the entire body.
In the future, the procedures are gradually brought to the point of dousing with cold water.
Rubbing is usually done in the evening before bed or immediately after waking up. Use a slightly wrung out towel, mitten or sponge.
Pouring hardening method
After several months of rubbing with cold water, you can gradually move on to dousing. To begin with, you can use water at a temperature of 20–25 °C, gradually lowering it by 1–2 °C. The procedure should be carried out before bedtime. Just like rubbing, this hardening procedure begins with the hands, moving on to dousing all the limbs completely, the torso and finally the whole body.
One of the initial procedures is dousing the feet. First, cold water is poured on the limbs, and after a month of hardening, you can stand with your feet in a basin with cold water, increasing the time of the procedures by a few seconds each session and bringing it up to 3 minutes. Then it is more effective to reduce the water temperature by 1 °C, bringing it to 14 °C, leaving the bathing time the same.
In the future, this method can be a little more complicated: to do this, you need to place a shower with strong pressure of cold water at the bottom of the bath and imitate walking in the stream of water for 2 minutes. By placing a mat with rubber spikes on the bottom, you can massage reflex zones feet connected to all internal organs, which will make the procedure more effective. Pouring the feet can be combined with rubbing. This has a tonic effect on the entire body, accelerates metabolic processes, and improves blood circulation.
Rubbing is carried out with a mitten made of hard, preferably ribbed fabric (for example, a waffle towel or canvas fabric), with water at a temperature of 20–23 ° C. Wetting and squeezing the mitten, rub the body in a circular motion in the direction from the peripheral areas to the center. Strengthen positive impact Rubdowns can be done by adding iodized salt to the water (1 tablespoon per 1 liter of water), thus creating the effect of sea water. After wiping one part of the body, you must immediately rub it with a dry towel until you feel warm. The procedure is best carried out in the morning, and the air temperature should not be lower than 18 °C.
After water procedures, be sure to rub the cooled parts of the body with a warm terry towel until they turn red.
Walking on water as a way to harden the body
One of the most ancient types of hardening is barefoot walking. Its roots go to Ancient Greece, where barefooting was a cult. IN scientific medicine This type of hardening with water procedures was proposed in the 19th century. hygienist Sebastian Kneipp. He said that in combination with dousing, walking barefoot on dew, wet stones, and snow is very effective in preventing various diseases.
It is best to start this procedure in the summer, since at this time it is possible to walk barefoot on the ground and morning dew. After about 1 month, the procedure intensifies. They step into a basin of cold water with one or the other foot alternately, as if imitating walking in one place.
Subsequently, the water level is raised from the ankles to the knees, and the hardening exercise itself is done in a bathtub or river with cool water.
After walking on water, the feet are doused with water at room temperature and vigorously rubbed with a towel.
Showering is an effective method water hardening
A contrast shower with alternating water is also used. different temperatures. Starting the procedure with water at a temperature of 35–37 ° C, it should be completed with water at a lower temperature. At first, the difference should fluctuate between 2–4 °C, followed by an increase in contrast. Over time, after the body has fully adapted, the water temperature at the final stage can be reduced to 18–20 °C. This procedure energizes, stimulates the nervous system, increases the body’s resistance to hypothermia, and helps strengthen the functioning of the circulatory, cardiovascular and respiratory systems.
In its action, the shower is similar to douches, except that during douches contrast of temperatures is not used, but water of the same temperature is used, with its daily decrease from the initial 33–34 °C to 20–22 °C. To carry out the procedure, a person gets into the bath, after which he is doused with water. You can douse yourself for 2–3 minutes. After dousing, you need to rub the body with a dry, rough cloth until the skin turns pink.
Cold shower as a method of hardening the body. This hardening procedure is considered very strong and effective and requires preliminary preparation. A shower with medium water pressure is used; to begin with, the temperature should not be very cold, 33-35 ° C is enough. Then the temperature is gradually lowered, and the shower time is increased to 2 minutes.
If the person being hardened is sufficiently prepared, after physical exertion and to relieve stress and fatigue, take a so-called contrast shower. Its peculiarity is that cold and warm water are used alternately with a temperature difference from 5-7 to 20 ° C. In winter, the water temperature during hardening should be significantly warmer than in summer.
Swimming in open water as a way to harden the body
This is one of the most effective ways, because temperature regime combined with the impact sun rays throughout the body evenly, as well as with swimming, which helps strengthen the nervous, respiratory and cardiovascular systems and form motor skills.
The swimming season is usually considered open if the water temperature in the reservoir reaches 18 °C. From once a day, by the end of summer, they gradually move on to swimming at intervals of 3-4 hours (breaks for lunch and rest).
Best effect from the point of view of the body, hardening is carried out by bathing in sea water due to high content salts that cause a slight gentle chemical effect on the skin. A combination of thermal effects with mechanical ones (wave movement) is also useful.
When swimming, you need to focus on your health and avoid hypothermia and chills. Cooled skin no longer gives the proper reaction, and instead of warming up, freezing occurs, causing irritation of the nervous system (often accompanied by convulsions), general weakness etc.
The feet and nasopharynx are the most sensitive to cold and are susceptible to colds. Therefore, it is necessary to devote maximum time to hardening these parts of the body with water. People who gargle with ice water and pour water on their feet suffer less from the flu, runny nose, and sore throat.
An effective method of hardening the body with winter swimming
And finally, the most extreme view hardening the body with water is winter swimming in open water. But this method requires prior consultation with a doctor and long-term systematic preparation. Preparatory stage carried out over 2–3 years. During the first year, procedures such as rubbing, dousing, and contrast showers are practiced with increasing intensity, i.e., the temperature of cold water is brought to a minimum. The subsequent period includes cold shower, cold baths and rubbing with cold water, standing in the snow, as well as walking on soft snow.
These procedures themselves have a powerful effect, and if they are successful, you can proceed to the next stage – swimming in early spring and late autumn in open reservoirs with a water temperature of 16–18 °C. 33 This stage should last at least 2 years. And when your body is strong enough, you can start winter swimming. Bathing time should not exceed 1 minute, since staying in low-temperature water causes sharp deviations from the norm: blood pressure rises, pulse and breathing quicken, and body temperature decreases. This method of hardening with water also affects the state of the nervous system. Therefore, it can only be used absolutely healthy people.
An absolute contraindication to winter swimming is
- hypertension,
- atherosclerosis,
- chronic infectious and inflammatory diseases etc.
In addition, this type of hardening is contraindicated for children and adolescents under 18 years of age, since winter swimming, being severe stress for the whole body, strengthens adrenal function – most important gland internal secretion, which can result in their complete depletion and intolerance stressful situations. Scientists have proven that people who engage in winter swimming are resistant to colds to the same extent as those who systematically harden traditional ways.
A staunch advocate of water hardening was the Austrian doctor Sebastian Kneipp. To prove the healing power of water, he decided to swim in the Danube River in winter, suffering from pneumonia. And indeed, the effect of ice water turned out to be beneficial, and S. Kneipp recovered. Although it is not recommended for anyone to repeat this procedure without preparation.
Hot water hardening method
Since you can harden with water not only cold, but also hot, let’s take a closer look at this type of hardening. Hot water is no less useful. Under the influence of increased temperature and humidity, oxygen consumption increases and, accordingly, the body gets rid of carbon dioxide. The lungs expand and begin to breathe with their entire surface. The processes of skin respiration also intensify, which manifests itself in strengthening the elasticity and turgor (hydrostatic pressure in the cells) of the skin.
For those who do not tolerate cold water well, we can recommend the hot method. In this case, the naked body is rubbed with hot water and (unlike cold rubdowns) is not dried. When drying naturally, water evaporates from the skin, cooling it. But it should be borne in mind that the hotter the water, the more intense the cooling occurs, so the water temperature should be increased gradually.
Swimming as a way to harden the body
The difference in air and water temperatures in a pool (open body of water) provokes natural hardening immune system. In addition, water hardening creates a natural cooling effect that prevents overheating. Aquatic environment has a gentle effect on muscles and ligaments, preventing sprains, due to the fact that the liquid medium takes on the weight of the body. At the same time, the caloric expenditure required to cover 1 km in the pool is equivalent to 4 km of running or fast walking.
One of the most effective techniques today is hardening by swimming. Not many people know that this hardening technique involves swimming treatment. It can be recommended even for people with weakened immune systems: after illnesses, pregnant and lactating women, etc.
What are the benefits of hardening by swimming?
Hardening with water while swimming prepares the body for further physical exercise on land. It trains correct breathing, uniform inhalation and exhalation. By immersing the face in water, a person necessarily breathes with all his lungs, which prevents air from stagnating in the lower part of them. Swimming trains flexibility and increases the elasticity of ligaments and tendons. Intense movements of the legs and arms develop the hip joints, which are usually inactive and do not receive proper load in a modern city dweller, as well as the triceps muscles (back surface) of the arm.
It is recommended to start hardening by swimming once a week for 15-20 minutes and, in the absence of contraindications, gradually increase the training time to 30 minutes 3 times a week. It is recommended to precede exercise in water with a very light warm-up on land. It can last no more than 1-2 minutes and include light squats, swinging legs to the sides and back and forth, and bending. Too intense preliminary exercises before hardening by swimming can provoke sharp increase body temperature, which can lead to weakening of cardiac activity during sudden immersion in water.
How is the body hardened by swimming?
When hardening by swimming, it is necessary to ensure that the upper and lower parts of the body receive the same load. Swimming therapy will help strengthen your leg muscles. To do this, it is recommended to swim on a board from time to time, turning off your hands from the swimming process. Those who are more prepared can wear fins.
Special exercises performed in the part of the pool where the water reaches from the waist to the neck will also help.
Stand up straight with your arms extended in front of you. Raise your legs alternately, trying to reach your toes 10-15 times with each leg.
March in the water, raising your knees high, for 5-10 minutes.
To train the upper body, you should try to keep your legs in a state of relative rest; you do not need to make fast and sudden movements with them. Hardening by swimming will be much more effective if you additionally use physical exercises. The following physical exercises can be recommended.
Bend your elbows, spread your knees. Make vigorous movements with your arms, as if swimming, while maintaining balance. Perform 2 sets of 15 - 20 times.
Holding the support, make circular movements with your body left and right. Perform 2 sets of 20 - 30 times.
For correct distribution loads when hardening by swimming and preventing monotony, you can enroll in a water aerobics group or dancing in the water.
Water procedures ">
Water, water, water all around...
Water procedures - hygienic and wellness treatments related to external use of water. Water, which has high heat capacity and fluidity, comes into close contact with the skin and simultaneously has an irritating, tonic and cleansing effect. If the skin is not cleansed regularly, it makes it difficult for the sebaceous and sweat glands to work. This creates conditions for the proliferation of microorganisms that can cause all sorts of skin diseases. It is recommended to shower at least once a day. This is not just a hygienic cleansing procedure, but also a powerful means of hardening the body and increasing the tone of the nervous system. Water hardening procedures include rubbing, dousing, showering and bathing. It is best to master them in the same sequence.
To wipe yourself down, pour water at a temperature that is pleasant for you (but not hot) into a basin, soak a towel in it (preferably linen) and rub it vigorously all over your body, from head to toe. Repeat 2-3 times, then rub your body with a dry terry towel. Gradually lower the water temperature until it is as cold as tap water. Pouring is a stronger procedure. Switch to it when you start wiping yourself with cold water. The whole body must be doused at once. a large number water. Then you should also rub yourself with a dry, rough towel. An even more energetic water procedure is a shower. In this case, the temperature effect is accompanied by the point pressure of water jets, which provides a weak massage and skin irritant effect. However, bathing has the most complete effect on the body.
When exposed to water procedures, the contrast between body temperature and water is very important. However, it should not be extremely large, especially at first. The temperature contrast should increase gradually. In this case, the body’s adaptation to the cold factor occurs most favorably. At the same time, the activity of the cardiovascular, nervous and thermoregulatory systems is activated. After water procedures and massage you should always feel pleasant warmth throughout the body and wellness. Water procedures should give you pleasure, and not be a punishment.
To traditional types of water cosmetic procedures include contrast showers, baths, baths and saunas. They help shape your figure, remove toxins, improve skin condition and normalize the nervous system.Rational use of water procedures in combination with physical activity And proper nutrition able to keep the body in good shape. Not in vain contrasting douches and a bath are often included in the list of recommendations for losing weight.
How does water affect the body? Cold water reflexively causes a temporary narrowing of the skin peripheral vessels (they contain 30% of human blood), which entails the distillation of blood into internal organs and the brain, which receive additional nutrition and oxygen during this time. Therefore, it is recommended to wash your face and hands with cold water 3-4 times during the day. When we talk about hot water, we mean a temperature higher than body temperature, and when we talk about cold water, we mean lower.
Cold water is not always good for the body. Scientists have proven that if you drink
food with ice water, then its residence time in the stomach is reduced from 4-5 hours
up to 20 minutes. In this case, the body simply does not have time to get enough
and the feeling of hunger worsens again, which threatens to become overweight.
What are the types of water procedures?
Hydrotherapy procedures are divided into general and local. General ones have an effect on the entire surface of the body. These include baths, all types of showers (circular, contrast, regular, Charcot shower), rubdowns, swimming in the pool and natural reservoirs.
Local water procedures have a direct effect on a limited area of the body. These can be local medicinal baths for individual parts body (arms, legs), rising shower, wet compresses, vaporization and lotions. At home, the most acceptable are general and local baths, contrast and regular showers, as well as a variety of compresses and lotions.
Losing weight with water
The most affordable ways to lose weight with water are contrast showers, saunas and general baths. Cool moisture has a tonic effect on the body, which increases energy consumption for heat production, and therefore accelerates the burning of subcutaneous fat. Arises and magnificent cosmetic effect- prevention of wrinkles. Hot water opens the pores, allowing them to be cleansed of impurities and the body of toxins. Metabolism is normalized, processes of lipid tissue breakdown are activated.
When applied locally, water acts exactly where it is needed, activating the breakdown of fats in problem areas. For these purposes, hydromassage and local baths are successfully used.
A diet on ice water is also dangerous because putrefactive processes can begin.
in the intestines, since food is not completely digested. To avoid unpleasant
consequences, it is necessary to avoid cold drinks before and after meals.
Their optimal temperature is room temperature
Hot or cold?
Rapid changes in water temperature cause microstress, which helps to activate all functions, improve blood circulation, metabolic processes, strengthen tissues and, in particular, skin. The short-term action of alternately cold and hot water increases the body’s tone: it relieves fatigue, lethargy, drowsiness, and clears up memory.
To cheer up, a short (2-5 seconds) cold shower is recommended, which can be used to complete the bathing procedure. However, people with increased nervous excitability, as well as those suffering from rheumatism and radiculitis cold water may damage. Most often these procedures are done in the morning. In the evening, take a warm shower so as not to provoke insomnia.
Expert: Galina Filippova, general practitioner, candidate of medical sciences
Natalia Karpova
