Hydro massage (English hydro-massage, whirlpool massage) is a massage performed by a water stream. This is a procedure for targeted therapeutic effects on the human body using pressurized water jets. Today, the most important thing is to supply an air stream to the water and use the numerous bubbles that form to heal. Pools and bathtubs are equipped with hydro massage equipment; there are also separate showers, shower panels and hydro massage shower cabins.
Mixed water and air provoke the formation of microbubbles. Special openings in the preventive tank, SPA pool or bathtub are called nozzles. It is through them that the purposeful movement of bubbles is carried out. The supply of water and air jets can be adjusted in intensity and the shape of the flow can be modified by modifying the nozzles.
History of origin
Already in Ancient Rome and Ancient Egypt, the healing properties of water treatments were discovered. Bathing was considered a sign of wealth. The research works of Hippocrates indicate that the ancient Greek physician attached great importance to hydrotherapy for the healing process from serious diseases.
For the first time, Scottish writer Tobias George Smollett elevated beach holidays to the rank of a type of recreation. Smollett actively studied the effects of water treatments on the human body and came to the conclusion that pressurized water is of the greatest importance. His research carried the prototype of modern hydro massage.
The first hot tubs were created by the Jacuzzi company in 1968. Candido Jacuzzi first invented a sample of such a tank in order to alleviate the plight of his son, who suffered from arthritis. The first set looked rather primitive: a special pump was simply immersed in a bathtub, and when air was supplied through the pump, bubbles formed. Such baths have proven to be an effective means of treating and preventing diseases of the musculoskeletal system. They were sold in specialty stores and pharmacies[1].
More than ten years later, the Jacuzzi company introduced a fully autonomous design with closed water circulation to the market. Today, the company is a leader in the SPA industry. So, most people by the term "Jacuzzi" mean any kind of hot tub.
A Catholic priest from Germany named Sebastian Kneipp shared his own secrets of hydrotherapy by writing a book called "My Hydrotherapy." Alexander Nikitin, a doctor from pre-revolutionary Russia, carefully examined and described the effects of baths with water of various temperatures on the body.
Kinds
Jet hydro massage is the most widespread and simplest type of hydro massage. The principle of operation is simple – the water jet is supplied under pressure. More complicated variations are vortex and vibration hydro massage. Vibration baths are especially important for strengthening the muscles of all areas of the body (arms, legs, back, abdominal).
Therapeutic benefits
When a person is immersed in a hot tub, his body is in conditions close to zero gravity. The maintained comfortable water temperature also helps to maximize muscle relaxation. The combination of relaxation and hydro massage helps to achieve a significant therapeutic effect. This is especially important in the presence of a pronounced pain syndrome. The vibrating massage jet has a deep and painless effect on muscles relaxed in the water and produces mechanical, thermal and, when using sea and mineral water, chemical effects.
Hydro massage is recommended for the following functional disorders and diseases
Violation of the human immune status; injuries and diseases of the musculoskeletal system; sleep disorders; stress, depression, asthenic syndrome; venous insufficiency, including varicose veins; circulatory disorders; chronic fatigue syndrome; gastrointestinal diseases; disorders of the peripheral nervous system; vegetative vascular dystonia; metabolic disorders (obesity, cellulite); sexual disorders
