Stillwater Runs Deep

Movement In Water Runs Deeper

Sports Columnist

Let’s take a deeper look at the health and well being of our NBA players.

The fact that Bryant, Gasol, Nash, Blake, World Peace and Hill were injured before the playoffs began raised a red flag to me.

This is not about age.

Consider that Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker are all beyond 30 were major contributors in the playoffs.

It’s all about being mindful and using the best methods to prevent injuries.

So the question is how are the NBA teams and players addressing the needs of their body and mind for proper well being in a season, which includes 82 games and then playoffs?

Let me share with you the thoughts of some players recently interviewed by The Observer.

“I’m a great fan of water exercise,” said Parker. “The water reduced a lot of pressure from my body.”

Duncan said he loves the water. “It has reduced a lot of pressure from my muscles and joints. Especially after a game where there’s been a lot of pounding. The water is the great healer.”

Lamar Odom said it was a great experience to start his rehab in the water. Both spiritually and physically “It made for a rapid recovery.”

Jordan Hill said he trained briefly in the water after being injured in an early season game.

“It helped but I was in the water a very brief time before I went on to other training.”

The Lakers then missed his rebounding, as they were knocked out of the playoffs in the first round.

After I heard the players’ comments it made me feel I needed verification from professional sources.

I then went to the Pubmed website to find research supporting the players’ comments that water therapy enhances recovery time.I also interviewed surgeon dr. Robert Klapper, chief of Orthopedic surgery at Cedars-Sinai Medical Group.

Klapper has written two books with Linda Huey from Complete PT about preventing hip and knee surgery and what to do if you need it.

Klapper can be heard Saturdays from 7 am to 9 am on ESPN radio (710) answering callers’ question about their injuries.

From his years of experience the healing properties of water are the best way to address many injuries of joints, tendons ligaments & bones “ said Klapper.

Hundreds of his patients were sent to water therapy to train and complete their recovery.

Klapper was surprised to hear there was no water training on a regular basis by either the Lakers or Clippers.

So what is going on here?

Aqua therapy has been proven to be an important part of the greatest cultures in societies. Today science is proving that warm water therapy is good for a nervous system, heart and brain

So what is the reason they are not using the water as a healing medium?

With constant ongoing water therapy players can not only prevent dramatic ups and downs in their physical condition during their career, they can heal more quickly and thoroughly when injuries do occur.

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Maturity increases by age and if players are given the opportunity to continue playing without being forced out by injuries we would see a better game with players who are Stillwater: calm serine, focused, centered and unfaltering

It’s time to be mindful of preventative medical care for the players. I would like to see more effort in the use of water therapy

Supporting information about the benefit of aquatic therapy for rehabilitation http://www.worksafebc.com/health_care_providers/assets/pdf/hydrotherapy_application_physiotherapy.pdf

http://www.ospti.net/articles_benefitsofaquatherapy.html