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HydroWorx: Trusted By The Pros

Home > HydroWorx: Trusted By The Pros

HydroWorx is trusted by some of the top athletes across the globe. Meet some of them and learn about their stories below!

Table of Contents (Jump to the Content You Want):

Alan Webb

The 2007 season put Alan Webb on top of the world as the highest-ranked miler. Unfortunately, with every high come some lows, and the following year left Alan sidelined with injuries and without a spot on the team heading to the Summer Games in Beijing. Injuries continued to plague Alan’s 2009 season, barely allowing him to race at all due to an injured Achilles.

This spring, after undergoing surgery on his Achilles, Alan started running again. He experimented with different methods of cross training, submerging underwater in order to re-emerge on the track. With a Hydroworx underwater treadmill and an Alter-G anti-gravity treadmill, Alan got back up to speed. After months of slowly increasing his training, Alan was finally ready to recapture his form.

After clocking a mediocre (at least for Webb) 1:52 in the 800m in the UK, came a promising 3:41 in 1500m, and the results kept on coming…fast. Two weeks later he ran the same distances, slashing his 800m time down to 1:48 and his 1500m to 3:36 (a time that nearly equaled his fastest time over the past two years and placed him just one second behind the silver medalist from Beijing).

Ryan Kelly

Ryan Kelly, Duke University’s senior basketball forward, had missed 12 games due to a foot injury that kept him on crutches. Kelly was determined to get back on the court before the end of the regular season, a fairly ambitious goal. He was rehabbing and training 7 days a week, in the HydroWorx pool running underwater as well as working on basketball specific movements and land-based weight training, a program put together by head Basketball Athletic Trainer, Jose Fonseca.  Kelly’s attitude and perseverance never wavered throughout the long rehabilitation process.

On my time out, I kind of had the goal obviously every day to get better physically and also to stay in it mentally, everyday, 7 days a week, as long as it took. Throughout the whole process I had the mindset that I wanted to comeback and I wanted to play again.

Ryan Kelly

He was dedicated to his program because he ultimately wanted to make his return at home, on senior night, Tuesday March 5th against Virginia Tech. Well was he able to do it?

He actually beat his goal and came back Saturday March 2nd against Miami and put up very impressive numbers for his first game back. Take a look!

Mark McMorris

Mark McMorris, who suffered a horrendous snowboarding accident in the British Columbia back country in March 2017, did some of his rehabilitation at Fortius. He suffered a broken jaw and arm, ruptured spleen, collapsed lung, rib fractures, and pelvic fracture. After 10 days in the ICU, McMorris began to improve. His inspiring comeback, as documented on CBC Sports.ca, included using the HydroWorx 2000 series pool during the early stages of rehab.

With under a year before the big games, McMorris waited only weeks before beginning physio work in four-week intervals. Underwater treadmill work, mobility drills, soft tissue joint work were top treatment priorities. McMorris’ physio and family friend, Damien Moroney, was surprised at his rapid recovery, considering his barrage of injuries.

McMorris’ brought home a bronze in snowboarding Slopestyle in February, and defended his gold at the Burton US Open.

Tatum Monod

Tatum Monod, Freeskier Magazine’s 2017 Skier of the Year, suffered a broken femur, torn ACL, partially torn MCL, bucket handle tear to her meniscus and several bone bruises from an April 2017 fall in Haines Junction, Alaska. On June 1 Monod was thrilled to announce on Instagram, “I’m walking!” as she entered Fortius’ HydroWorx 2000 pool for the first time.  The natural properties of water reduced swelling and inflammation and the smooth gait training provided by the state-of-the-art underwater treadmill helped Monod heal faster.

Monod’s skiing roots—and grit—run deep. Her father raced for the Canadian national team, her parents met while skiing, and her grandfather opened one of North America’s best-known gear shops, Monod Sports.

Evidently, it will take more than falling off an Alaskan cliff to stop Tatum. And more than a barrage of breaks to keep Mark away from the slopes. And Fortius will continue to provide these determined athletes an unmatched quality of care.

Derek Jeter

One team that took the dive with HydroWorx, is the New York Yankees. With one of their star players recovering from a pretty serious injury, adding a unit to accelerate his rehab was a necessity. 

Derek Jeter had surgery on his fractured ankle in October and began his underwater sessions in January at the team’s facility in Tampa, Florida. Jeter told the NY Daily News, “I am just doing some stuff in the water. On the treadmill.” With a goal of starting in the Yankee’s season opener in April, the trainers and coaches knew they needed to upgrade their hydrotherapy equipment to help increase the chances of his return. The program seems to be working for this shortstop since he was spotted on the field in Tampa with the rest of the team.

Adriane Agria-Halford

For one runner, Adriane Agria-Halford, her first Boston Marathon is very different than previous races that she’s run. According to the article, “Battling back: Petoskey’s Agria-Halford training for her first Boston Marathon,” on petoskeynews.com, she began running 5ks in 2009. Agria-Halford worked her way up through half-marathons and then ran the full Detroit Marathon in 2012, which unexpectedly qualified her for the 2014 Boston Marathon. But for that race, she was working her way back from two fractures in her pelvis. Agria-Halford started noticing the pain in September of 2013. When she finally discovered the source, she was in the middle of training for Boston and told her doctor she did not want to take the 6-weeks off from running, as prescribed.

Thanks to an open-minded doctor, she discovered she could continue her training during those weeks without hindering her healing. He suggested she try some cross-training modalities that remove the effects of gravity but mimic land-running, such as HydroWorx aquatic therapy. Agria-Halford started training in the HydroWorx 500 Series pool at Tim Bondy Physical Therapy over the winter and has worked up to an hour per session while continually increasing her speed.

“It feels like running and the resistance jets in front make it feel as if you’re running into the wind,” Agria-Halford said. “It makes it harder than running on land and you don’t have the jarring of running. It really does feel like running, I’m impressed.”

Adriane Agria-Halford

Antonio Valencia

For an international soccer star, fracturing an ankle typically means a significant leave of absence. But Manchester United’s Antonio Valencia hasn’t taken his serious ankle injury in the September game against Rangers lying down. Instead, he’s been undergoing what some have deemed “water torture” in the team’s HydroWorx underwater treadmill to speed up his recovery.

According to John Davin, Manchester United’s 1st Team Physiotherapist, Valencia’s heavy-duty workouts and aquatic therapy sessions are having an incredibly positive impact.

“Antonio continues to make excellent progress through his rehabilitation. His progression has, without doubt, been greatly assisted by the use of the HydroWorx underwater treadmill pool. It has provided a medium in which Antonio can run relatively early without adverse effects to the healing and repair of damaged tissue.”

John Davin

Kelly McKlusky

As a forty-something age group triathlete, Kelly McKlusky’s priorities regarding racing have changed.

She used to obsess over the times and statistics of other racers as compared to her own stats, but now she is more concerned with staying injury free and healthy so she can continue to participate for many more years in the sport.

Kelly is always looking for new and innovative ways to stay low impact with her running portion of triathlon. Recently, she had the opportunity to use the HydroWorx therapy pool as part of her low impact workout.

The HydroWorx pool is unique because it has an underwater treadmill, allowing users to get a run workout in 80% impact free. Kelly was skeptical at first but within one use of the pool, she was hooked.

I’ve tried regular pool running before with a weight belt in the deep end of the pool. I found this way of running very awkward, but the HydroWorx pool wasn’t because it is set up like a regular treadmill where your feet hit the ground; the difference is that you are in water and it doesn’t hurt.

Kelly McKlusky

The workout in the HydroWorx pool is also challenging, which as an endurance athlete Kelly welcomes. There are swim jets that create resistance while you are running; creating a one two punch as she is getting her run done and off the pavement. The jets can also be used to simulate an open water swim.

I get bored easily with my training and workouts, which is one of the reasons why I love triathlon so much; I get to mix up three sports. Use of the therapy pool helps me keep my workouts fresh; I look forward to going and using the pool and I know I’m getting great results. The pool is fun too because I can watch myself while I’m running. There are underwater cameras that show what my feet look like when they hit the treadmill so I have instant feedback on my gait and I can instantly correct if I’m over or under pronating.

Kelly McKlusky

One of the things Kelly said to have noticed after her training session in the HydroWorx pool is feeling energized. She feels like she could go back for more and rarely feels that way after pounding the pavement for an hour or more.

After my last session in the pool I noticed a significant change in my running the very next day. I was refreshed and not sore and was able to run longer as a result of using the underwater treadmill. I was only scheduled to run five miles that day but ran seven because I felt so good. The realization; I need to incorporate the pool into my weekly routine to maximize my running.

I can’t imagine life without triathlon; to me it is like eating or sleeping or taking a shower; it is a necessity. I have wondered lately how I will keep my body going and now I have an answer; the HydroWorx pool.

Kelly McKlusky

Collin Francis

On September 3, 2015, Collin Francis, from Indiana University in Bloomington, IN, presented a webinar about the functional post-operative rehab of a Division I swimmer. The rehab took place in a HydroWorx 1200 Series poo while Collin was at Clemson University in Clemson, SC. Collin shared details and video of the protocols used during the rehabilitation and the results of their efforts.

The case study was of a 21 year old male breast stroke swimmer who started to have bilateral knee pain. He was diagnosed with bilateral knee synovitis and a conservative treatment plan was implemented to keep him competing through the season.

After the season, he had arthroscopic surgery to remove scar tissue and excise the synovial lining of the joint on both knees. For the first four days after surgery, the focus of the athletic training staff was to limit pain and swelling. On the fifth day, functional rehab began with a goal of returning the athlete to swimming without limitations.

The key to the success of the rehab was to make it as functional and sport-specific as possible. As soon his wounds healed and he was cleared by his doctors to get in the water, he began aquatic therapy. They started with freestyle the first week, then progressed to breast stroke and eventually butterfly.

A few key areas of focus during rehabilitation included:

  • increasing the jet speed to strengthen the swimmer
  • monitoring the swimmer’s form with underwater cameras
  • performing upper extremity work including arm walking exercises on the underwater treadmill
  • progressing with knee flexion work in deep water

Following his complete rehabilitation, the swimmer, who was initially nervous about returning to the water after surgery, went on to become a NCAA qualifier and an Olympic trial participant.

To learn more about the exercises used in his rehabilitation with video and images, watch the webinar on-demand!

Nicole (Boston Marathon Runner)

Nicole is an avid runner who has participated in multiple half-marathons and marathons. While training for a half marathon, she developed a painful injury with a pretty technical name: posterior tibialis tendonitis. This basically means she couldn’t walk for more than 5 minutes without extreme pain in her foot and ankle.  She went to Boston Sports Medicine for therapy, and they immediately put her in the HydroWorx 500 Series Pool. In the water, they were able to work on things that she was not able to do on land because of the pain.

Using the underwater treadmill, her physical therapist, Jennifer Mohns, was able to help Nicole improve her gait by correcting things like foot strike and stride. With the un-weighting property of water, she was able to work on strengthening weak muscles that contribute to injuries. Things that she could not do on land due to the pain, she could comfortably handle in the water: like calf raises, squats, etc.

Once she was able to walk and run comfortably again, her therapy sessions stopped.  But when it came time to train for the 2013 Boston Marathon, Nicole knew she needed to focus on her form again.  She returned to Boston Sports Medicine to help with her training.  The biggest thing she’s found is that she has been able to remain injury-free since using the water.

Brook Lopez

The last thing an athlete wants is to be injured, especially during the season where not playing in a game could put your team in jeopardy.  That is exactly what has happened to NJ Nets center, Brook Lopez.

On December 21st Lopez fractured his fifth metatarsal in his right foot, during the Nets second preseason game against the Miami Heat. Two days later, Lopez had surgery on his right foot at the Hospital for Special Surgery in Manhattan, making his recovery time 6 to 8 weeks.

Lopez’s response to the injury, “I really wanna be back out there and help my team in any way that I can” is one that many dedicated athletes would have. This injury is especially difficult for the Nets center because he has never missed a game in his three seasons in the NBA.

For the past week or so, according to Nets coach Avery Johnson, Lopez has been doing a lot of upper body work with additional pool workouts on the underwater treadmill. Through the use of the underwater treadmill in Lopez’ rehab program, coach Avery Johnson hopes that the basketball star will be up and walking, possibly taking some shots by the end of this week.  Aquatic therapy and underwater treadmill training programs have been proven to speed an athlete’s rehab process, therefore decreasing their time on the sidelines.

Andy Murray

Andy Murray has an impressive tennis record, including 2012 Olympic tennis men’s singles champion and 2013 Wimbledon Championship singles title holder. But lately, Murray has been working hard at Chelsea FC’s training ground.  He hasn’t taken up professional soccer yet, but he has been given access to Chelsea’s facilities in order to accelerate his recovery from back surgery. He had back surgery in September and has been working most specifically on the underwater treadmill in the HydroWorx pool.

“It’s sped up the recovery a lot. I’ve been doing anti-gravity running in the swimming pool. Most of what I do is straight-line running in the pool. It’s basically like an underwater treadmill. It’s been a massive help for me to be able to do that, because there aren’t many of them around.”

Using the HydroWorx 2000 Series pool allows Murray to continue to maintain cardiovascular fitness while removing stress from his recovering back. Additionally, it gives him the ability to strengthen his back with reduced pain and decreased risk of re-injury.

Murray has also been doing some rehab work at home and as well as doing some pilates.  But he’s thankful for being allowed to use Chelsea’s facility since he is doing most of his training there. Since he is a football fan, speaking with club manager, Jose Mourinho, was a highlight because Murray thinks its great to have Mourinho back at Chelsea and respects what he’s doing at the club.

Carson Palmer

Riding on the coattails of Carson Palmer’s Pro Bowl season, the Bengals were making their first playoff appearance in 15 years. On his first pass of the game – a 66 yard strike that momentarily filled the Cincinnati hopeful with joy, the Bengals quarterback tore ligaments in his left knee when he was hit by Pittsburgh Steeler, and 300-plus-pound defensive end, Kimo von Oelhoffen.

Carson Palmer waited two days before having surgery, which took place in Houston, on Jan 10.

After a number of months focused primarily on rebuilding atrophied muscles and regaining full range of motion, Palmer returned to Cincinnati to continue his rehabilitation at the Bengal’s facility – equipped with a HydroWorx 2000 therapy pool.

“The HydroWorx pools without a doubt are the most versatile pieces of equipment that we have in our training room at Paul Brown Stadium. The applications are virtually limitless” says Paul Sparling, Head Athletic Trainer for the Cincinnati Bengals.

Through the principal of buoyancy, Palmer is able to jog neck deep in water while taking most of the weight of his body off his knee. Additionally, underwater cameras allow Bengals athletic trainers to observe movements and diagnose any gait irregularities.

In the near weightless environment of an underwater treadmill, an injured athlete can walk or run without over-taxing the joint. The result is typically a speedier, more complete recovery from injury or surgery. That is a bottom-line issue and it is precisely why growing numbers of sports teams and universities are choosing HydroWorx. Top spinal research and sports medicine facilities, most notably Dr. James R. Andrews of the Andrew’s Institute, have invested in HydroWorx pools as well.

Adrian Peterson

Not long ago, a knee injury to a running back could result in a lengthy rehab, the end of a season, or even the end of a career.  Vikings’ star-rookie, Adrian Peterson, suffered a torn lateral collateral ligament injury in the November 11th game against Green Bay .  The outcome of his injury; however was quite different with his gritty determination and the cutting-edge aquatic therapy he received at Summit Place Senior Campus in Eden Prarie, MN.  Within 24 hours of the play, Peterson was in a Hydroworx 2000 pool – jogging.  He returned to the playing field in two weeks.

The 2000 Series is HydroWorx’s flagship product in their line-up, to fulfill the mission of providing the best in aquatic therapy and fitness.  This is achieved with a barrier free modular pool whose floor, which doubles as an underwater treadmill, can be elevated to meet the athlete at floor level then be submersed to depths of up to six feet.  The cushioned, low-impact treadmill operates at speeds of .2 mph increments to a top speed of 8.5 mph.  Also unique to HydroWorx pools are the resistance jets, massage hoses, variable water temperatures, and underwater cameras and viewing monitors.

Marcus Lattimore

Marcus Lattimore, South Carolina running back, suffered a horrific knee injury on October 27, 2012 and just six days later he was wheeled through the front doors of The Andrew’s Institute. That day, world-renown surgeon, Dr. Andrew’s, who performed Robert Griffin III’s reconstructive knee surgery, began rebuilding this NFL prospect’s knee. Two and a half hours later, the ACL, LCL and PCL were repaired and this athlete knew it was time to get to work.

Unfortunately, this was not Lattimore’s first knee injury or first rehabilitation. Having been through a similar recovery experience before, Lattimore has a new found motivation and determination to come back faster and stronger. Lattimore, 21 years old, is determined to turn this second knee injury of his career into the next great NFL comeback story. A stunned Dr. Andrews tells USA Today that Lattimore is already three months ahead of schedule in his recovery and has gained 20 pounds of muscle!

Three months ahead of schedule and 20 pounds of muscle gained. How can this be?

Lattimore has armed himself with an unstoppable combination of  state-of-the-art equipment, world-class therapists, the motivation of the upcoming NFL draft, and an unwavering attitude and belief that he will not only come back but be stronger than before.

“I want to be an inspiration,” Lattimore tells USA TODAY Sports. “To let people know that with hard work, and when you trust in God, you can come back from anything and do anything.”

A key portion of Lattimore’s rehabilitation process has been the HydroWorx 2000 Series pool at the Andrews Institute in Gulf Breeze, FL.  The healing properties of water made integrating the HydroWorx into his rehab a natural fit.  It also allowed Lattimore to begin rehab sooner than he would have been afforded with land-based rehab.  Allowing a non or partial weight bearing athlete like Lattimore a way to move and begin rehab before they thought possible can do amazing things for their body and their spirit.  Early intervention with aquatic therapy can also reduce inflammation, minimize the loss of range of motion and help to speed the recovery process.

News posts like the USA Today Sports and NFL.com are reporting on Lattimore’s ‘impossible muscle gains’.  Some of these gains in lean muscle mass can be attributed as an added benefit of  his training in the HydroWorx therapy pool. In the water, your legs and body are forced to work harder due to the increased resistance of the water.  A 12 week research study conducted at Texas A&M University showed that individuals who exercised on an underwater treadmill saw lean muscle mass increases primarily in the legs while lean body mass did not increase in the land treadmill workouts.   These increases were examined in a separate study, also conducted by research scientists at Texas A&M, that focused on the effects of strength training in conjunction with underwater treadmill exercise.  When compared to strength training alone or strength training with land running, the combination of strength training and underwater treadmill running elicited greater increases in lean mass with the added benefit of improved cardiovascular capacity.   Based on this research, it is possible that Lattimore’s use of underwater treadmill and resistance training has helped to accelerate his gains in muscle mass and strength.

State-of-the-art technology or not, Lattimore’s success is ultimately contributed to his unwavering determination and positive mental attitude.  These qualities have garnered him support and encouragement not only from family and teammates, but from a few fellow ACL surgery victims including Washington Redskins Robert Griffin III. In fact RGIII and Lattimore have been in the hydrotherapy room at the Andrews Institute rehabbing together, one in the hot tub while the other is in the pool. “The NFL offensive rookie of the year teasingly urges on Lattimore: “Flex, Marcus, flex!”

Lattimore, whom Dr. Andrew’s says has been a joy to work with, describes his time in Pensacola at the Andrew’s Institute as “the best experience ever.”

Caroline Brown

Brown, a forward/midfielder, is coming off of a torn ACL injury. Her rehabilitation program? Combination of aquatic therapy sessions in the HydroWorx 2000 series and land-based exercises.  The Hershey, PA native has become very familiar with HydroWorx aquatic therapy pools and rehabbing on the underwater treadmill. Not only is she currently using it at the University of Tennessee to recover from her most recent surgery, but she also used it at the Hetrick Center, for her first ACL recovery her sophomore year in high school. Having utilized the warm water therapy pool previously for rehabilitation, she was very well aware of its benefits, making the decision to rehab again a simple “Yes”.

In addition to the connection to the Hetrick Center, Brown has some close ties with the HydroWorx family. HydroWorx’s Chief of Field Operations, Mike McHugh coached Brown for many years and had some things to share about Brown…

Caroline’s first experience using HydroWorx Pools was when she was 9 years old and I would take her over to the Hetrick Center with my daughters Rileigh and Courtney. I would put them in the 2000 series and lower the floor down which they loved and they would run on the treadmill or try and keep up swimming against the jets. Over the years Caroline would continue to use the HydroWorx underwater treadmill in our fitness room at our corporate office to cross train or rehab a soccer injury. Caroline tore her ACL in her sophomore year at Hershey High School and used the HydroWorx underwater treadmill to speed her recovery. She returned to play as dynamic as ever!

Caroline was a fantastic youth soccer player and a top 2010 national college recruit and has had a fantastic impact on the UT soccer program and has again been able to continue using HydroWorx underwater treadmills and hot / cold pools at their outstanding sports medicine facilities at UT. It is great to see her fulfill her dream of attending UT and making such a positive impact on their soccer program. – Mike McHugh

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