TRANSCRIPT
Sometimes you need more than a workout session.
In 2009, Damian Jamieson, suffered injuries at work that damaged his brain and spine.
Now, he is a participant in an immersion therapy project, a new method that aims at helping recovery after such injuries by performing physical activity underwater in a swimming pool.
"I had five surgeries on the back, multiple surgeries all over the body, probably 40 in total. There were times where I just couldn't see the light at the end of the tunnel, things were very tough... I like getting in there with the weights and doing some good, decent, honest exercise.”
Damian decided to try immersion therapy a year ago.
Now, he puts on scuba diving equipment and perform his exercises underwater.
He found several advantages to the method compared with traditional exercising, and has seen an improvement in his condition.
"Feeling better, more energy, eating better, sleeping better. If I fall over in the water, I'm not going to fall flat on my face, I'm not going to re-aggravate an injury.”
It all started with a study on people with brain and spinal injuries.
Kade Davison, lead researcher at the University of South Australia, found that there was evidence that underwater immersion therapy was working.
"By getting them underwater, we think we can challenge that interaction between the brain and the body completely differently.”
But immersion therapy for brain and spinal injuries is still in its infancy, and people like Damian are part of an experimental approach.
Others are challenging its usefulness and even point out a potential danger to patients, as being underwater comes with risks.
Lilly Kochen, of the Australian Physiotherapy Association, is one of these critics.
"The immersion is useful and helpful for many of these clients, but not necessarily with their head underwater."
Determined2 is a provider of immersion therapy in Adelaide, where Damian does his own training.
They say participants must be eligible before being allowed to take part in sessions.
They also point out that more than 10,000 sessions have taken place without any incident.
The therapy technique is now being rolled out to other locations in Australia and New Zealand.
But even before the results of the study are found, Damian only has praise for it:
"If I had an option like immersion therapy available to me earlier on in my rehabilitation phase, I would have been better off today.”
The results of the study are expected in two to three years.
