Two years ago it was Terrell Owens, then of the Philadelphia Eagles, suffering from a potentially career-ending injury. Before that it was Duce Staley. Both utilized HydroWorx therapy pools as integral parts of their rehab. Terrell Owens returned in time for a Super Bowl MVP-caliber performance. Staley returned to continue as a productive running back for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Now, Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer is in need of a HydroWorx underwater treadmill.

Riding on the coattails of 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.

Palmer waited two days before having surgery, which took place in Houston, on Jan 10. Palmer is now in week 20 of an arduous rehabilitation program - albeit unusually smooth up to this point. Palmer's goal? To play in Cincinnati's 2006 season opener, against the Chiefs on Sept. 10, knowing full well that a normal range of recovery from such a debilitating injury is eight to 12 months.

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.

The HydroWorx 2000 is the flagship model of its Pennsylvania-based  namesake. The floor of the pool is an 8-foot-by-12-foot treadmill that can rise to floor level for easy access by the injured Palmer. It can be adjusted to any depth of up to six feet and can run at speeds of up to eight miles per hour.

This primary feature has allowed Palmer to begin walking, and now jogging, at a much earlier stage of rehab. 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 James R. Andrews, MD, of the Gulf Breeze, Fla.-based Andrews Institute, have invested in HydroWorx pools as well.

Source: HydroWorx