New Research Study on Hot Tub Benefits Based in the NW

There is an exciting study underway providing updated information on the benefits of hot tub soaking—and it’s rooted right here in the Pacific Northwest.

Dr. Bruce Becker is a research professor and director of the National Aquatics & Sports Medicine Institute at Washington State University. Dr. Becker also conducts aquatic therapy studies for the National Swimming Pool Foundation in Colorado Springs.

Becker’s interest in aquatic therapy began in the early ‘80’s. Back then, he was a team physician for Nike’s Olympic development program. His interest in aquatic therapy piqued at that time, thanks mainly to his astonishment at how quickly athletes would recover from injury when pool therapy became part of the healing regimen.

Dr. Becker began this new study in 2007, and has been very thorough and systematic in his research. For him, it is still early in the process, but what he is discovering is extremely positive. Based on what they have determined thus far, he believes there will be a positive impact on using hot water immersion therapy to tackle a number of conditions: post traumatic stress disorder, learning disabilities, recovery from drug addiction, and more.

Many hot tub industry experts find Dr. Becker’s research compelling and exciting. So much so, that a number of hot tub manufacturers are offering funding to continue the study. In fact, Hot Spring Spas provided the hot tubs Becker uses in his lab for his research.

All of these details were recently reported in a February issue of Pool & Spa News, a publication produced as a news source for the hot tub & pool industry. In the article, Dr. Becker noted he next plans to seek funds to study the effects of hot water on joints in the body—key for arthritis sufferers. Surprisingly, with all the research done on the benefits of hot tubs for alleviating arthritis aches & pains, no specific study has yet been done on joints.

We hope to report more of Dr. Becker’s findings in future blog posts as results are released. His research is very exciting, and proves how terrific regular hot tub soaking is to the human body.

Need we say more? Get outside and take a soak!