In my experience, very much so, I have used it with rugby players to Ultra distance runners and they all found tremendous benefits from it. Everything I have done is anecdotal though but I would use it for interval work rather than duration as it induces a lot of fatigue.

In addition to DWR using a shallow pool for circuit based/aerobic sessions is a very good addition to a rehabilitation protocol.

I have used DWR with several athletes through various stages of rehabilitation and found that in some instances that athletes were able to complete tasks in the water that would normally have to wait because of WB restrictions, etc.  Here is an article that may help with your decision.

Aquatic Exercise Compared to Contrast Therapy With Shallow Water Treadmill Running to Assist Recovery in Elite Australian Rules Footballers Kate Hoskin, Karen Dodd, Siew-Pang Chan, Sam Rosengarten, and Sophie Heywood. International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education, 2013, 7, 314-331 © 2013 Human Kinetics, Inc.

Dear Javier, 

I searched about the DWR in Pedro, and I found only one paper about the tittle. You should read this paper (Eur J Appl Physiol. 2006 Sep;98(2):117-23. Epub 2006 Aug 22.

High intensity deep water training can improve aerobic power in elderly women.

Broman G1, Quintana M, Lindberg T, Jansson E, Kaijser L.)

Regards!!!

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16924529

Thanks to all colleagues interested on my question.

Sure there are many papers talking about the properties of DWR in rehabilitation and as alternative or complimentary activity to improve fitness. We presented a Review (in RG profile) about research in DWR: there are not many studies relating athletes and performance in sports. That study from Kate Hoskin et. al. with elite Australian footballers is a good find, didn't see before, I will read it.

We are working with professional soccer players, specifically in rehabilitation and complimentary activity of training. We use AQUA RUNNING Suit, designed by Terry Nelson. Real Madrid, Manchester City, Manchester United and England FA are using the suit. Terry is working now with a new type of suit with no sleeves and different buoyancy pads. This suit is the only one CE Certified for safety due to the high buoyancy and balance. We will start to study some physiological parameters to prove the improvements with this kind of technology.

Thank you very much.

Javier Vilamitjana

DWR has been very helpful with recovery from injury. I have prescribed it often with stress fractures. BC Liem wrote a review in Curr Sports Med Rep. 2013 May-Jun;12(3):200-7.

Hello Thomas,

As you say, Liem et. al. (2013) concluded that DWR is also used as an injury-rehabilitation technique for limb stress fracture in runners.This article reviews the scientific evidence behind common rehabilitation concepts used for runners recovering from these injuries, but there are not enough scientific references in the literature about athletes and performance. For instance, Sanitas group (from Real Madrid) is using Aqua Running suits to rehabilitation in soccer players and basketball players (professional). Our objective is  to research physiological parameters with these specific suits in professional soccer players. We will start soon. 

Thank you.

JV

Starting to study Aqua Running Suit properties with DWR in professional soccer players. We will use SenseCore to monitor the activities in water. Comparison of different work regimens in water and land. We will publish the data next months….

Cheers!