What walk-in tub is best for someone with arthritis?

For a bather with arthritis, the tub to look for is one ordered with hydro massage and the intensity control dial, because Ella's features video describes the water massage as the therapy for muscle and joint pain relief and arthritis, and the dial lets you start with the stream turned nearly all the way down and build up over several baths. Pair that package with warm rather than hot water and with deck controls that are easy on stiff hands. What type of walk-in tub is best for back pain relief? covers the same hydro system for a sore back, and this page focuses on the choices that matter for painful joints. Please read it as general bathing guidance. Ella's Bubbles products and content are not intended to diagnose, cure or prevent any disease, and nothing here is medical advice.

Why Hydro Massage with the Intensity Dial Comes First

Hydro massage uses a water pump to draw water from the tub and push it back through jets positioned for the back, hips, legs, calves and feet. It is the strong, traditional jetted-tub feeling, and in the features video the presenter describes the water massage as the therapy for muscle and joint pain relief, arthritis, carpal tunnel and general aches and pains, while the air therapy is described as the system that moves the water around for cleanliness. Ella's FAQ adds that bathers with circulatory concerns such as diabetes, hypertension or amputation may benefit from a hydro jetted tub with the intensity control dial.

That dial is the detail that makes hydro massage workable for tender joints. It is an air control connected by a hose, not an electrical switch. Turning it up allows more air into the jet stream for a stronger feel, and turning it down reduces the air for a softer stream, all the way to barely perceptible. You can begin with the flow turned nearly all the way down and increase it over several baths rather than committing to full strength on the first day.

Three things happen automatically when the hydro pump starts, and each one matters for a joint-pain soak:

• The in-line water heater turns on with the pump and helps maintain your bath temperature while the jets run. It maintains warmth only and does not heat cold water, so fill the tub warm to begin with.
• The ozone sterilization system runs with the pump to keep the water system fresh and sanitary. A light humming noise when the ozone generator runs by itself is completely normal.
• The intensity control dial is live, so the jet strength can be fine tuned at any point during the bath.

Independent Foot Massage for Feet and Ankles

The video on this page shows why the independent foot massage is worth considering when the feet are the sore spot. An Ella tub ordered with independent foot massage and full body hydro massage uses two separate pumps, one for the seat jets and one for the foot jets. Competitors use one pump and a diverter valve, which takes power away from one side and sends it to the other, creating a weaker, inconsistent flow. With two pumps you can run full power to just your feet or full power to your entire body, and you control the intensity on all sides with the intensity control dials.

Therapy and Control Options Compared

What these differences mean is that the hydro package does the therapeutic work, the foot massage option decides whether the feet get their own full-strength pump, and the control choice decides how the bather's hands interact with the tub every day. Air massage and microbubble can be added to a hydro package, but on their own neither delivers the deep, targeted massage the video associates with arthritis relief.

Push Buttons or the Digital Touchpad

Both control types operate the same therapy systems. The on and off push controls require only a gentle push to activate, and a soft press with the palm of your hand works perfectly, which suits a bather who cannot grip or press hard. The air button cycles high, medium, low and off, and the water button starts and stops the hydro pump. Push Button Controls vs the Digital Touchpad walks through every function on both panels.

On the digital touchpad, the air bubble icon starts the air massage, plus and minus set the intensity, and a two second hold stops it. One press of the hydro icon starts the seat hydro massage and one more press stops it. The chromatherapy light works the same way on both control types. Two limits are worth knowing before you choose. The hydro jet intensity is still set with the chrome dial on the deck, so the dial stays on either control type. And the touchpad is offered only on tubs with a combination of jetting systems, for example air plus hydro. A hydro-only tub uses push controls with the intensity dial.

If you already own an Ella tub with push buttons, Can I Upgrade My Ella Walk-In Tub From Push Buttons to a Digital Touchpad? explains that the upgrade is possible in many cases when the tub has a combination package and a compatible control box. Send a photo of the labeled side of the blue electrical box under the tub so the team can confirm compatibility.

Warm Water, Not Hot, and How Long to Soak

Ella's warm-water guidance is consistent, and Warm-Water Bathing Guidelines gathers it in one place. Ella's article on injury recovery and pain management cites studies showing that soaking in warm water between 92 and 100 degrees Fahrenheit for at least 20 minutes can help reduce pain, decrease swelling and inflammation and increase circulation. Ella's owner manuals warn that water temperature in excess of 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit may be harmful to your health, so set the temperature at the faucet as the tub fills and test it before you settle in. Tubs ordered with the thermostatic faucet package have a thermostatic control valve that arrives set to that 100.4 degree ceiling. If your skin looks red after the bath, the water was too hot. For dry or sensitive skin, keep the bath to 10 minutes or less, use warm rather than hot water, drink enough water and moisturize afterward. Follow your physician's advice about warm-water bathing and massage.

Checklist Before You Order

1. Order a hydro massage package so the tub has the back, hip, leg, calf and foot jets, the intensity dial and the in-line heater.
2. Decide whether the feet need their own pump, and add the independent foot massage if they do.
3. Choose push buttons for a palm-press panel, or the digital touchpad if the tub carries a combination package.
4. Consider the thermostatic faucet package if you want the fill temperature capped automatically.
5. Confirm the model, package and controls with your Ella dealer or the team at (800) 480-6850.

Related Guides

• Hydro Massage vs Air Massage vs Microbubble: What Each System Does and How They Combine
• What Is the Intensity Control Dial on a Walk-In Tub?

Related Videos

Common Questions