The Kneipp Therapy: “Master of Blood Movement

On the birthday…

The 200th anniversary of Father Sebastian Kneipp’s birth was celebrated on 17 May (1821 -1897).  In the following we will share with you the legacy of the founder of the popular Kneipp therapy.

Growing up in Ottobeuren, later Bad Wörishofen (Kneipp spa), Sebastian Kneipp lived through a hard childhood as a cattle herder and at his father’s loom. In early adulthood, he himself fell seriously ill with pulmonary tuberculosis, and doctors declared him incurable. He then became extensively involved with healing by means of water and began bathing in the Danube all year round. He did this in combination with subsequent physical exercise (short sprints), which, contrary to all expectations, brought his illness to a halt.

These findings were further developed by medical staff and successors in his sense, so that today the “Kneipp natural healing method” forms a modern treatment method which largely corresponds to the state of current scientific medicine.

The comprehensive natural healing treatment according to Kneipp is composed of 5 foundations, which are also known as the “5 pillars”:

– Water treatments (hydrotherapy)

– Medicinal herbs (phytotherapy)

– Exercise

– Healthy diet

– Life order (daily rhythm, an-relaxation, work-life balance, etc.)

Hydrotherapy, is the use of water for healing purposes. There are over 100 different types of hydrotherapy, which are divided into partial-body and whole-body applications (casts, baths, washes, laps, rubs, etc.).

This includes, among other things, treading water in the Stork Walk, which we recommend to our guests at Lanserhof Lans. It is essential to alternate between warm and cold water. First the legs are put into a basin filled with warm water for 5 minutes, then you walk through the cold water basin in the stork walk. This process is repeated 2-3 times and finished in the cold water basin.

Kneipp therapy covers numerous areas of application, but its main emphasis is on prevention.

The preferred effect of this therapy is to influence the blood circulation. For this reason, Kneipp has also been called the “master of blood movement”.

Regular use often has positive effects on the entire body by stimulating the circulation. The heat stimuli on the skin first dilate the blood vessels, which then constrict again with subsequent cold stimuli, resulting in vascular training. Regular use also leads to a strengthening of the entire immune system.

Kneipp therapy is not recommended in cases of circulatory disorders (severe varicose veins, thromboses, acute inflammations, etc.).

The Kneipp area in the pool area is available to our guests daily from 08:00 to 16:00. It is recommended that Kneipp therapy be carried out in the morning.

“Everything we need to stay healthy has been abundantly given to us by nature.” (Sebastian Kneipp)