Make your legs do the work, not your hips. Keep your hips in line with your shoulders when walking or bending side to side. It's not unusual to see hip and knee replacement patients use water exercise while recovering. It also reduces the fear of falling and re-injuring yourself. If you have a fear of water, wear a flotation device and stay in the shallow water or near the side of the pool.
Many pools have ramps or devices to help disabled people safely enter and enjoy the water.
You'd be surprised how fast you can adjust when you realize most everyone feels the same way as you do at first. Thirty minutes of water walking is equal to about two hours of walking out of the water in the calories expended. This figure will vary with the intensity of the exercise done. Each water walking session should consist of a warm-up for about three to five minutes with stretching to limber joints and to increase blood flow. Progressively increase your speed and intensity.