Aquatic
Therapy
Aquatic Therapy
Aquatic rehabilitation consists of guided exercises by your Physical Therapist in the pool while standing, holding onto the side of the pool, or onto a flotation device. If you have arthritis, chronic pain, you are injured, disabled, or have difficulty performing exercises on land, the water provides a safe and effective way to make important gains and progressions in your rehabilitation program and daily life.
Benefits of Aquatic Physical Therapy
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Improve flexibility
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Promote relaxation
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Improve balance and coordination
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Build muscle strength and endurance
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Enhance aerobic capacity
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Improve circulation
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Decrease swelling
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Reduce pain
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Reduce stress placed on joints
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Improve joint sense and proprioception
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Improve body awareness
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Assist with gait and locomotion
The natural properties of water that make it an ideal therapeutic environment include:
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Warm water: can help relax achy joints and muscles. It can also help to improve circulation.
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Viscosity: provides resistance to assist with muscle strengthening without the need for weights, increasing rehabilitation progressions
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Buoyancy: assists in supporting our weight with the absence of stress that gravity may put on our joints while decreasing compressive forces. The reduction of these gravitational forces can assist with your ability to stand and walk without support.
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Hydrostatic pressure: supports and stabilizes decreasing balance challenges improving the ability to perform exercises without falling. The hydrostatic pressure also improves cardiovascular return, can decrease swelling, and improve overall pain levels. Hydrostatic pressure also improves joint position sense or proprioception and body awareness.
Aquatic Therapy At Home
The combined properties of water allow for decreased weight-bearing, limiting the stress placed on your joints, which makes it easier and less painful to perform exercises. The added resistance from the water during strengthening exercises can help to further improve your rehabilitation progression.
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It is important to know, aquatic therapy is not for everyone including people with cardiac disease, those with open wounds, a fever, an active infection, or bowel/bladder incontinence.
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Those who are ideal candidates for aquatic therapy and have a pool in their community or at their home, may benefit from aquatic therapy as part of their rehabilitation program. If aquatic therapy is included in your Physician signed care plan that is established by your Physical Therapist after your initial visit, the aquatic therapy will be covered by your insurance company. If appropriate, a combined treatment plan of both aquatic and land based Physical Therapy is provided.
