By Kimberly Alquist
BP&HT’s aquatic re/habilitation program consists of supervised exercises performed in the water. Swimming is not a prerequisite skill. Patients can perform each exercise through activity and play while standing in the water, holding onto the side of the pool, or using a flotation device. The water provides a safe and effective method for healing injuries, restoring patient confidence, and increasing mobility with each completed exercise during play.
Benefits of Aquatic Therapy:
- Warm water facilitates muscle relaxation and increases peripheral circulation.
- Viscosity of water provides resistance for strength training.
- Warm water stimulates body awareness, balance, and trunk stability.
- The reduction of gravitational forces in the pool allows the patient to stand and begin gait training and stretching exercises without causing further damage to healing structures.
- Warm water and buoyancy results in decreased pain sensitivity.
- Improvement of patient morale and confidence can be established by providing a positive medium in which to function.
Aquatic Rehabilitation may be prescribed specifically for:
- Pain (i.e. lower back)
- Joint pain from sports or daily repetitive activities
- Neurological and orthopedic injuries
- Post-surgical debilitation
- Muscle weakness secondary to chronic or acute injury or illness
Aquatic Therapy is a positive medium that can improve our patient’s morale and confidence. Ask us if this could be a good program for your child this summer.
