Aquatic therapy may be the answer to your unique rehab & exercise needs. Physical therapists utilize aquatic therapy because there are several properties of the water that can assist in the healing & rehabilitation process. So, what is it and how can it benefit you?
What is Aquatic Therapy?
Aquatic therapy, put simply, is physical therapy in water. An aquatic program is designed by your physical therapist as a part of an individualized treatment plan to achieve certain goals. The pools are designed specifically for physical therapy and often have adaptations to make the experience easier & more comfortable. It’s also known as water therapy, aquatic rehabilitation, aqua therapy, pool therapy, aquatic exercise, or hydrotherapy.
Common goals of aquatic therapy include:
- Improving flexibility
- Improving balance and coordination
- Building muscle strength and endurance
What Are the Benefits of Aquatic Therapy?
- Decrease pain: By reducing the force of gravity on your body, you can move more easily and with less pain. This protects your joints by minimizing the weight-bearing stress.
- Enhance the healing process & recovery time: While recovering from an injury where you are restricted from fully bearing weight on a joint, the water provides an environment that decreases or eliminates your body weight forces.
- Improve flexibility, coordination, & balance: Exercising in warm water helps to promote muscle relaxation and improved circulation, which can decrease muscle guarding and spasms. While in the pool, your body is constantly responding to the pressure and movement of the water around you. This helps to improve your reaction time, strengthen your muscles, and improve your balance and coordination of movement.
Conditions That Can Benefit From Aquatic Therapy
An aquatic therapy program helps you maximize your health and well-being. And, it improves rehab outcomes for many life-limiting conditions, ailments, or injuries including:
- Weight Gain
- Pre and post total joint surgery
- Chronic pain
- Back or neck pain
- Arthritis or joint pain
- Sports injury
- Muscle pain or tightness
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Movement Disorders including Parkinson’s disease
- Balance problems/Increased fall risk
- Fibromyalgia
- Pre or post organ replacement surgery
- Neuropathy or Neurological injury
- Stroke recovery
- Circulation problems or heart disease
- Cancer
- Car accidents
Why Choose Rehab For Life?
Rehab for Life is the only therapy clinic in the Tri-State area to have two adjustable, warm water, Endless Pools utilizing remote control variable currents and treadmills. Our pools are expertly designed to facilitate easy entry/exit from each pool with our hydraulic pool lift. Clients use these unique features and other specialized aquatic equipment coupled with the expert guidance of our knowledgeable therapists to help them achieve their therapy goals and vastly improve their quality of life.
Whether you are trying to improve your balance, pain, mobility, strength, weight, or just feel better, we are here to support you and help you get back to YOU! If you have a question for our Rehab for Life team members, contact us and we will get back to you within the next business day. If you want an immediate answer, please give us a call at 812.401.5210.
