Aquatic Therapy: Here’s Why It Works
Aquatic rehabilitation, or water therapy, has unique benefits for many musculoskeletal and neurological conditions due to the specific properties of water. At Mangiarelli Rehabilitation, aquatic therapy takes place in the clinic pool under the supervision of aquatic therapists.
Aquatic therapy benefits include:
1. Accelerated Healing Time
Water therapy can reduce a patient’s expected rehabilitation time. It improves tolerance for exercise, making rehabilitation easier for patients to move and regain function without fear of re-injury. Water’s natural buoyancy supports a patient’s weight, reducing pain and stress on joints and muscles. When waist deep in water, the body handles only 50 percent of its weight.
2. Decrease Swelling & Reduce Inflammation
Aquatic therapy makes use of the hydrostatic pressure of water to decrease joint and soft tissue swelling. The hydrostatic pressure acts as a gentle compressive force on the body. This reduces pain and allows a patient to perform exercises more easily.
3. Improved Circulation & Mobility
Hydrotherapy takes place in the clinic pool, which is heated to between 92 and 94 degrees Fahrenheit. The warmth of the water assists in relaxing muscles and increasing blood flow to injured areas. Aquatic therapy is a low-impact form of exercise, permitting patients to perform exercises that could be painful on land. Water therapy can increase a patient’s aerobic capacity and contribute to better circulation.
The viscosity of water is a source of resistance that allows for muscle strengthening and greater mobility while decreasing stress on the joints. Water provides 12 times the resistance that air offers, allowing patients to build more muscle with less pain.
Aquatic therapy can benefit the following conditions:
Orthopedic disorders
Fibromyalgia
Spinal disorders
Muscular Dystrophy
Call today to learn how aquatic therapy could benefit you!
[Sources]
1) Katie White, PT, DPT, OCS, “Aquatic-based therapy offers a healing medium and therapeutic components that can be customized to each patient’s needs,” Rehab Management.
2) Amy J Mahle and Amber L Ward, “Aquatic Therapy,” Chapter 20: Orthopedic Considerations: Spine, Pelvis, Hip, Knee, Adult Physical Conditions: Intervention Strategies for Occupational Therapy Assistants, p.515, April 2018.
