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 Aquatic therapy involves performing exercises and functional
activities in a heated pool. Strength and function gained
in the pool translate to improvements on land. Patients with many
different types of disabilities can benefit from aquatic therapy.
It is especially useful in the treatment of acute pain, arthritis,
orthopedic reflex sympathetic dystrophy (RSD), sports rehabilitation,
post-mastectomy issues, neurological issues, prenatal or postpartum
issues, balance deficits, and deconditioned patients.
The
Rehabilitation Institute at Memorial University Medical Center has an in-ground pool that
is 40 feet long and 11 feet wide.
The pool has multiple depths, ranging from four feet to six-and-a-half
feet, to accommodate a wide variety of patients. The water
temperature is 90 to 93 degrees. Beneath the surface of the
pool is a high-tech underwater camera
system. It features three cameras that can view and record
underwater activity from different angles. The images are
displayed on two 27-inch
monitors where therapists can view and correct patients during
therapy. Patients can also view their own underwater performance.
Another feature of the aquatic therapy program is an underwater
treadmill. It expands therapeutic options by treating gait
dysfunctions in a gravity-minimized environment. The pool also
has an Aqua Gym multi-workout
station and a bench area with jets where patients can relax
after therapy.
Aquatic therapy is available to people of all ages. However, some medical conditions
do prohibit this type of therapy.
Benefits of Aquatic Therapy
Patients using aquatic therapy often see benefits that they
cannot get on land, such as:
- Less effort with movement
- Pain reduction
- Muscle relaxation
- Increased functional abilities
- Decreased fear of falling
- Opportunity to train in a gravity-minimized environment while
being immersed in a resistive medium
- Decreased weight bearing, allowing for early weight-bearing
therapy and decreased pain with such activities
- Decreased swelling
- Resistance can be increased through movements, thereby increasing
strength
- Movements can be supported, assisted, or resisted by buoyancy
- Allows increased time for patients' equilibrium reactions
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