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Aquatic Therapy

Let the beneficial qualities of water be your SOLUTION to improving overall health and mobility.

Aquatic physical therapy is the evidence-based and skilled practice by a doctor of physical therapy in a safe, pool environment. The unique properties of the aquatic environment enhance interventions for patients across the age span with a variety of diagnoses. Your treatment will be one-on-one with your PT who will custom design a program to meet your specific needs whether that is rehabilitation for an injury or pain to developing an overall health and wellness program.

Effective for:

  • Joint Injuries and Post-Surgical Repairs
  • Low Back Pain
  • Balance Dysfunctions
  • Chronic pain
  • Obesity
  • Arthritis
  • Back Surgery
  • Pediatrics
  • Cardiovascular Diagnoses
  • Neurological Diagnoses: Stroke, Brain Injury, Multiple Sclerosis, Cerebral Palsy or Parkinson’s Disease

Aquatic Physical Therapy Interventions

Designed to Improve/Maintain:

  • Function
  • Aerobic Conditioning
  • Capacity/Endurance conditioning
  • Relaxation
  • Body Mechanics
  • Posture Stabilization
  • Balance, Coordination & Agility
  • Gait & Locomotion
  • Muscle Strength & Power
  • Flexibility

Beneficial Properties of Water:

  • Assist: Water assists body parts that work against gravity on land help make flexibility gains.
  • Support: The buoyancy helps reduce pain and make exercise comfortable by decreasing stresses on the body
  • Resist: Water provides resistance in all directions to help develop strength.

The Science:

  • Buoyancy: floating in the water allows you to exercise with up to 90% of body weight removed. This dramatically decreases painful joint compressive forces.
  • Temperature: the warmth of the water results in relaxation and pain reduction by inhibiting pain pathways.
  • Turbulence: this property is the ever changing flow of the water which makes safe and gentle forces on the body to help improve your balance and core stability
  • Viscosity: this is the “thickness” of water which allows for gentle and progressive resistance to aquatic exercise
  • Hydrostatic Pressure: the pressure exerted on your body when it’s submerged in the aquatic environment. This pressure can assist with the return of blood to your heart from your legs while exercising