Aquatic therapy

Aquatic therapy is the process of immersing patients in water during physical therapy. Immersion can provide many benefits to individuals who are healing from injuries. Hydrostatic pressure, the pressure exerted by the water equally in all directions on the body, can help reduce chronic pain, increase circulation, and strengthen the respiratory system. The body’s buoyancy in water can also reduce strain on injured or weakened limbs during exercise, allowing individuals to practice mobility in a reduced-stress environment.

Doctors prescribe aquatic therapy for a variety of reasons. Some seek to provide symptomatic relief to patients in pain. Others prescribe aquatic therapy to help rehabilitate patients from an injury. In these circumstances, doctors commonly prescribe the use of additional resistance devices during therapy. In many cases, doctors prescribe aquatic therapy to reduce stress and improve patients’ quality of life.

Some patients should not undergo aquatic therapy. Those with uncontrolled medical conditions, such as epilepsy, should only engage in aquatic activities under medical supervision. Individuals with recent brain injuries or certain complex medical conditions may need medical clearance and special precautions before beginning aquatic therapy. Lastly, patients with compromised cardiovascular systems face additional dangers from aquatic therapy. It is always best to check with a healthcare provider before starting any new forms of exercise.

Background

People have used water to ease aches and pains and promote healing for much of human history. In Asia and Ancient Greece, people immersed themselves in hot springs, which were naturally occurring pools of warm water. They believed that such immersion could heal physical maladies.

As bathing fell out of favor toward the end of the Middle Ages, so did the use of warm water to treat illnesses. However, the practice was revived in the eighteenth century by the German doctor Johann Sigmund Hahn. It was used to treat various diseases, including tuberculosis and fevers.

Aquatic therapy became more popular when it was discovered that immersion in water allowed some individuals with paralysis to have a limited use of their legs. In 1924, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt used aquatic therapy as a form of exercise. At the time, Roosevelt had limited use of his legs, and aquatic therapy allowed him to have a greater range of motion.

In the latter half of the twentieth century, aquatic therapy became more widely used in rehabilitation programs. It provided a safe way for patients to carry out rehabilitative therapy. During the 1980s, aquatic therapy became extremely popular among aging Americans. They exercised in pools as a specialized form of low-impact aerobics and strength training.

Overview

Aquatic therapy refers to the use of water to help heal injuries. Such immersion therapy most often involves exercise and takes place in specialized pools. Immersion in water benefits the human body in many ways. Swimming is not a required skill to participate in aquatic therapy as therapists will tailor sessions to the patient’s abilities and provide flotation devices and other equipment needed.

For example, bodies immersed in water are immediately subject to hydrostatic pressure, the force that displaced water exerts on the body. This force helps reduce swelling and functions similarly to the compression sleeves sometimes prescribed by doctors to help patients heal from injuries. The pressure exerted by water also helps dull the responses of nerve endings by providing them with a constant stimulus. This is particularly useful for patients who suffer from chronic pain, such as those with fibromyalgia and back pain.

Hydrostatic pressure also has notable benefits for the circulatory and respiratory systems. It helps blood return to the heart, improving blood circulation. It also provides constant pressure on the chest, forcing patients to work slightly harder to breathe. This strengthens the organs in the respiratory system, improving respiratory health and function under normal levels of pressure.

Immersion in water also gives patients the benefits of buoyancy. It reduces the effects of gravity, reducing the pressure on joints and weight-bearing limbs. This allows patients to safely exercise injured or weakened parts of the body. Individuals with mobility issues can use aquatic therapy to practice the motions associated with walking while being assisted by water. Others use buoyancy for assisted range-of-motion exercises or to help increase and maintain flexibility.

Doctors often recommend aquatic therapy for patients healing from sports injuries and surgeries. These include joint replacement surgeries, orthopedic injuries, muscle strains, tendon injuries, and spinal cord injuries. They also recommend aquatic therapy for patients suffering from chronic pain, including lower back pain, rheumatoid arthritis, and tendonitis. Since aquatic therapy can improve mobility and reduce pain in individuals with various musculoskeletal and neurological conditions, it is incorporated into rehabilitation programs following joint replacement surgeries.

Doctors may also recommend aquatic therapy to relieve stress. Patients often find it soothing to be immersed in warm water. Individuals who suffer from injuries or chronic pain may find that being immersed in warm water temporarily relieves symptoms, which can benefit patients’ mental health.

Some physical therapists employ accessories when helping patients engage in aquatic therapy. These accessories allow therapists to target specific areas of the body or types of motion. They include various resistance devices, such as ankle weights and adjustable barbells. They also include fins, flippers, noodles, and stationary bicycles.

Though aquatic therapy is common, it is not suitable for everyone. Certain individuals with cardiovascular problems risk additional damage from exercising while immersed in water. These include people with unstable blood pressure and recent heart failures, as well as anyone whose cardiovascular system is operating at a significantly reduced capacity.

For some individuals, spending any significant time in water may be dangerous; hence, water-based therapy may require medical clearance or close supervision, or may be temporarily inappropriate. These include individuals who have recently suffered from a brain hemorrhage and individuals suffering from uncontrolled epilepsy. Individuals who suffer from aquaphobia, routine vomiting, or have significant open skin wounds should not engage in aquatic therapy.

Bibliography

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