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 Advantages of Aquatic Therapy
Aquatic therapy has long been recognized as one of the most effective forms of rehabilitation for a variety of physical conditions. Even Hippocrates recommended immersion in water for a number of conditions and injuries.
Therapeutic Advantages of Water
· Buoyancy - Up thrust action of water acting at right angles to the surface
· Viscosity - the resistance offered by a fluid to a change of its form
· Thermal capacity and conductivity - heat moves more rapidly from warm water to objects in it or surrounding it than from any other substance, and water absorbs or gives off more heat for each degree of resultant change in its own temperature than any other known substance
Clinical consequences:
· Weight relief and unloading of painful joints - thus return to pain free
movement much faster than on land - if in water up to waist then 50% of the weight bearing is eliminated; if up to the neck 90% eliminated; if buoyant in deep water no weight bearing at all
· Controlled resistance - viscosity of water increases resistance to movement by 40-60 times; patient can control the force of resistance by increasing or decreasing the speed of his/her movement (more freedom and less discomfort)
· Hydrostatic pressure of water around deeply immersed limb promotes edema reduction
· Eliminates wasted time-when land activities begin, patient can begin working on functional activities faster
· Warm water temperature - prepares connective tissue for stretching, promotes muscle relaxation, pain relief, and increase in blood flow
· Indoors-privacy and comfort for the patient.
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