Aquatic therapy is form of physiotherapy that takes place in a pool or other aquatic environment under the supervision of a trained healthcare professional. Aquatic therapy is also known as hydrotherapy.
Common goals of aquatic therapy programs include:
- Improving flexibility
- Improving balance and coordination
- Building muscle strength and endurance
- Enhancing aerobic capacity
- Assisting with gait and locomotion
- Reducing stress and promoting relaxation
- Reducing spasticity and spasms
Aquatic therapy is different from aquatic exercise or aquatic fitness because it is a physical medicine and rehabilitation specialty that requires the involvement of a trained professional and is covered by many insurance providers due to the personalised nature of the treatment. Aquatic exercise does not need to be supervised by a trained professional. It is also not covered by insurance, and it often takes place in a group setting that includes multiple people with different levels of physical fitness.
These are some of the ways that water’s natural properties create an ideal therapeutic environment:
- Warm water provides a relaxing and soothing environment for aching joints and muscles.
- Water’s natural viscosity or resistance can be used for muscle strengthening and increasing rehabilitation progressions.
- Buoyancy allows for flotation and reduces the effects of gravity on injured or aching joints and muscles.
- Hydrostatic pressure supports and stabilizes the client, allowing people with balance deficits to perform exercises without a fear of falling, decreasing pain and improving cardiovascular return.
- Turbulence and wave propagation let the therapist gently manipulate the client through the desired exercises.
- The respiratory muscles are forced to work harder in the water, allowing for a natural strengthening that benefits the client long after the therapy session has ended.
Clients will need to complete a pre-aquatic therapy questionnaire to ensure that they are safe and suitable
Clients will need to be able to either:
Use the entry/exit steps safely with little or minimal support
Be able to safely step or shuffle transfer on to the sitting hoist
They must be able to sit safely and independently in the hoist chair
Aquatic therapy address: MB Hydropool, Broadacres, Doncaster Road, Hatfield, Doncaster, DN7 6AA
MB HydroPool is bright, clean and comfortably warm environment. Private changing and showering facilities are available pool side. Most manual wheelchairs will fit comfortably though doorways, but some larger, electric wheelchairs may struggle, so we recommend if you have one, to bring a shower chair.
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