Aquatic Therapy:
The Benefits of an Aquatic Environment
Over the past several years aquatic therapy has increasingly made its presence in the field of physical therapy. This type of therapy, which was once regarded with some concerns, is now offering more certifications in an attempt to increase its credibility. This sudden step towards utilizing aquatic conditions is primarily due to the many benefits it offers to a wide spectrum of patients. Due to the water’s specialized properties, aquatic therapy provides many more advantages than traditional therapy performed out of water. The physical properties that make up water, better allows physical therapists to assist in patient healing and exercise performance. This type of therapy is so unique because “there is no other method of exercising available that creates a zero impact environment that is found with aquatic exercise.” (Brunner) Overall, aquatic therapy has been found to be extremely useful in treating an extensive list of injuries and caters to all ages due to its many variables and conditions that traditional land therapy cannot offer.
Water possesses many special features that make it a perfect candidate for therapy. The first property is buoyancy, which is defined as an upward force that opposes gravity. This therapeutic quality “enables initiation of independent movement possibilities that are less likely to be achieved on land.”(Getz p. 926) This allows the injured patient to start functional weight bearing much earlier than land therapy would allow. Rick McAvoy, a physical therapist who has specialized in aquatic therapy for over 13 years states that, “buoyancy allows the client’s neuromuscular system to start coming in at the right time and with the correct patte...
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"Physical Therapy at White Sands in Sarasota for Shoulder." Rotator Cuff Pain Relief with Water Therapy Treatment in Sarasota, FL. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 May 2014.
Working in an interdisciplinary team, gives the team an ability to address the patients’ needs from different perspectives and different strategies. The interdisciplinary team works together to provide the individual with the most beneficial possible outcome. Interdisciplinary teams can include physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, social workers, and other health care providers (Mellor, Cottrell, & Moran, 2013). The challenge for being a recreational therapist among a health care field is that many health care providers do not see recreational therapy as a serious, legitimate, and beneficial program for their health service patients as well as for their other health care providers. This idea creates a challenge for not
Rietberg MB, Brooks D, Uitdehaag BMJ, Kwakkel G. Exercise therapy for multiple sclerosis (Review). Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2004;3.
With MS, most people experience exacerbations, where symptoms get progressively worse, which are then “followed by periods of reduced or no symptoms,” indicative of remission (PubMed Health 2013). Though for many it is “common for the disease to return (relapse), […for some] the disease may continue to get worse without periods of remission” (PubMed Health 2013). Also, the severity of the disorder can be amplified by exposure to extreme heat in addit...
Imagine going up for the perfect lay-up, you make the shot but when you land you twist awkwardly and land on your knee. Laying on the ground, you feel the pain surging through your knee, the first line of defense is an athletic trainer, however if this accident happened when you fell on a wet kitchen floor you could expect much the same care from a physical therapist Athletic Trainers are the first to respond to sport related in game injuries, and provide care after injuries. In contrast physical therapist are not only there to fix accidental injuries, and treat chronic bone and joint they help with plans of care and rehabilitation for athletes and non-athletes after injuries. Physical Therapy play a important role in todays healthcare. Physical Therapy are experts of improving and storing motion , they contribute to their patients ‘ quality of life by keeping them healthy , fit , active and in medications . The first school of Modern Physical Therapy opened in Boston, MA , So Physical Therapy have been around for a long time. The Physical Therapy Association Organized by Mary McMillan. It later became the American Physical Therapy Association.World War ll brings changes to Physical Therapy was done at hospitals as patients recovered from injuries , surgeries or other ailments.
Kinesiology is a complimentary therapy used to identify and correct internal issues to relieve stress, allergies, and pain. Being described as a complimentary therapy, kinesiology is not meant to be a cure-all for the patient, but a secondary method of increasing positive results of the original therapy; this method however can be used as a primary or secondary form of therapy depending on the results for the patient and satisfaction with said results. During treatment the doctor tests 14 different areas of muscles balance, these major muscles and how they react are believed to uncover problems that need correction which cannot be found with any other testing (Rude Health).
People have created a hectic and busy world, that includes careers and daily activities that require physical activity. While attempting to attain the required physical conditioning, people often take chances with their personal health as they try to stretch their physical limits. Sometimes, people can surpass their current limits and form new boundaries; however, other times people are not so fortunate. These unfortunate times often lead to injury, including workplace accidents, sporting incidents, disease afflictions, as well as others; any or all of which could bring about the need of rehabilitation services. Many of these require physical therapy, which includes assisting injured or otherwise impaired patients as they recover to their pre-injury status or to recover as much as is physically possible. The field of physical therapy is a choice career for those who enjoy helping people recover from injury, and the following text will provide reason for choosing this profession.
Aquatic therapy encompasses a broad set of modalities, including aquatic exercise, physical therapy, and aquatic bodywork. Treatment may be passive, active-assisted, and/or active. Cooler water temperatures are used for high intensity exercises and overall body conditioning. Whereas, warmer water temperatures are used for mobility, flexibility and muscle relaxation control and management (Malstrom, 2013).
The background of athletic training started way back in ancient Greece. Back then they believed massage was very important, especially to the people that pla...
The sheer energy of a gymnast alone can be felt by audiences of all ages, but what the spectators lack the ability to feel is the pounding of the bodies that bear the impact of the athletes in action. Gymnastics consists of a mixture of acrobatic performances of four different events for females, and six different events for males (Gianoulis 1). Gymnastics is demanding in a multitude of ways, including: physically, emotionally and mentally. It requires countless hours of dedication. The concerns of most gymnasts are moving up to the next level, or getting a more advanced skill, while the concerns of the doctors, coaches, and parents revolve mostly around the athlete’s health, which is put at stake for the adored yet dangerous sport. Injuries are common among both male and female gymnast alike, but due to the fact a female gymnast’s career peaks at the same time of major growth and development, a female gymnast’s body as a whole is more likely to undergo lifelong changes or affects (Gianoulis 2). Among the injuries of the mind blowing athletes, the most common ones affect the ankles, feet, lower back, wrist, and hands of individuals (Prevention and Treatment 1). From sprains, to the breaks, the intriguing sport of gymnastics is physically demanding on a gymnast’s body.
da Silveira Sarmento, G., Pegoraro, A. N., & Cordeiro, R. C. (2011). Aquatic physical therapy as a treatment modality in healthcare for non-institutionalized elderly persons: a systematic review. Einstein (16794508), 9(1), 84-89.
* Aquatic Therapy or Hydrotherapy (dog pool and underwater treadmill)is excellent for improving strength, muscular endurance, cardio, range of motion, agility, psychological well-being and reducing pain.
"Physical Therapy." Mayo School of Health Sciences. Mayo Clinic, 25 June 2013. Web. 7 Nov. 2013.
“Recreational water illnesses (RWIs) are caused by germs spread by swallowing, breathing in mists or aerosols of, or having contact with contaminated water in swimming pools, hot tubs, water parks, water play areas, interactive fountains, lakes, rivers, or oceans. RWIs can also be caused by chemicals in the water or chemicals that evaporate from the water and cause indoor air quality problems. RWIs may include a wide variety of infections, including gastrointestinal, skin, ear, respiratory, eye, neurologic and wound infections. Many RWIs (skin, ear, eye, respiratory, neurologic, wound, and other infections) are caused by germs that live naturally in the environment (for example, in water and soil)” (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention).
Physiotherapy is the study of the movement and function of the human anatomy and the relationship between the persons’ health and wellbeing (Dhrs.uct.ac.za, 2015). A physiotherapist’s speciality is treating “individuals across the life-span who have illness, injury or disability affecting the neuro-musculoskeletal, cardiopulmonary, vascular, and neurological systems” (Ontario Physiotherapy Association, 2015:3). A physiotherapist’s main goal is for their patient to receive the highest level of independence by educating patients how to “prevent reoccurring injuries” that disrupt their daily routine (Ontario Physiotherapy Association, 2015:3). Physiotherapists would deal with “long term ailments” (Zweigenthal et al., 2009:235) that cannot simply be treated with the dosage of medication but with the dedication from both the physiotherapist and patient in the appointed interactive physical sessions, a treatment plan can be formulated to guarantee the most efficient road to