Aquatic Therapy: The Benefits of an Aquatic Environment

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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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...l Association Of Orthopaedic Nurses, 18(1), 11-18. Retrieved from MEDLINE database.

7. Lakeway Aquatic Therapy & Wellness Center. (n.d.). Aquatic Physical Therapy: Providing and Elegant Environment for Rehabilitation. Retrieved June 26, 2010, from http://www.lakewayaquatics.com

8. McAvoy, R. (2006). An Integrated Approach to Aquatic Physical Therapy. Philadelphia: Rick Mcavoy.

9. Noh, D., Lim, J., Shin, H., & Paik, N. (2008). The effect of aquatic therapy on postural balance and muscle strength in stroke survivors--a randomized controlled pilot trial. Clinical Rehabilitation, 22(10-11), 966-976.

10. Peterson, C. (2001). Exercise in 94 degrees F water for a patient with multiple sclerosis. Physical Therapy, 81(4), 1049-1058. Retrieved from MEDLINE database.

11. Sova, R. (2005). Catching the wave. Rehab Management, 18(7), 28. Retrieved from MEDLINE database.

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