Aquatic Therapy

What is aquatic therapy? It is not just exercise in water. Unlike “water aerobics”, or “water exercise”, aquatic therapy is physical therapy carried out in a pool or aquatic environment. It is specific therapeutic intervention and rehabilitation for different physical ailments or injuries by a physical therapist. All of our aquatic exercise programs will be designed specifically for the individual patient and monitored by a licensed physical therapist.

What problems are usually treated by aquatic therapy?
• Osteoarthritis
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Back pain
• Total joint replacement
• Post-surgery (knee, hip, back, shoulder, etc.)
• Cardiovascular
• Fibromyalgia
• Multiple sclerosis
• Amputees
• Stroke, head injury, and peripheral neuropathy
• Children with disabilities
• Elderly patients with decreased movement and endurance athletes
• Post-mastectomy and lymphedema

What makes aquatic therapy so effective? The main principle of physical therapy is that exercise is the best treatment for physical disorders. However, some patients experience too much pain with regular exercise. Water helps decrease pain by taking stress off the joints. Water’s buoyancy allows us to thoroughly exercise muscles with much less pressure on the skeletal system.

Aquatic exercise has the following benefits:
• Decreased effects of gravity and joint pressure
• Warm water decreases muscle spasm
• Freedom of movement for stiff joints
• The harder you work against water, the harder it works against you
• Fast movements create more turbulence, while slower movements give gentle resistance
• It’s fun and different

Can I do aquatic therapy if I cannot swim? Yes! The Omni Center pool is relatively shallow and heated! If or when you progress to deep water exercise, you can wear a flotation device or stay near the edge of the pool.