Aquatic Therapy

Let the Science of Water Help You Achieve Your Hard-to-Reach Goals

Aquatic therapy is a specialized form of physical therapy that takes place in water, rather than on land. Because of the scientific properties of water, it allows many patients—and therapists—to accomplish goals they are unable to accomplish using conventional land-based measures, making it a highly effective treatment for a variety of otherwise difficult-to-treat conditions.

Some of the many benefits of aquatic therapy include:

• Buoyancy. Buoyancy is what makes you float and feel “lighter” in water. It pushes up against your body and allows you to move with less effort, affording you a greater range of motion. It also promotes muscle relaxation and helps decrease pain.
• Resistance. When you move your limbs up and down in water, you encounter resistance. Acting against resistance has effects similar to weightlifting and can be used to improve your muscle strength.
• Viscosity. Water is thicker than air, so you move more slowly through it and, therefore, can make more deliberate movements. If you need to work on skills such as balance and coordination, the viscosity of water makes it an ideal platform.
• Compression. Hydrostatic pressure is the pressure that water exerts on your body whenever you are in it. It supports your body and allows you to do standing activities, such as walking, with less effort. It also decreases lower extremity swelling and improves respiratory muscle function.

In addition to the above, most patients find aquatic therapy relaxing, refreshing, and enjoyable—and many leave one appointment eager for the next.